Thursday, July 08, 2010

Son of Hamas


It is truly amazing that Mosab Hassan Yousef is not dead. By all accounts, he should be - and he explains why in his book Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices, written with Ron Brackin.

Yousef is the son of one of the founders of Hamas, a terrorist organization founded in the West Bank of Israel by Palestinians. He tells of his childhood, teen years, and young adult years living in the West Bank. He tells of his own imprisonment and how Israel's Shin Bet successfully recruited him to gather intelligence on Hamas actions, plans, and leadership.

What really amazes me is how Yousef, as he matures, finds himself diametrically opposed to his father's beliefs, and yet remains so intensely loyal to him. Yousef's father is alive today because of Yousef's involvement with Shin Bet. And Yousef is alive today because his father has refused to disown him, even after his betrayal of his father's work and religion.

Son of Hamas is an amazing story, well worth reading. It's not only a gripping personal story, but also gives great insight into the struggle for peace in the Middle East.

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