Changes

It also set itself in opposition to the [[secular]] [[Fatah]] movement. In the 2006 elections to the [[Palestinian Authority]] legislature Hamas gained a majority of seats; its government was dissolved in June 1997 by "Palestinian" president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] following the military takeover by Hamas of the [[Gaza Strip]] after several days of fighting between Hamas and Fatah.

It also set itself in opposition to the [[secular]] [[Fatah]] movement. In the 2006 elections to the [[Palestinian Authority]] legislature Hamas gained a majority of seats; its government was dissolved in June 1997 by "Palestinian" president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] following the military takeover by Hamas of the [[Gaza Strip]] after several days of fighting between Hamas and Fatah.

On the other hand, Hamas has also cooperated with the Fatah in its campaign of terror against Israel. For example, after the failure of the 2000 peace talks former leader of the Fatah movement [[Yasir Arafat]] ordered Hamas to start launching attacks against Israel.<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=189549 Arafat ordered Hamas attacks against Israel in 2000 - Jerusalem Post]</ref> In his later years Arafat also sought to create an leadership organization which would have included the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements.<ref>[http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=13434 Arafat's Hamas Honeymoon -FrontPage Magazine]</ref>

On the other hand, Hamas has also cooperated with the Fatah in its campaign of terror against Israel. For example, after the failure of the 2000 peace talks former leader of the Fatah movement [[Yasir Arafat]] ordered Hamas to start launching attacks against Israel.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=189549 Arafat ordered Hamas attacks against Israel in 2000 - Jerusalem Post]</ref> In his later years Arafat also sought to create an leadership organization which would have included the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements.<ref>[http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=13434 Arafat's Hamas Honeymoon -FrontPage Magazine]</ref>

=== Islam ===

=== Islam ===

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</blockquote>   

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{{cquote|

I began at the beginning [in the Gospel According to Matthew], and when I got to the Sermon on the Mount, I thought, Wow, this guy Jesus is really impressive! Everything He says is beautiful! I couldn't put the book down. Every verse seemed to touch a deep wound in my life. It was a very simple message, but somehow it had the power to heal my soul and give me hope. Then I read this: `You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.' (Matthew 5:43-45)....I was thunderstruck by these words. Never before had I heard anything like this, but I knew that this was the message I had been searching for all my life." Five years earlier, I would have read the words of Jesus and thought, What an idiot! and thrown the Bible away....But now, everything Jesus said on the pages of this book made perfect sense to me. Overwhelmed, I started to cry." (p.122-123) <ref>[http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/AG1A043PNTPX7/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview  Joel C. Rosenberg, ''Love Your Enemies? How The Son Of The Founder Of Hamas Went From Jihad To Jesus'', review]</ref>}}

I began at the beginning [in the Gospel According to Matthew], and when I got to the Sermon on the Mount, I thought, Wow, this guy Jesus is really impressive! Everything He says is beautiful! I couldn't put the book down. Every verse seemed to touch a deep wound in my life. It was a very simple message, but somehow it had the power to heal my soul and give me hope. Then I read this: `You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.' (Matthew 5:43-45)....I was thunderstruck by these words. Never before had I heard anything like this, but I knew that this was the message I had been searching for all my life." Five years earlier, I would have read the words of Jesus and thought, What an idiot! and thrown the Bible away....But now, everything Jesus said on the pages of this book made perfect sense to me. Overwhelmed, I started to cry." (p.122-123) <ref>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/AG1A043PNTPX7/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview  Joel C. Rosenberg, ''Love Your Enemies? How The Son Of The Founder Of Hamas Went From Jihad To Jesus'', review]</ref>}}

"I converted to Christianity because I was convinced by Jesus Christ as a character, as a personality. I loved him, his wisdom, his love, his unconditional love. I didn't leave [the Islamic] religion to put myself in another box of religion."<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703915204575103481069258868.html#printMode</ref>  

"I converted to Christianity because I was convinced by Jesus Christ as a character, as a personality. I loved him, his wisdom, his love, his unconditional love. I didn't leave [the Islamic] religion to put myself in another box of religion."<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703915204575103481069258868.html#printMode</ref>