Islamic Movement in Israel
Encyclopedia
The Islamic Movement in Israel (also known as the Islamic Movement in 48 Palestine) is a movement that aims to advocate Islam
among Israeli Arabs. It operates on three levels: religious (Islamic education, religious service), social (welfare services) and anti-Zionist (opposition to the State of Israel and support for Palestinian nationalism
). The movement is split into two branches: the hardline northern branch, and the more moderate southern branch.
as a result of cooperation between the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem
Hajj Amin Al-Husseini and the Muslim Brotherhood
, which is the parent movement of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
During the Israeli War of Independence the movement cooperated with the Arab Higher Committee
, much like the Egyptian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which cooperated with the Egyptian military. As a result, it suffered a major setback following the war as all of its institutions in the newly formed Jewish state were shut down. During the period of martial law
on Israeli Arabs between 1949 and 1966, the movement was suppressed and was unable to recover. The institutions that remained in the West Bank
were put under the control of Jordanian authorities, who controlled the West Bank. Though a mild recovery took place in the Gaza Strip
during the 1950s under Egyptian rule, there too its influence steadily declined until 1967.
The Six Day War caused a resurgence of Palestinian support, both for the PLO, which had transformed from a puppet organization to a militant movement, and for Islamic Palestinian movements, among them the Islamic Movement in Israel. The newly created contact between Israeli Arabs and the Palestinian Arabs in the territories occupied in 1967, in which the movement had managed to remain somewhat organized, also contributed to this resurgence. As part of this new contact, members of the Islamic Movement in Israel were sent to study in religious institutions in the occupied territories
. At the same time, the government of Saudi Arabia
began to allow Israeli Arabs to perform the Hajj
to Mecca
.
Establishment to the First Intifada
In 1971 the Islamic Movement in Israel was founded by Abdullah Nimar Darwish
after he had completed his religious studies in Nablus
. During the 1970s the movement largely focused on establishing welfare services for the Muslim community parallel to those of the state. Among its activities were provision of computers to schools, the establishment of an Islamic football league, marriage arrangement, charity and more.
Parallel to this charity work, several of the heads of the movement, led by Darwish, established and organization called Osrat al-Jihad ("The Families of Jihad
"), one of the first Islamic terrorist groups in Israel, with the goal of establishing "an Arab Islamic state in Palestine". The heads of the organization were arrested in 1979 following an attempted terrorist attack. This caused the movement to, at least officially, abandon terrorism. However, there have since been accusations that the movement has engaged in terrorist activities (See relevant section of this article).
During the 1980s the movement experienced a rapid increase in support.
First Intifada
With the outbreak of the First Intifada, the movement established the 'Islamic Relief Committee', whose purpose was to assist those in need in the occupied territories, and particularly those harmed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations.
In 1989 the movement decided to participate in elections for several Arab settlements, in which it won control of 6 city council
s and made substantial gains in other settlements. The most significant victory was achieved by Sheikh Raed Salah
in Umm El Fahm, which subsequently became the center of the movement.
The Oslo Accords
caused a split in the movement whereby the northern branch opposed the agreement (similarly to the position of Hamas
), and the southern branch supported the agreement. In 1994 the activity of the movement was felt in the Jewish public when Sheikh Salah attempted to mediate between Israel and Hamas on the issue of the captured Israeli soldier Nakhshon Waxman.
In 1995 the Israeli Shin Bet closed down the 'Islamic Relief Committee' after it was found that the body had been granting financial assistance to the families of Hamas members. It was quickly reopened under the name 'The Humanitarian Rescue Committee', whose objectives were almost identical. In 1997 the committee was closed a second time (though only for a short period), and subsequently restrictions were placed upon it.
In 1996 the movement decided to run for the Knesset
, following three previous rejections of the idea. The decision cemented the divisions between the northern and southern branches of the movement, the former, led by Raed Salah
, arguing that elections should be boycotted. The southern branch, led by Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur
, ran for elections together with the Arab Democratic Party
, and since 2000 it runs independently under the name United Arab List
.
Al-Aqsa Intifada
Ahead of Ariel Sharon
's visit at the Temple Mount
, the movement stirred agitation among Israeli Arabs. After the visit, both branches of the movement continued to incite their followers to violence in order to "protect the mountain." According to the Or Commission
, these calls for violence contributed significantly to the heated spirits of the Arab public and caused a severe worsening in the October 2000 events
.
In 2002 the 'Humanitarian Rescue Committee' was shut down, and after a short period 'The Organization of the Humanitarian Rescue Committee' was established in its stead. In the same year Eli Yishai
, then Interior Minister, decided to close the newspaper of the northern branch, though the decision was never implemented.
In 2003 the heads of the northern branch of the movement were arrested under suspicion of aiding Hamas
, of which two-thirds were released almost immediately. The remaining suspects were detained, but most were released during 2005 after signing a plea bargain
. Both the arrests and the plea bargain stirred opposition from both the left wing and right wing camps of Israeli politics. The main offenses of which those detained were accused were financial offenses such as tax evasion
, but also contact with a foreign agent and contact with a terrorist group. Ultimately, only the economic offenses were proved true.
These two events, as well as the history of incitement by the movement, have been defining factors in the group's image among the Jewish public, most of which views it as a terrorist organization, and to this day there are calls to ban the movement.
In 2007, in response to Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's comments on the holocaust, the Islamic Movement (southern branch) leader Abdullah Nimr Darwish "slammed" holocaust denial
. He also said that antisemitic texts in the Muslim world were contrary to the true spirit of Islam. At the same time he criticized Israel for not supporting a Saudi peace initiative involving Hamas and Fatah.
. The differences that exist in ideology between the Islamic Movement and the Muslim Brotherhood are largely the result of the circumstances in which the former operates - namely, the fact that the movement exists within a country whose population is mostly Jewish.
The differences between the branches are mostly in relation to the State of Israel, while differences on other issues are largely negligible.
The general aims of the movement are:
The positions regarding Israel vary depending on the branch:
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
among Israeli Arabs. It operates on three levels: religious (Islamic education, religious service), social (welfare services) and anti-Zionist (opposition to the State of Israel and support for Palestinian nationalism
Palestinian nationalism
Palestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people. It has roots in Pan-Arabism and other movements rejecting colonialism and calling for national independence. More recently, Palestinian Nationalism is expressed through the Israeli–Palestinian conflict...
). The movement is split into two branches: the hardline northern branch, and the more moderate southern branch.
Before the Establishment of the Movement
The origins of the Islamic Movement can be traced back to the late years of the British mandate. Early organization began in the days of the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, however, it only began gaining momentum after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a result of cooperation between the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is the Sunni Muslim cleric in charge of Jerusalem's Islamic holy places, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque.-Ottoman era:...
Hajj Amin Al-Husseini and 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...
, which is the parent movement of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
During the Israeli War of Independence the movement cooperated with the Arab Higher Committee
Arab Higher Committee
The Arab Higher Committee was the central political organ of the Arab community of Mandate Palestine. It was established on 25 April 1936, on the initiative of Hajj Amin al-Husayni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and comprised the leaders of Palestinian Arab clans under the mufti's...
, much like the Egyptian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which cooperated with the Egyptian military. As a result, it suffered a major setback following the war as all of its institutions in the newly formed Jewish state were shut down. During the period of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
on Israeli Arabs between 1949 and 1966, the movement was suppressed and was unable to recover. The institutions that remained in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
were put under the control of Jordanian authorities, who controlled the West Bank. Though a mild recovery took place 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...
during the 1950s under Egyptian rule, there too its influence steadily declined until 1967.
The Six Day War caused a resurgence of Palestinian support, both for the PLO, which had transformed from a puppet organization to a militant movement, and for Islamic Palestinian movements, among them the Islamic Movement in Israel. The newly created contact between Israeli Arabs and the Palestinian Arabs in the territories occupied in 1967, in which the movement had managed to remain somewhat organized, also contributed to this resurgence. As part of this new contact, members of the Islamic Movement in Israel were sent to study in religious institutions in the occupied territories
Israeli-occupied territories
The Israeli-occupied territories are the territories which have been designated as occupied territory by the United Nations and other international organizations, governments and others to refer to the territory seized by Israel during the Six-Day War of 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria...
. At the same time, the government of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
began to allow Israeli Arabs to perform the Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
.
Establishment to the First IntifadaFirst IntifadaThe First Intifada was a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The uprising began in the Jabalia refugee camp and quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem....
In 1971 the Islamic Movement in Israel was founded by Abdullah Nimar DarwishAbdullah Nimar Darwish
Sheikh Abdullah Nimar Darwish , born 1948 in Kafr Qasim, is the founder of the Islamic Movement in Israel.After completing his religious studies in Nablus, he returned to Kafr Qasim and began advocating a return to Islam and Islamic tradition, and subsequently established The Islamic Movement in...
after he had completed his religious studies in Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. During the 1970s the movement largely focused on establishing welfare services for the Muslim community parallel to those of the state. Among its activities were provision of computers to schools, the establishment of an Islamic football league, marriage arrangement, charity and more.
Parallel to this charity work, several of the heads of the movement, led by Darwish, established and organization called Osrat al-Jihad ("The Families of Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
"), one of the first Islamic terrorist groups in Israel, with the goal of establishing "an Arab Islamic state in Palestine". The heads of the organization were arrested in 1979 following an attempted terrorist attack. This caused the movement to, at least officially, abandon terrorism. However, there have since been accusations that the movement has engaged in terrorist activities (See relevant section of this article).
During the 1980s the movement experienced a rapid increase in support.
First IntifadaFirst IntifadaThe First Intifada was a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The uprising began in the Jabalia refugee camp and quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem....
to Al-Aqsa IntifadaAl-Aqsa IntifadaThe Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
With the outbreak of the First Intifada, the movement established the 'Islamic Relief Committee', whose purpose was to assist those in need in the occupied territories, and particularly those harmed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations.In 1989 the movement decided to participate in elections for several Arab settlements, in which it won control of 6 city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
s and made substantial gains in other settlements. The most significant victory was achieved by Sheikh Raed Salah
Raed Salah
Raed Salah is the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. He was born in Umm al-Fahm - an Israeli-Arab city bordering the Green Line - and was elected as the mayor of that city three times; in 1989, 1993 and 1997. He has eight children and is a former poetSalah was banned...
in Umm El Fahm, which subsequently became the center of the movement.
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...
caused a split in the movement whereby the northern branch opposed the agreement (similarly to the position of 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...
), and the southern branch supported the agreement. In 1994 the activity of the movement was felt in the Jewish public when Sheikh Salah attempted to mediate between Israel and Hamas on the issue of the captured Israeli soldier Nakhshon Waxman.
In 1995 the Israeli Shin Bet closed down the 'Islamic Relief Committee' after it was found that the body had been granting financial assistance to the families of Hamas members. It was quickly reopened under the name 'The Humanitarian Rescue Committee', whose objectives were almost identical. In 1997 the committee was closed a second time (though only for a short period), and subsequently restrictions were placed upon it.
In 1996 the movement decided to run for the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, following three previous rejections of the idea. The decision cemented the divisions between the northern and southern branches of the movement, the former, led by Raed Salah
Raed Salah
Raed Salah is the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. He was born in Umm al-Fahm - an Israeli-Arab city bordering the Green Line - and was elected as the mayor of that city three times; in 1989, 1993 and 1997. He has eight children and is a former poetSalah was banned...
, arguing that elections should be boycotted. The southern branch, led by Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur
Ibrahim Sarsur
Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur is an Israeli Arab politician and member of the Knesset for the United Arab List, of which he is the party leader.-Biography:...
, ran for elections together with the Arab Democratic Party
Arab Democratic Party (Israel)
The Arab Democratic Party commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acroynym Mada was a political party in Israel. Since the late 1990s it has been a faction within the United Arab List.-Background:...
, and since 2000 it runs independently under the name United Arab List
United Arab List
The United Arab List , commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Ra'am , is a political party representing and supported by Israeli Arabs...
.
Al-Aqsa IntifadaAl-Aqsa IntifadaThe Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
to Present Day
Ahead of Ariel SharonAriel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
's visit at the Temple Mount
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as , and in Arabic as the Haram Ash-Sharif , is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years...
, the movement stirred agitation among Israeli Arabs. After the visit, both branches of the movement continued to incite their followers to violence in order to "protect the mountain." According to the Or Commission
Or Commission
The Or Commission was a panel of inquiry appointed by the Israeli government to investigate the events of October 2000 at the beginning of the Second Intifada in which 12 Arab citizens of Israel and one Palestinian were killed by Israeli police amidst several demonstrations...
, these calls for violence contributed significantly to the heated spirits of the Arab public and caused a severe worsening in the October 2000 events
October 2000 events
The October 2000 events were a series of protests in Arab villages in northern Israel in October 2000 that turned violent, escalating into clashes between Israeli Arabs and the Israel Police and ending in the deaths of demonstrators.The Or Commission was established to investigate the police...
.
In 2002 the 'Humanitarian Rescue Committee' was shut down, and after a short period 'The Organization of the Humanitarian Rescue Committee' was established in its stead. In the same year Eli Yishai
Eli Yishai
Eliyahu "Eli" Yishai is an Israeli politician and head of the Shas party. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Shas, and as both one of four Deputy Prime Ministers and Minister of Internal Affairs.- Political life :...
, then Interior Minister, decided to close the newspaper of the northern branch, though the decision was never implemented.
In 2003 the heads of the northern branch of the movement were arrested under suspicion of aiding 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...
, of which two-thirds were released almost immediately. The remaining suspects were detained, but most were released during 2005 after signing a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
. Both the arrests and the plea bargain stirred opposition from both the left wing and right wing camps of Israeli politics. The main offenses of which those detained were accused were financial offenses such as tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, but also contact with a foreign agent and contact with a terrorist group. Ultimately, only the economic offenses were proved true.
These two events, as well as the history of incitement by the movement, have been defining factors in the group's image among the Jewish public, most of which views it as a terrorist organization, and to this day there are calls to ban the movement.
In 2007, in response to Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's comments on the holocaust, the Islamic Movement (southern branch) leader Abdullah Nimr Darwish "slammed" holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
. He also said that antisemitic texts in the Muslim world were contrary to the true spirit of Islam. At the same time he criticized Israel for not supporting a Saudi peace initiative involving Hamas and Fatah.
Goals of the Islamic Movement
The goals of the Islamic Movement are similar, in essence, to those of all other modern Islamic movements, and its ideology is closely related to that of its mother organization - the Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim 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...
. The differences that exist in ideology between the Islamic Movement and the Muslim Brotherhood are largely the result of the circumstances in which the former operates - namely, the fact that the movement exists within a country whose population is mostly Jewish.
The differences between the branches are mostly in relation to the State of Israel, while differences on other issues are largely negligible.
The general aims of the movement are:
- To encourage observance of Islamic lawShariaSharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
- Cultivating Islamic culture
- Islamic education
- To carry out social welfare programs
- Protection and cultivation of Islamic holy sites
- Assistance to Palestinians in the Palestinian TerritoriesPalestinian territoriesThe 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...
.
The positions regarding Israel vary depending on the branch:
- Northern branch - No recognition of the State of Israel's right to existRight to existThe right to exist is said to be an attribute of nations. According to an essay by the nineteenth century French philosopher Ernest Renan, a state has the right to exist when individuals are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the community it represents. Unlike self-determination, the...
, with the ultimate goal of it being replaced by an Islamic state. Readiness to make use of its institutions to satisfy immediate needs. - Southern branch - No recognition of the State of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish stateJewish stateA homeland for the Jewish people was an idea that rose to the fore in the 19th century in the wake of growing anti-Semitism and Jewish assimilation. Jewish emancipation in Europe paved the way for two ideological solutions to the Jewish Question: cultural assimilation, as envisaged by Moses...
, readiness to take part in the political process and influence decision-making from within the framework of the state's institutions.
Activities
The activities of the movement are organized separately between the two branches, though they are extremely similar. Among the activities of the movement are:- Providing religious education
- Arranging prayers
- Encouraging observance of the ShariaShariaSharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
laws - Organizing Islamic summer camps and holidays
- Repairing and renovating abandoned mosques.
- Preserving existing mosques
- Collection and distribution of charity
- Providing assistance to needy families in the Palestinian territoriesPalestinian territoriesThe 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...
- Family Assistance (e.g. marriage counseling)
- Organizing a football league
- Publication of newspapers
- Protecting the honor of the Muslim faith
- War on traffic accidents
- War on the infiltration of Western culture (e.g. bars, feminism, etc.) into the lives of Israeli Arabs
- Handling of municipal problems
- Maintaining contact with other Islamic movements