Son of Hamas leader converts to Christianity, denounces Islam
Posted on July 31, 2008
Filed Under Israeli-Muslim Conflict, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Middle East, News, Religion, Terrorism
“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” - these words are not something you would expect to hear from a Palestinian, let alone someone who grew up in the family that has led the radical and terrorist Islamic ideology of Hamas. But these are the words coming from non other than Masab Yousef - son of one of the leaders of Hamas in the West Bank, Sheikh Hassan Yousef.
Masab Yousef - a Christian convert now living in California - in an interview with Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz talks about the “bottom line” of Hamas and its radical Islamic ideology
A moment before beginning his supper, Masab, son of West Bank Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, glances at the friend who has accompanied him to the restaurant where we met. They whisper a few words and then say grace, thanking God and Jesus for putting food on their plates.
It takes a few seconds to digest this sight: The son of a Hamas MP who is also the most popular figure in that extremist Islamic organization, a young man who assisted his father for years in his political activities, has become a rank-and-file Christian. “I’m now called Joseph,” he says at the outset.
Masab knows that he has little hope of returning to visit the Holy Land in this lifetime.
“I know that I’m endangering my life and am even liable to lose my father, but I hope that he’ll understand this and that God will give him and my family patience and willingness to open their eyes to Jesus and to Christianity. Maybe one day I’ll be able to return to Palestine and to Ramallah with Jesus, in the Kingdom of God.”
Nor does he attempt to hide his affection for Israel, or his abhorrence of everything representing the surroundings in which he grew up: the nation, the religion, the organization.
“Send regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a country,” he says.
“You Jews should be aware: You will never, but never have peace with Hamas. Islam, as the ideology that guides them, will not allow them to achieve a peace agreement with the Jews. They believe that tradition says that the Prophet Mohammed fought against the Jews and that therefore they must continue to fight them to the death.”
Is that the justification for the suicide attacks?
“More than that. An entire society sanctifies death and the suicide terrorists. In Palestinian culture a suicide terrorist becomes a hero, a martyr. Sheikhs tell their students about the ‘heroism of the shaheeds.’“
And yet, in spite of the criticism of the place he left, California can’t make the longings disappear.
“I miss Ramallah,” he says. “People with an open mind. … I mainly miss my mother, my brothers and sisters, but I know that it will be very difficult for me to return to Ramallah soon.”
The full interview will appear in “Haaretz” tomorrow, and we will bring you more from it here on worldivided.com
UPDATE: At first we thought that Ha’aretz won’t be publishing the full interview in online edition. Apparently we were wrong.
The full interview by Avi Issascharoff can be found here.
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15 Responses to “Son of Hamas leader converts to Christianity, denounces Islam”
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Respect for backing out of Hamas and accepting Israel as a state and condemning the violence but the faith isn’t the problem- its the extremists that are so denouncing I don’t think is the right idea but its unfortunate for him to only see the religion how his father all the other Hamas leaders see it.
i would argue that faith in religious make believe actually is the problem.
The man has jumped from one dangerous delusion, straight into another.
All religions are equal in that they are not founded on logic or reality, but on aged books that bear no relevance to today’s real world.
The sooner people realise this, the the sooner they will stop arguing over differences that neither side has proof for.
Omar, I believe the “Islam is a peaceful religion” is merely a strawman argument, as it’s obviously not the religion that these extremists follow. For the sake of argument, True Islam may indeed be a peaceful religion. What is being thrown aside is the real issue: What religion they follow is a version of Islam that espouses all that people like Mr Yousef described. A culture that embraces death, and martyrdom.
I liken it to the KKK in the United States: there are sects of it that claim to be Christian, but their beliefs are anything but. You will find that when questioned on it, real Christians will denounce them.
The real cut point resides in where the true believers of Islam need to stand up and not only denounce these extremists, but also remove them from power. If the world is to believe that “true Islam” is peaceful, true Islam must fight the extremists, and not remain silent on the sidelines.
Masab,
Welcome brother through the Grace of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, & Praise the Lord.
Your brother in Christ,
Clifford
[...] Son of Hamas leader converts to Christianity, denounces Islam [...]
Hello Everyone. I have updated the post and published a link to the full interview with Masab.
The full link:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1007462.html
Enjoy!
[...] regards to Israel, I miss it. I respect Israel and admire it as a [...]
First. The concept of good religion against bad religion is a myth. Those Islamic radicals (Hamas) have twisted the religion to serve their own need. No different than David Kuresh who led a sect in Texas. And certainly no different than Zionist who used the Jewish religion to justify violence and the annexation of Arab land. In fact anyone who claims to interpret a religious book to justify violence against other religions or ethnic groups could be labeled as a terrorist.
So do yourself a favor and try to rise above cheap propaganda such as the above. There are two types of religious people:
1- Use religion/faith during bad times to deal with problems they’re too weak to confront.
2- Use religion to control others and achieve their own sick mental goals.
I can assure the above span every religion.
John Treman
The Zionist movement does not annex anything that was not a Jewish land long before Arab conquerors ever stepped in the Holy Land. If you’re speaking about Arab land, historically you’re referring to Arabian peninsula, since all the rest of the lands that are now inhabited by the Arab nation were conquered by it. Jews in general and Zionist movement in particular have more right to the land of Israel than anybody else, since they were the original inhabitants of it. Thus, your comparison simply doesn’t stick. Plus, the Israelis do not simply justify their rights on this land by quoting the Bible. There are archeological findings - more than plenty - that support their claims.
When Masab Yousef began to follow Jesus Christ
by accepting Christ’s Lordship, brother Yousef
got a new mindset and attitude. Once he disliked
Israel, but now he can love them; that is the
transforming power of Jesus Christ. Those people
who have experienced the life changing power of
Christ’s death at the cross, simply try it and
come to any conclusion about brother Youself,
and try to judge him. God bless you brother
Yousef, God will take care of all your needs.
Dissimulation/Taqquiya anybody?
i am a devot muslim but i do agree totaly with john treman ..all religons is that in a nutshell.
i am a devot muslim but i do agree totaly with john treman ..all religons are that in a nutshell.
The Holy Bible is alive and not just a book. Jesus died and was raised from the dead and WILL return someday soon. God is love, doubt it? Try Him, take a step of faith and ask for forgiveness from the bottom of your heart and feel the power for yourself. In the name of Jesus! Thank you Lord!
To change a mind set like brother Yousef can only be acheived by the Living God.
God bles you all and may His blessings be upon all of you as well as your families and friends