Members of Hamas called Qawasameh
Encyclopedia
Many Hamas
activists and suicide bombers in Hebron
came from the local Qawasameh tribe (Arabic القواسمة, also spelled: Qawasmeh or Kawasmeh in English).
Notable Qawasameh Hamas members:
(Source: Haaretz 1.9.2004)
The Hamas in Hebron is led by a family from the Qawasameh tribe. Two of its prominent leaders, Abbedalla Qawasameh and Bassal Qawasameh were involved in many terrorist
attacks, including the Jerusalem bus 14A massacre and Jerusalem bus 2 massacre
which claimed the lives of 40 Israel
is. They were later killed by YAMAM
and IDF forces.
According to the IDF, Abbedalla Qawasameh was killed in June 2003 by the YAMAM
elite CT unit after resisting an arrest. He opened fire on the YAMAM officers who returned fire and killed him. According to Palestinian
witnesses, however, a squad of Israeli police disguised as Palestinian labourers opened fire on him as he left a Hebron mosque http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/23/wmid23.xml. The controversial assassination
led to criticism of Israel from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
.
His replacer, Ahmed Bader was killed on September 9. Ahmed Bader was replaced by Abbedalla's relative - Bassal Qawasameh (also Basel Qawasmeh, Kawasmeh). They both were involved in Jerusalem's bus bombings. Bassal survived less than a month. On September 22 he was traced by IDF forces near Dura
. Bassal fled to a nearby house, forcing his way in with gun threats, throwing out its occupants. After Bassal refused to surrender and opened fire on the soldiers, tanks first shelled the building, then an armoured IDF Caterpillar D9
bulldozer
was brought and razed the house over Bassal. http://prozny.com/_photo/_dozer/25.jpg A submachine gun
was found near Bassal's corpse.
On August 31, 2004, Ahmed Abed Qawasameh, a resident of the Hebron Discrit, blew himself up in a suicide bombing attack at Beersheba
which claimed the lives of 16 Israeli civilians. http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART/776/664.html He was sent by the local Hamas leader Imad Qawasameh.
On October 13, 2004, Imad Qawasameh was arrested by IDF forces, after intelligence was provided by the Shin Bet. According to witnesses, Imad surrendered immediately after an IDF Caterpillar D9
armoured bulldozer
started to demolish his house. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/488250.html,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3738946.stm
The Qawasameh are the main suppliers of militants to the Hebron cells of Hamas
.
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
activists and suicide bombers in Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
came from the local Qawasameh tribe (Arabic القواسمة, also spelled: Qawasmeh or Kawasmeh in English).
Notable Qawasameh Hamas members:
- Mahmud Amaran Qawasameh (suicide bomber in HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
bus 37, dead) - Hazem Qawasameh (committed shooting attack in Qiryat Arba, dead)
- Fuad Qawasameh (suicide bomber in Gros square in Hebron, dead)
- Hamza Qawasameh (killed Netanel Uzari, dead)
- Muhasan Qawasameh (committed attack on Negoa settlement, dead)
- Raad Misk Qawasameh (suicide bomber of Jerusalem bus 2 massacreJerusalem bus 2 massacreThe Shmuel HaNavi bus bombing was the suicide bombing of a crowded public bus in the Shmuel HaNavi quarter in Jerusalem, Israel, on August 19, 2003. Twenty-three people were killed and over 130 wounded. Many of the victims were children...
, dead) - Abbedallah Qawasameh (leader, dead)
- Bassal Qawasameh (leader, dead)
- Ahmed Abed Qawasameh (suicide bomber in BeershebaBeershebaBeersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, dead) - Imad Qawasameh (leader, arrested October 13, 2004)
(Source: Haaretz 1.9.2004)
The Hamas in Hebron is led by a family from the Qawasameh tribe. Two of its prominent leaders, Abbedalla Qawasameh and Bassal Qawasameh were involved in many terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attacks, including the Jerusalem bus 14A massacre and Jerusalem bus 2 massacre
Jerusalem bus 2 massacre
The Shmuel HaNavi bus bombing was the suicide bombing of a crowded public bus in the Shmuel HaNavi quarter in Jerusalem, Israel, on August 19, 2003. Twenty-three people were killed and over 130 wounded. Many of the victims were children...
which claimed the lives of 40 Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is. They were later killed by YAMAM
Yamam
The Yamam ) is an elite Border police, not civilian Police counter-terrorism unit in Israel. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against targets in civilian areas...
and IDF forces.
According to the IDF, Abbedalla Qawasameh was killed in June 2003 by the YAMAM
Yamam
The Yamam ) is an elite Border police, not civilian Police counter-terrorism unit in Israel. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against targets in civilian areas...
elite CT unit after resisting an arrest. He opened fire on the YAMAM officers who returned fire and killed him. According to Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
witnesses, however, a squad of Israeli police disguised as Palestinian labourers opened fire on him as he left a Hebron mosque http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/23/wmid23.xml. The controversial assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
led to criticism of Israel from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
.
His replacer, Ahmed Bader was killed on September 9. Ahmed Bader was replaced by Abbedalla's relative - Bassal Qawasameh (also Basel Qawasmeh, Kawasmeh). They both were involved in Jerusalem's bus bombings. Bassal survived less than a month. On September 22 he was traced by IDF forces near Dura
Dura
Dura may refer to:* Dura , a Palestinian town in the southern West Bank located eleven kilometers southwest of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate* Dura language, a critically endangered language of Nepal...
. Bassal fled to a nearby house, forcing his way in with gun threats, throwing out its occupants. After Bassal refused to surrender and opened fire on the soldiers, tanks first shelled the building, then an armoured IDF Caterpillar D9
IDF Caterpillar D9
The Israeli Armored CAT D9 — nicknamed Doobi — is a Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer that was modified by the Israel Defence Forces, Israeli Military Industries and Israel Aerospace Industries to increase the survivability of the armored bulldozer in hostile environments and enable it...
bulldozer
Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
was brought and razed the house over Bassal. http://prozny.com/_photo/_dozer/25.jpg A submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
was found near Bassal's corpse.
On August 31, 2004, Ahmed Abed Qawasameh, a resident of the Hebron Discrit, blew himself up in a suicide bombing attack at Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
which claimed the lives of 16 Israeli civilians. http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART/776/664.html He was sent by the local Hamas leader Imad Qawasameh.
On October 13, 2004, Imad Qawasameh was arrested by IDF forces, after intelligence was provided by the Shin Bet. According to witnesses, Imad surrendered immediately after an IDF Caterpillar D9
IDF Caterpillar D9
The Israeli Armored CAT D9 — nicknamed Doobi — is a Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozer that was modified by the Israel Defence Forces, Israeli Military Industries and Israel Aerospace Industries to increase the survivability of the armored bulldozer in hostile environments and enable it...
armoured bulldozer
Armored bulldozer
The armored bulldozer is a basic tool of combat engineering. These combat engineering vehicles combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bulldozers modified by addition of vehicle armor/military...
started to demolish his house. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/488250.html,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3738946.stm
The Qawasameh are the main suppliers of militants to the Hebron cells of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
.