Hamastan

Hamastan is a neologism, merging 'Hamas', a Palestinian militant organization and political party, and '-stan', a Persian suffix meaning "home of/place of". The term emerged during the days of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, and is suggestive of Hamas' Islamist ideology and political ties with Iran. Since 2007, the term has been used to refer to its 2007 victory in Gaza over Fatah in the inter-Palestinian conflict. [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1137605920728&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Jpost] 26 January 2006 "Netanyahu warns of birth of Hamastan" Sheera Claire Frenkel]

After Hamas' victory in the Palestinian legislative election of 2006 further heightened Western fears of an emerging Islamic fundamentalist state in the Palestinian territories, and various Israeli politicians, including Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu (on January 26, 2006, at a live IBA broadcast) increasingly employed the term disparagingly in the run up to the Israeli elections to berate Ehud Olmert. [ [http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=778 Zionist Organization of America] March 29, 2006 "Left-right Split 52-51 Kadima Gets Only 23% of Vote"]

With the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, the creation of an Islamic mini-state in Gaza has been described by many commentators as "Hamastan" or "Hamas-stan". [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml;jsessionid=D452P41J5WIB5QFIQMGCFGGAVCBQUIV0?xml=/opinion/2007/06/15/do1502.xml&posted=true&_requestid=265922 Fundamentalists threaten Israel from all sides] , The Daily Telegraph, 15/06/2007]

Originally, the suffix 'Stan' (land) is from the Persian language, not Arabic, and in general, it is not used in the names of Arab countries.

Hamas position regarding the term

In an interview conducted by Peraino of Newsweek international with Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar. When asked by a Newsweek reporter (5 September, 2005) "Some Israeli officials warn that after the withdrawal, Gaza will become "Hamastan"." Mahmoud al-Zahar responded: "It should be Hamastan. Why not? We are not corrupt. We are serving the poorer classes. We are defending our land. It should be Hamastan!" [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9108636/site/newsweek/page/2/print/1/displaymode/1098/ Newsweek International] 5 September 2005 "The Last Word: Mahmoud Zahar In Praise of "Hamastan"] [ [http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/eng_n/hamastan_e.htm The socio-political makeup of “Hamastan”] dead link due to site re-construction]

ee also

*Zionist entity
*Media coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict

Notes and References

External links

* [http://www.jmcc.org/new/06/mar/hamasprog.htm Hamas government program] Published March 11, 2006.
* The founding principles of Hamas
* [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1137605925861&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Israel grapples with reality of 'Hamastan'] , "Jerusalem Post" (January 27, 2006)
* [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3207079,00.html Bibi: Hamastan established before our eyes] , "Ynet" (January 26, 2006)