what are the main differences between the 1988 and 2017 versions of the hamas charter?

what are the main differences between the 1988 and 2017 versions of the hamas charter

The 1988 and 2017 versions of the Hamas charter differ in several key ways:

1. **Stance on Palestinian State**: The 1988 charter did not explicitly accept the establishment of a Palestinian state separate from Israel. However, the 2017 charter accepted the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, which includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem[2][7].

2. **Stance on Jews and Zionism**: The 1988 charter contained anti-Semitic language and did not distinguish between Jews as a religious group and Zionism as a political movement. The 2017 charter, on the other hand, attempted to make this distinction, stating that Hamas's conflict is with Zionism, not with Judaism or Jews as a religion[1][2].

3. **Violence and Resistance**: The 1988 charter called for Jihad as the solution for the Palestinian problem. The 2017 charter, while maintaining Hamas's commitment to armed resistance, suggested a more pragmatic approach to the conflict, indicating a willingness to engage in the political process[4][7].

4. **Muslim Brotherhood**: The 1988 charter explicitly acknowledged its links to the Muslim Brotherhood. The 2017 charter removed references to the Muslim Brotherhood, signaling a potential distancing from the organization from which Hamas originally emerged[2][4].

5. **Language and Tone**: The 1988 charter was marked by religious rhetoric and utopian ideas. The 2017 charter, however, used more straightforward and mostly pragmatic political language[1][6].

Despite these changes, it's important to note that the 2017 charter did not replace the 1988 charter. Instead, it was presented as a document that represented Hamas's position at the time[7].

Citations:

[1] Understanding Hamas’s Genocidal Ideology https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/hamas-covenant-israel-attack-war-genocide/675602/

[2] Doctrine of Hamas https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/doctrine-hamas

[3] HAMAS CHARTER: CHANGES AND PRINCIPLES https://www.politicsandreligionjournal.com/index.php/prj/article/view/107

[4] Hamas: Words and Deeds… https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/hamas-words-and-deeds

[5] HAMAS CHARTER: CHANGES AND PRINCIPLES https://ixtheo.de/Record/1767864612

[6] A Newer Hamas? The Revised Charter https://digitalprojects.palestine-studies.org/jps/fulltext/214551

[7] 2017 Hamas charter - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Hamas_charter

[8] Hamas accepts Palestinian state with 1967 borders https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/5/2/hamas-accepts-palestinian-state-with-1967-borders

By Perplexity at https://www.perplexity.ai/search/5bc96cd0-cabc-4a2c-b6ad-47e67e7aadae?s=m