Mahmoud al-Zahar
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Mahmoud al-Zahar | |
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محمود الزهار | |
Nasser al-Kidwa | |
Succeeded by | Ziad Abu Amr |
Personal details | |
Born | Gaza City, British Mandate for Palestine | 6 May 1945
Political party | Hamas |
Education | |
Profession | Physician |
Mahmoud al-Zahar (
Early life
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (August 2010) |
Little is known about al-Zahar's early life beyond the fact that he was born in
At the age of 26, he graduated from the
Career with Hamas
Al-Zahar was instrumental in the creation of
Al-Zahar has remained a senior official and spokesperson for the group and was rumoured to have succeeded to leadership of the group following Israel's assassination of Ahmed Yassin in 2004. Hamas routinely denied this rumour, but refused to name who their new leader was, for fear of Israeli action. Al-Zahar was elected for Hamas to the Palestinian Legislative Council at the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, and continues to be a member (as no elections for the PLC have taken place since). He was foreign minister in the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Authority Government of March 2006 (also known as the First Haniyeh Government) that was sworn in on 20 March 2006. Al-Zahar's main challenge was to break the United States-led diplomatic boycott of the Haniyeh government. On 14 June 2006, Palestinian officials reported that al-Zahar brought twelve suitcases stuffed with US$26.7 million in cash into Gaza through its border with Egypt, which was controlled by Palestinian Authority forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. Al-Zahar was at least the third known Hamas official to be caught with large sums of cash: Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri had been stopped the previous month.[5]
On 15 January 2008, al-Zahar's son Hussam, a member of IQB, was reportedly killed in an IDF air strike[3] in a car full of Hamas fighters in northern Gaza.
In 2010, al-Zahar revealed to the press that
Al-Zahar was interviewed by
During the Israel–Hamas war, the United Kingdom placed economic sanctions on al-Zahar.[8]
Incitement controversy
During the
Park51 endorsement
In an interview on New York's WABC radio, al-Zahar was asked by Aaron Klein to comment on the construction of the mosque Park51 near the World Trade Center site. Al-Zahar endorsed the building.[15][16][17]
Personal life
Al-Zahar has had four children with his wife Summaya.[18] On 10 September 2003, his eldest son Khaled was killed in an Israeli air strike. His other son, a member of Hamas's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was killed by Israeli fire in Gaza on 15 January 2008.[19]
References
- ^ Remnick, David (28 October 2023). "Grief and Rage in Israel and Gaza". The New Yorker.
- ^ Alshawabkeh, Lina (17 October 2023). "Hamas: Who are the group's most prominent leaders?". BBC News.
- ^ a b "Mahmoud al-Zahar (Hamas) – Mapping Palestinian Politics – European Council on Foreign Relations". 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Middle East | Profile: Hamas' Mahmoud Zahhar". BBC News. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
- ^ "Hamas minister carries millions of dollars into Gaza", ABC News, reported 14 June 2006 Archived 15 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Arafat ordered Hamas attacks against Israel in 2000", Jerusalem Post, reported 29 June 2010[[]]
- ^ Stone, Mark (24 May 2021). "Israel-Hamas ceasefire 'will hold for now but no peace with Israel without justice for Palestinians', Hamas co-founder says". Sky News.
- ^ Daly, Patrick (13 December 2023). "UK announces fresh Hamas sanctions as Sunak hints at Royal Navy role in Gaza aid". Evening Standard.
- ^ "Al Jazeera". English.aljazeera.net. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ "UK TimesOnline". Archived from the original on 13 May 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Hamas terror: every Jewish child now a target". Theaustralian.news.com.au. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2009.
- ^ "Hamas leader: Revenge for Israels". The Telegraph. 6 January 2009.
- ^ Nawaz, Maajid (7 January 2009). "Mahmoud Zahar has betrayed his people". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ Naim, Basim (13 January 2009). "We believe in resistance, not revenge". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Ground Zero mosque row to become muddier as Hamas pitches in with support – International Business Times". International Herald Tribune. 16 August 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ [1] Archived 19 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Paul Woodward (16 August 2010). "Hamas supports the right of Muslims to pray in mosques – even in New York". War in Context. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "Israel to Make Gestures to Palestinians – New York Times". The New York Times.
- ^ Kershner, Isabel (16 January 2008). "18 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Clashes". The New York Times. Gaza Strip;Israel. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
External links
- Profile: Hamas' Mahmoud Zahhar
- 2007 interview with Der Spiegel
- Islamic state? Not yet – Article stating that he is a creationist.
- No Peace Without Hamas – Op-Ed by Zahar in The Washington Post.