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Hamas and the terrorist Hamas and the terrorist threat: The Goldstone threat: The Goldstone Report vs. the factual Report vs. the factual

findingsfindings

Intelligence and TerrorismInformation Center

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The structure of the studyThe general description of the ITIC Report

Historical background

The use of civilians as human shields:

• Hamas’ combat doctrine

• The military use of public institutions

• Hamas’ urban battle tactics

Hamas’ security services as military-terrorist forces

Statistics of Palestinian casualties

General descriptionObjective: To examine how the Goldstone

Report relates to Hamas and the terrorist threat from the Gaza Strip. The study does not deal with the military aspects of the Report.

Methodology: The study compares the findings of the Goldstone Report with the factual findings on the ground as reflected by reliable information.

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Authors: An ITIC team headed by Dr. Reuven Erlich (Col. Ret.) with the support of the Israeli defense establishment.

Authors: An ITIC team headed by Dr. Reuven Erlich (Col. Ret.) with the support of the Israeli defense establishment.

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Methodology of the Goldstone Report

• The objective of the Report’s methodology was to accuse Israel of “war crimes” against Palestinian civilians. • The main flaws of the Report are imbalance, overt bias in favor of the Hamas narrative, and anti-Israel prejudice.

• The Report is tainted by a total lack of symmetry in gathering information, relying on biased reports supplied by Hamas.

Methodology of the Goldstone Report

• The objective of the Report’s methodology was to accuse Israel of “war crimes” against Palestinian civilians. • The main flaws of the Report are imbalance, overt bias in favor of the Hamas narrative, and anti-Israel prejudice.

• The Report is tainted by a total lack of symmetry in gathering information, relying on biased reports supplied by Hamas.

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SourcesIntelligence informationInterrogation of terroristsIsraeli Air Force video clipsAerial photographsSeized documentsOpen source videos and information Photographs taken by IDF ground forcesStatements from IDF officers

The full study can be accessed in English on the ITIC website,

terrorism-info.org.il.

The full study can be accessed in English on the ITIC website,

terrorism-info.org.il.

Part One: Historical background

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The Goldstone Report presents a biased analysis of the historical background in order to undermine the legitimacy of Operation Cast Lead. Its main flaws are:

Flaw No. 1: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is presented from a pro-Palestinian and Hamas perspective, while the terrorist threat facing Israel is minimized.

Flaw No. 2: The Goldstone Report ignores Hamas’ terrorist nature. It does not relate to Hamas’

Radical nature. Ideology. Terrorist strategy. Terrorist record. Brutality toward its opponents.

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Hamas’ ideology

The Hamas Charter, an anti-Semitic document

calling for the destruction of the State

of Israel.

Brainwashing kindergarten children with jihad ideology.

Click for video

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Flaw No. 3: The Report ignores the firm links between Hamas’ political and military-terrorist wings. •The ITIC study proves that Hamas’ military, political and administrative wings are part of one comprehensive organizational system.

Interview with Ahmed al-Jaabari, head of Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, in which he admits that Hamas funds the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.Click for video

Mahmoud al-Zahar and

Sayid Siyam, two Hamas leaders, at a

shooting range with Izz al-Din

al-Qassam Brigades operatives.

Click for video

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Flaw No. 4: The Goldstone Report minimizes the terrorist threat from the Gaza Strip. The Report focuses on rocket fire during the six months before Operation Cast Lead, ignoring terrorist activities from the Gaza Strip since 2001.

Flaw No. 5: The Goldstone Report ignores Hamas’ intensive military buildup.

Flaw No. 6: The Goldstone Report ignores the massive amounts of Iranian and Syrian military support (the smuggling of weapons, technical knowhow, training, financial aid, political and propaganda support).

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Flaw No. 7: The Goldstone Report adopts Hamas’ perspective regarding the events leading to Operation Cast Lead. It ignores or minimizes the following:

•The worsening of the rocket threat throughout 2008 (more rockets and with extended ranges fired).

• Hamas’ systematic violations of the lull in the fighting.

• Hamas’ unilateral end of the lull (December 18, 2008) accompanied by a massive rocket attack.

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The Report is totally unbalanced in its analysis of the historical background, with the aim of undermining Israel’s legitimacy in undertaking Operation Cast Lead.

The Report is totally unbalanced in its analysis of the historical background, with the aim of undermining Israel’s legitimacy in undertaking Operation Cast Lead.

Conclusions