The connection between Hamas and Nazi ideology is rooted in historical collaborations and shared antisemitic foundations, tracing back to key figures like Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. During World War II, al-Husseini allied with Adolf Hitler, promoting the extermination of Jews and blending Nazi antisemitism with Islamist extremism. This alliance laid the groundwork for later groups like Hamas, which emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood—a movement influenced by al-Husseini’s ideology.
### Key Links Between Hamas and Nazi Ideology
1.
– Al-Husseini met Hitler in 1941, seeking support to extend the Holocaust to the Middle East. He recruited Muslim SS units in the Balkans and spread Nazi propaganda, including Mein Kampf and The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, across Arab communities.
– After WWII, al-Husseini continued influencing Palestinian nationalism, mentoring figures like Yasser Arafat and embedding exterminationist Jew-hatred into groups such as the PLO and Hamas.
2.
– Hamas’s 1988 charter explicitly cites antisemitic conspiracy theories from Nazi propaganda, framing Jews as a global threat. This mirrors Hitler’s belief that Jews sought to “destroy humanity” through values like equality and human rights.
– Hamas leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, adopted Nazi tactics of inciting “wrathful hatred” against Jews, using propaganda to dehumanize Israelis.
3.
– Both Hitler and Hamas view the annihilation of Jews as central to their ideologies. Hitler blamed Jews for undermining his vision of racial supremacy, while Hamas’s charter calls for Israel’s destruction and glorifies martyrdom in a “holy war” against Jews.
– Rabbi Raphael Shore, author of Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Jew?, argues that antisemitism stems from opposition to Jewish values like ethical monotheism—a threat perceived by both Nazis and Islamists.
### Modern Implications
– : Shore and historians like Jeffrey Herf emphasize that Hamas’s ideology is a “spiritual successor” to Nazism, with October 7, 2023, reflecting the same genocidal intent seen in the Holocaust.
– : The surge in anti-Israel sentiment post-October 7, particularly on campuses, echoes historical scapegoating of Jews, repackaged as anti-Zionism. Shore notes this reflects a deeper rejection of Judeo-Christian values.
In summary, the Hamas-Hitler connection is not merely rhetorical but ideological, forged through decades of antisemitic indoctrination and a shared goal of eradicating Jewish influence. This lineage underscores the existential threat posed by radical Islamist groups to both Israel and Western values.
