Chilling Interview with Hamas Founder on Movement's Aims and Methods (1997)

On 3 November 1997, ITN's Julian Manyon interviewed Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of Palestinian Islamic resistance organisation Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, or HAMAS. Ten years after establishing Hamas and just weeks after being released from an Israeli prison, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin spoke to Julian Manyon about Hamas' use of suicide attacks, in particular bombings, and the movement's methods of enlisting young Palestinian men to carry them out. Yassin told Manyon that none of those who took part in such operations were forced to do so, insisting they were motivated by their faith and commitment to the cause of Palestinian resistance. Manyon also spoke to Hamas' political director, Khaled Mashal, who defended the use of suicide bombing on a tactical level and affirmed that the organisation's ultimate aim remained the destruction of the Israeli state. Manyon, meanwhile, picked up on the ways in which Hamas' actions were discrediting Yasser Arafat and the secular Palestinian leadership in their negotiations with Israel, while providing political ammunition to Israel's right-wing prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. #Hamas #Gaza #Palestine #Palestinian #Gaza #WestBank #Israel #BenjaminNetanyahu #Netanyahu To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/... To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/footage... 🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) -    / @frontlinebyitn   🎥 Follow us on Twitter -   / itnarchive   🎥 Like us on Facebook -   / itnarchiveitnp   🎥 Check out our TikTok -   / itnarchive1955