Ibrahim al-Makadmeh
Encyclopedia
Ibrahim al-Makadmeh (1952 – March 8, 2003) was a Palestinian
and Hamas
senior leader in the Gaza Strip
who was killed by Israeli forces. Makadmeh, one of Hamas' founders and a leader of the group's military wing, was accused of engineering several attacks that killed 28 Israelis. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/09/world/main543282.shtml
Al-Makadmeh and three of his aides were killed when three Israeli Apache helicopter gunships fired up to five missiles at the car he was in as it drove down a street in downtown Gaza City. Makadmeh's killing came after Hamas claimed responsibility for an attack Friday on a Jewish settlement that left two dead, and a Haifa bus 37 massacre
which killed 17 civilians.
The Israel Defense Forces
announced the killing saying that al-Makadmeh "deserved liquidation", for "masterminding terrorist activities against Israeli civilians and soldiers." A Hamas spokesman in Gaza dismissed the Israeli allegations as "cheap lies", claiming that al-Makadmeh was a political leader.
Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz
said that Israel would go after "other leaders" from Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
. He was born in 1952, four years after his family was expelled from the village of Yibna
, south-west of Jerusalem, when Israel was created. Al-Makadmeh's family fled to the refugee camps at Bureij and later moved to Jabalia
.
After graduating from secondary school in Jabalia
, al-Makadmeh studied dentistry in Egypt where he adopted the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood
. When he returned to Gaza, al-Makadmeh began organizing th Palestinian Islamist movement and a few years later, he and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
founded Hamas
, the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement.
In 1984, the Israelis arrested, charged and convicted al-Makadmeh with possessing and supplying arms to Palestinian militant
s. During his eight years in Israeli prisons he allegedly was subjected to physical and psychological torture.
In 1992, he was released from prison and began working as dentist at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza while continuing his Hamas activities. His harsh criticisms of Palestinian Authority corruption and the Oslo Accords
, as well as vocal support for Hamas attacks on Israel, led the Palestinian Authority to arrest him several times. He was detained for three years without charge or trial and allegedly was tortured in custody once again, this time by Palestinian authorities.
According to family members, al-Makadmeh anticipated his killing by Israel for his leadership role in Hamas. A few days before his death, he said, "Our homeland will not be liberated and our people will not be freed from Jewish enslavement and occupation without sacrifices. Freedom has a price, and the price is blood."
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
and Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
senior leader in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
who was killed by Israeli forces. Makadmeh, one of Hamas' founders and a leader of the group's military wing, was accused of engineering several attacks that killed 28 Israelis. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/09/world/main543282.shtml
Killing
Haifa bus 37 massacre
The Haifa bus 37 suicide bombing was a terrorist attack on a civilian bus in Haifa by a member of the militant organization Hamas.-The attack:...
which killed 17 civilians.
The Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
announced the killing saying that al-Makadmeh "deserved liquidation", for "masterminding terrorist activities against Israeli civilians and soldiers." A Hamas spokesman in Gaza dismissed the Israeli allegations as "cheap lies", claiming that al-Makadmeh was a political leader.
Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz
Shaul Mofaz
Lt. General Shaul Mofaz is an Israeli politician who serves as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs And Defense Committee at the Knesset...
said that Israel would go after "other leaders" from Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Biography
Al-Makadmeh, age 52, was the father of seven children. He was a devoted preacher and political activist opposed to the Israeli occupation of PalestinePalestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
. He was born in 1952, four years after his family was expelled from the village of Yibna
Yibna
Yibna was a Palestinian village of 5,420 inhabitants, located 15 kilometers southwest of Ramla. Yibna was occupied by Israeli forces on June 4, 1948, and was depopulated during the military assault and expulsion.-History:...
, south-west of Jerusalem, when Israel was created. Al-Makadmeh's family fled to the refugee camps at Bureij and later moved to Jabalia
Jabalia
Jabalia also Jabalya is a Palestinian city located north of Gaza City. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Gaza Governorate, in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 82,877 in mid-year 2006...
.
After graduating from secondary school in Jabalia
Jabalia
Jabalia also Jabalya is a Palestinian city located north of Gaza City. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Gaza Governorate, in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 82,877 in mid-year 2006...
, al-Makadmeh studied dentistry in Egypt where he adopted the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
. When he returned to Gaza, al-Makadmeh began organizing th Palestinian Islamist movement and a few years later, he and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
Ahmed Yassin
Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin was a founder of Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian paramilitary organization and political party. Yassin also served as the spiritual leader of the organization...
founded Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement.
In 1984, the Israelis arrested, charged and convicted al-Makadmeh with possessing and supplying arms to Palestinian militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
s. During his eight years in Israeli prisons he allegedly was subjected to physical and psychological torture.
In 1992, he was released from prison and began working as dentist at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza while continuing his Hamas activities. His harsh criticisms of Palestinian Authority corruption and the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, as well as vocal support for Hamas attacks on Israel, led the Palestinian Authority to arrest him several times. He was detained for three years without charge or trial and allegedly was tortured in custody once again, this time by Palestinian authorities.
According to family members, al-Makadmeh anticipated his killing by Israel for his leadership role in Hamas. A few days before his death, he said, "Our homeland will not be liberated and our people will not be freed from Jewish enslavement and occupation without sacrifices. Freedom has a price, and the price is blood."
External links
- Hamas Vows To Avenge Leader's Death (CBS News)
- The Price of Freedom (Al-Ahram)
- Recruiting for Hamas (Al-Ahram)
- The State Department's State Department's 1997 Terrorism Report: Issues to Watch (Washington Institute for Near East Policy)