Ismail Abu Shanab
Ismail Abu Shanab | |
---|---|
Born | 1950 Palestinian |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | Civil engineer |
Years active | 1980s–2003 |
Ismail Abu Shanab (
Early life and education
Shanab was born in the central Gaza refugee camp of
Shanab graduated from high school in 1966 and was accepted at then newly opened
Career and activities
Shanab returned to Gaza city in 1977 after completing his undergraduate studies, and he worked at the municipal council until 1981.
After his release, Shanab was elected as the head of the Palestinian Engineers Association on the list of Hamas in 1997.
Then Shanab began to serve as Hamas observer in the Central Council of the
Shanab was the third-in-command in Hamas, behind Abdulaziz Rantisi and Mahmud Zahar and in front of Ismail Haniya before his assassination in August 2003.[17]
Views
Abu Shanab represented Hamas's more moderate and pragmatic side, although he was subject to Yassin's leadership and committed to Hamas' ideology. Unlike Yassin, he supported a long-term ceasefire with Israel and a two-state solution.[12] On the other hand, he argued that group decision-making is better than individual decision-making, even though the individual is right showing his readiness to comply with Hamas's decisions.[1]
Historian Rashid Khalidi characterized Abu Shanab as “a vocal opponent within Hamas of suicide bombings."[18] Although he did not advocate for suicide bombing attacks, which he called a primitive weapon, he stated "But, it’s all we have and it’s less harmful than F-16s loaded with tons of explosives."[19]
Personal life
Shanab was married and had nine children (five daughters and four sons). His eldest son, Hassan, studied computer engineering in the United States. His youngest son, Mesk, was two years old when Shanab was killed.
Shanab lived in the community of Eshaikh Radhwan, north of Gaza City.[17] He had good command of English.[9]
Assassination
On 21 August 2003, Shanab and his two bodyguards were hit and killed by an Israeli helicopter missile strike while travelling by a car in Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City.
Consequences
The major consequence of his assassination was that the three-month ceasefire that had been declared on 29 June 2003 was terminated by Hamas,
Funeral
Nearly 100,000 people attended the funeral ceremony for Shanab held in Gaza City on 22 August 2003.[2] Ahmed Yassin along with other top Hamas leaders participated in the ceremony in the Omari mosque.[28]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-231-70045-0.
- ^ a b "Tens of thousands attend Hamas leader's funeral". SMH. 23 August 2003. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ Barbara Plett (6 June 2003). "Hamas' roadblock to peace". BBC. Jerusalem. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ Nicolas Pelham; Max Rodenbeck (5 November 2009). "Which Way for Hamas" (Book Review). The New York Review of Books. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Khaled Amayreh (28 August – 3 September 2003). "Marked for liquidation". Al Ahram Weekly. No. 653. Archived from the original on 13 December 2011.
- ^ a b Brian Whitaker (22 August 2003). "Pragmatist whose two-state solution cut no ice with Israel". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Ismail Abu Shanab". Web Gaza. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Hamas terrorist Ismail Abu Shanab" (Press Release). Jerusalem: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 21 August 2003. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Johanna McGeary (24 August 2003). "My Last Encounter with Ismail Abu Shanab". Time Magazine. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ Khaled Amayreh (4–11 November 1998). "Clampdown short of war". Al Ahram Weekly. No. 402. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012.
- doi:10.18452/15300.
- ^ S2CID 54055634.
- ^ "Arafat rounds up Hamas leaders after bombings". Independent Online. Gaza City. 3 December 2001. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ "Palestinian police jail 100 militants". The Telegraph. 3 December 2001. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ Wolf Blitzer (23 August 2003). "Who was Ismail Abu Shanab". CNN. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- S2CID 43479367.
- ^ a b "Abu Shanab, a moderating voice in Hamas". Middle East Online. Gaza City. 21 August 2003. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ^ Khalidi, Rashid. The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017. Ebook edition. London: Profile Books, 2020.
- ISBN 9781741756005.
- ^ Robert Plotkin (13 May 2002). "Ramallah Diary: J-School Student Drops In Uninvited". The New York Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ Paul Hilder (July 2002). "The nail in the wood: an interview with Ismail Abu Shanab". Open Democracy. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "The Question of Palestine. Illegal Israeli actions in OPT – Letter from Palestine". United Nations. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ Louay Safi (30 April 2008). "Elusive Peace: 60 Years of Pain and Suffering". Middle East Online. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Chris McGreal (22 August 2003). "Killing of Hamas leader, Ismail Abu Shanab, ends truce". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ Roger Hardy (21 August 2003). "Analysis: End of roadmap?". BBC. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ Graham Usher (21 August 2005). "The New Hamas". MERIP.
- S2CID 110674477.
- ^ Inigo Gilmore (23 August 2003). "Hamas show of defiance at funeral". The Telegraph. Gaza City. Retrieved 18 November 2012.