Sabireen Movement

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The Sabireen Movement, officially the Movement of the Patient ones in Support for Palestine – Hisn (

The movement was formed by a number of

The movement claimed to have expanded into the West Bank in 2016, but it was effectively destroyed by Hamas in 2019, when Hamas arrested its leader, Hisham Salem, and only released him after the movement's members gave up their arms. Salem was granted asylum in Iran, while ordinary members either returned to Sunni Islam and rejoined the PIJ or joined the Shiite Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba in Iraq.

History

Inspired by the

After leaving Palestinian Islamic Jihad and converting to Shia Islam, Salim has called on his followers to do the same and convert and has also encouraged followers who have already become Shia to proselytize in the

In 2015, Hamas denounced the movement as "against the people of Gaza", and interrogated some of its followers.^[4] On February 19, an explosive device blasts at the residence of Sheikh Hisham Salem in Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip, resulting in Salem lightly wounded. No one claimed responsibility for the bombing.^[5][6]

In early 2018 the Trump administration designated the group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization under an executive order.^[7][8] A Washington, DC–based think tank called The Washington Institute for Near East Policy asserted that the group's formation could be a bid by Iran to replace Hamas as a proxy with Sabireen given Hamas' stance on Syria and the religious divide between the two.^[9]

In 2019, Hamas arrested more than 70 Sabireen members and confiscated their weapons, effectively ending the existence of the organisation. The reasoning behind such move was that Hamas wanted to maintain peace with Israel, while Sabireen Movement refused any attempts at reconciliations.^[10]

In 2021, Tehran Times "alleged" that Hisham Salim was granted asylum in Iran, while ordinary members of the group repented and converted to Sunni Islam and joined Al-Quds Brigades and/or some members had merged with Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba that operates charity in the Gaza Strip.^[11]

Ideology

Upon creation, the movement did not introduce itself as a Shiite movement. Its secretary general says it does not represent a certain sect, stressing that sectarianism only serves the enemies' best interests. He also denies that the movement only consists of Shiites and does not accept Sunni members.^[12]

In January 2016, Hisham Salim, founder of the Harakat al-Sabireen, told the Palestinian