Gaza suicide attacks add to growing tensions between Hamas and Salafis

Middle East Eye ^ | 30 August 2019 | Adam Khalil

[Cronos]

Mass arrest of Salafis following attacks at police checkpoints expose continuing distrust between the two groups

Suicide bombings targeted two police checkpoints in Gaza City on Tuesday evening, killing three Palestinian policemen and wounding several others - and posing a new challenge for the Hamas movement.

Ever since it became the de facto ruling party in the besieged Gaza Strip following 2006 legislative elections that led to a split with the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA), Hamas has faced countless issues in its governance of the coastal Palestinian enclave...

For some, the double suicide bombing reflects growing resentment and rising anger against Hamas within the Gaza Strip, not only within the general population but among militant Salafi groups.

A number of former Hamas members have left the group over the years for various reasons; some of them joined other militant groups reportedly due to a feeling of "marginalisation" within the movement, or out of disagreement with the group's policies, notably Hamas's truce agreements with Israel over the years to de-escalate violence.

Although Hamas has not explicitly accused militant Salafi groups of being involved in the recent bombings, it immediately launched a campaign of mass arrests among its members.

The most violent confrontation between Hamas and the Salafis took place on 14 August 2009 at the Ibn Taymiyyah mosque in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.

Sheikh Abdul Latif Musa, leader of the Jund Ansar Allah Salafi group, declared an Islamic emirate in the Gaza Strip, in a move Hamas considered as defying its authority.

After the sheikh's supporters, including military commander Khaled Banat, barricaded themselves in the mosque, Hamas security forces shelled the building.

The incident resulted in the deaths of about 24 people and the wounding of around 130 others, as well as the arrests of hundreds of people.

[Cronos]

For those confused, Islam has three "branches"

1. Sunnis - 80% of the Muslims. These are "kinda" like Protestants in the sense of being sola Qurana/Sirah/Hadiths - they can set up their own "schools" per se and don't hold to any "leader". Please note Protestant brothers, this doesn't mean any other kind of similarity, it's just an analogy. There are 4-ish schools in Sunni islam.

2. Shia - 18% - these are where they follow Imams - and they have a few. They are wide in practice - the largest chunk being twelvers who are in Iran, but then there are also Bohris, Syedni Bohris, Ismailis etc -- the Houthis are Zayidi, a branch of Shia islam that is theologically closer to Sunni Islam

3. Ibadis - 1% and in Oman and Zanzibar.

Among the Sunnis - Hamas is Sunni - you have 4 schools. I don't fully understand each of these, but there is a new school called Salafi - "pure ones" who want to return to a pure time.

The Salafis are Wahabbis = the cult ruling Saudi Arabia.

This is also the cult behind the Islamic state, the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Abu Sayyaff, Al Shabab and Boko haram

[TnTnTn]

Well ummmm ...never mind....

[FreedomPoster]

“So before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; and the tribe against the world. And all of us against the infidel.”

- Leon Uris, The Haj

[existentially_kuffer]

Actually there are 72-73 sects of practicing Islamics, & one located in hell. But, I agree Sunni/Shia lead the top teir with Sunni as the majority. The following link helps explain the others.

https://www.quora.com/How-many-sects-of-Islam-exist-nowadays

[Capt. Tom]

A number of former Hamas members have left the group over the years for various reasons; some of them joined other militant groups reportedly due to a feeling of "marginalisation" within the movement, or out of disagreement with the group's policies, notably Hamas's truce agreements with Israel over the years to de-escalate violence.

The Salafis are fundamental Muslims, and are not going to tolerate heresy, or infidel collaboration by other so-called Muslims.

The word of their God in the Koran, is clear on how to treat us hated Infidels; and Allah's messenger Muhammad, sets the example , and 1400 years of history shows how to handle us Infidels.(subjugate, convert, or kill)

The Jews are singled out in the Koran for killing , so there is no doubt abouy Allah's intention.

Any Muslim that cooperates with us Infidels and especially with the Jews, will be treated as an Infidel,and killed. -Tom

[ByteMercenary]

No matter the sects involved, muslim-on-muslim violence should be encouraged anywhere and everywhere.