1. Religion & Spirituality  What is Hamas?   Question: What is
Hamas?  The Hamas emblem shows two crossed swords, the Dome of
the Rock, and a map of Palestine which includes present-day
Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. What is this
movement's reason for existence?  Answer: Hamas is a militant
anti-­peace process organization bent on Israel's total
destruction and the establishment of a Palestinian State - an
Islamic theocracy - in Israel’s place. Hamas, an acronym for
Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya (Islamic Resistance Movement),
corresponds to an Arabic word which meaning enthusiasm, fire,
zeal, fanaticism.  Raison E'etre  Abdel Aziz Rantisi, the co-
founder of Hamas, said the goal of Hamas is "to remove Israel
from the map." Hamas uses both political activities and violence
to pursue this goal.  The movement provides welfare and social
services to the Palestinian poor. And Hamas has been responsible
for the majority of terrorist attacks against Israel since the
signing of the Declaration of Princi