Hamas CharterEdit
The Hamas Charter, formally known as the Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement, is the foundational document associated with the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas. Issued in 1988, it laid out a comprehensive frame for Hamas’s identity, its approach to the conflict with Israel, and its view of the broader regional order. The charter frames the Palestinian struggle in religious terms, depicts the land of historic Palestine as an Islamic endowment, and rejects the legitimacy of the Jewish state as it then existed. It has been the subject of intense controversy and debate since its publication, shaping both Hamas’s behavior on the ground and the way external actors engage with the organization.
The charter emerged from Hamas’s origins within the broader Muslim revivalist milieu and the Palestinian uprising that began in the late 1980s. It was produced during a period when various Palestinian and regional groups were seeking to define the terms of resistance, statehood, and political engagement. The document is frequently cited in discussions of Hamas’s ideology and strategy, and it remains a touchstone for understanding how the group justifies violence against Israel as part of a broader religious and historical project. For context, see also Hamas and Arab–Israeli conflict.
Historical background and text
Hamas was founded in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the first intifada, and the charter was issued to articulate the movement’s mission and frame its legitimacy. The text blends religious rhetoric with political claims, arguing that armed struggle (jihad) is a duty to recover lands it describes as a waqf (an Islamic endowment) and that the Palestinian cause is inseparable from a global Islamic revival. It places strong emphasis on rejection of Israel’s legitimacy and on the desire to establish an Islamic framework over the entire territory of historic Palestine. The charter also integrates a range of conspiracy tropes and traditional anti-Jewish canards that have drawn widespread condemnation.
Key provisions in the charter outline:
A religiously grounded claim to the land of historic Palestine and a view of the Palestinian struggle as part of an Islamic duty.
A rejection of the legitimacy of the state of Israel and of any permanent political compromise that would recognize its existence.
An emphasis on armed resistance and jihad as the principal means of achieving national goals.
Portrayal of Zionism and a global Jewish conspiracy as antagonists to Islam and to the Palestinian people.
A call for unity among Muslims and for solidarity beyond borders to support the Palestinian struggle.
For readers seeking the broader background, see Hamas and Islamism; the document sits alongside the Palestinian political landscape, including the earlier Palestinian National Covenant that framed Palestinian nationalism in explicitly Marxist–Leninist and pan-Arab terms.
Core provisions and themes
Ideological root: The charter frames the Palestinian problem as inseparable from a religious narrative, tying the land and the people’s identity to an Islamic heritage. This gave the movement a distinctive identity that combined political aims with religious legitimacy.
Rejection of Israel: The document rejects any permanent recognition of Israel as a political entity and calls for its elimination as part of the broader mission of the organization.
Jihad and resistance: Armed struggle is presented as a legitimate and necessary method to recover the land, a stance that has shaped Hamas’s tactical choices in the ensuing decades.
Antisemitic tropes: The text contains passages that link Jews to global conspiracies and present antisemitic stereotypes. This has been a major source of international condemnation and has affected how the charter is interpreted in debates over antisemitism and political violence.
Civil and political order: While the charter emphasizes religious aims, it also places the conflict within a wider political framework, arguing for the mobilization of Palestinian and Muslim communities and seeking to attract external support from sympathetic actors in the Muslim world and beyond.
Readers can explore these themes in relation to the movement’s later strategy and statements, including shifts in how Hamas portrays its goals (see the 2017 policy document for a more nuanced separation between religiously grounded claims and strategic political aims). For context on how these themes relate to broader Palestinian political discourse, consult Palestinian National Covenant and Two-state solution discussions.
Reception and legacy
Domestic and regional reception
Within Palestinian politics, the charter did much to establish Hamas as a force distinct from secular nationalist movements represented by factions like Fatah and the Palestinian National Authority. Its religious framing helped mobilize certain demographic groups and provided a durable identity that persisted even as Hamas grew into a governing power in parts of the Palestinian territories. Outside the territory, the charter contributed to Hamas’s international perceptions as a hardline actor resistant to compromise on Israel’s existence.
International reactions
Across governments and international organizations, the charter has been cited as a primary obstacle to immediate peace prospects because of its explicit rejection of Israel’s legitimacy and its calls for armed struggle. Western governments and many regional actors have conditioned engagement with Hamas on the movement’s willingness to renounce violence and accept a political path that could include a Palestinian state within borders that acknowledge Israel's existence. The document’s reception is therefore linked to broader debates over how to balance engagement with nonstate actors and the security needs of Israel and neighboring states.
Scholarly debate
Academics have debated how binding the charter remains in practice. Some argue that the charter reflects the historical founding ethos and has limited direct effect on operational decisions once the group negotiates with other actors. Others contend that the charter still frames Hamas’s identity and justifies certain actions, especially when violence or rhetoric spikes. The contrast between the 1988 charter and later statements and documents by Hamas is central to analyses of whether the movement has shifted toward a more political or more militant posture at any given time.
2017 policy document and shifts in rhetoric
In 2017, Hamas published a separate document of general principles and policies that signaled a potential recalibration in how the organization presents its goals. This document distinguished between the religious-ideological language of the original charter and a more pragmatic political stance, indicating acceptance of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders as a possible interim arrangement, while continuing to reject Israel’s legitimacy as a state. Proponents of this shift argue that it opened space for negotiations and a potential trajectory toward a two-state framework under specific conditions. Critics, however, note that the 2017 document does not amount to a formal renunciation of the core aim of Israel’s elimination and that the group’s continued rhetoric and actions often undercuts any smooth path to durable peace.
From a policy perspective, observers evaluate how the 2017 document interacts with the legacy of the 1988 charter. Some contend that the 1988 text remains the ultimate ideological reference for the organization in the most foundational sense, even if political messaging has diversified. Analysts also assess what this means for regional stability and for efforts to deter violence while seeking a negotiated settlement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.