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	Inquiry & Analysis|952|March 21, 2013 The 'Islamic Bloc': Inculcating Hamas Ideology In Gaza Schools By: L. Barkan* MEMRI | MEMRI TV | JIHAD AND TERRORISM THREAT MONITOR | SOUTH ASIA STUDIES PROJECT
	Introduction On March 17-19, 2013, an international conference on "Youth and the Palestinian Cause in Light of the Arab Spring" was held in Gaza, sponsored by Hamas Prime Minister Isma'il Haniya. The conference was organized by the "Islamic Bloc," which started out as Hamas's student organization, active at Gaza colleges and universities, but which over the years has extended its activity to schools, from the high school level down through the elementary school level. The Islamic Bloc also has a presence in the West Bank, but on a much smaller scale, and only among college students. The Islamic Bloc coordinates and cooperates with Hamas and its administration in the Gaza Strip, and offers a variety of educational, cultural, social and sports activities for young people. Through these activities, its activists inculcate Hamas's ideology and also give participants physical and weapons training to prepare them for resistance actions. The organization has an active website, and its various branches have Facebook pages that report on their activities in different parts of the Strip and in different educational facilities, attesting to their widespread presence in educational institutions throughout Gaza. This document reviews the Islamic Bloc's activities in the Gaza Strip, sponsored by the Hamas government, and its more limited activities in the West Bank, as well as its activity vis-à-vis Arab, Islamic and Western elements. Hamas Officials: The Islamic Bloc – An Inseparable Part Of Hamas's Strategy The Islamic Bloc website clarifies its relationship with Hamas: "The Islamic Bloc is a Palestinian student organization that adopts the total Islamic perspective on education, unions, society, culture and sports. It is an ideological extension of the Islamic movement in Palestine [i.e. Hamas], and endorses this movement's views in all domains of life: politics, society, culture, economics, etc. It has an independent organizational framework, because Hamas is a political jihadi organization... whereas [the Islamic Bloc] is a union..." Main page of the Islamic Bloc website: "With knowledge we build, and with morality we ascend" Members of Hamas and the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades have been active in the Islamic Bloc since the 1980s, including Hamas Prime Minister Isma'il Haniya and Al-Qassam founding member Yahya 'Ayyash. Hamas officials have praised the Islamic Bloc's activity in schools and confirmed its affiliation with the movement. At a ceremony held by Haniya on March 4, 2013 celebrating the Islamic Bloc's activity in the Gaza Strip, he praised its efforts in all fields and its substantial role in working with Palestinian youths in schools, universities and colleges, stressing that the Hamas government spares no effort in supporting education and students "in order to shape an intelligent, original, and outstanding generation that can elevate the homeland and liberate Palestine from the defilement of the occupation." Islamic Bloc representatives present Haniya with a map of Palestine during the ceremony During a visit by an Islamic Bloc delegation to the home of Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, the latter praised the Bloc for its major role in spreading da'wa and assisting students, and stated that it was an inseparable part of Hamas's strategic plan. Islamic Bloc delegation with Mahmoud Al-Zahhar (second from right) The political support of Hamas is also expressed in an ad (see below) that appeared on the Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc chapter in the eastern Gaza Strip, which called for voting for Haniya in presidential elections and for Hamas in legislative council elections. "Isma'il Haniya President Of Palestine"; "Together We Shall Support The Hamas List In The Presidential And PLC elections" The Islamic Bloc offers activities for women and girls, and devotes a website and Facebook page to these activities. In December 2012, the women's branch of the Islamic Bloc was visited by Amal Al-Burini, the wife of Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash'al, who arrived with her husband for an historic visit in Gaza. Amal Al-Burini visits the women's branch of the Islamic Bloc Islamic Bloc: Indoctrination To Jihad And Armed Struggle The Islamic Bloc also supports the armed struggle of Hamas's militant wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. This is reflected, for example, in an article on the Islamic Bloc's website devoted to Sheikh 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam, after whom the brigades are named, which states: "Decades after the mujahid Sheikh 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam sacrificed his life on the blessed soil of Palestine, we find that the correct proposal regarding the [Palestinian] cause is the one proposed and carried out by 'Izz Al-Din: [namely the idea of] Islam and armed struggle... [Today] we see that the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades are the ones bearing the burden of the conflict, and that 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam's way is the way chosen by the sons of Palestine: [namely the way of] Islam, revolution, and armed struggle – while many [others] have fallen into the quagmire of coexistence with the Jews." An image on the Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc in the eastern Gaza Strip, captioned "The 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades," depicts an Islamic conquest of the Al-Aqsa mosque in a military action. Above the caption is the Al-Qassam Brigades' symbol. Yazid Baker, the Islamic Bloc's middle-school supervisor in the western Gaza Strip, said that the organization seeks to plant the spirit of jihad and perseverance in the souls of pupils, so that they become the generation that will liberate the prisoners and all the holy lands and places. Following Israel's November 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense, the Islamic Bloc held celebrations in high schools and middle schools in the southern Gaza Strip, under the heading: "The Occupier Was Defeated And The Resistance Was Victorious," as shown in the following photo: From the Facebook page of the Islamic Bloc in the southern Gaza Strip. The middle sign reads: "The Occupier Was Defeated And The Resistance Was Victorious," and features the symbols of Hamas and of the Al-Qassam Brigades In March 2012, the Islamic Bloc held activities in Gaza schools marking the anniversary of the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Ahead of these activities, Muhammad Aslim, an Islamic Bloc activist in the eastern Gaza Strip, said that Hamas officials would use the occasion to speak of Yassin's efforts "to revive the Islamic ummah and educate the youth in the way of Islam – [a way that] has enabled [the Palestinians] to level the playing field in their struggle with the Zionist occupation." After the activities ended, the Islamic Bloc high school supervisor in the western Gaza Strip, Sa'id Al-Laqta, said that speakers at the ceremonies had expanded on Yassin's role in establishing "jihadist groups to fight the occupation," and that the organization had distributed flyers describing Yassin's life, "which was full of giving, jihad, calls to Allah, and support for the Palestinian cause." Firearms Training In Middle Schools As part of its activities in the spirit of Hamas in Gaza schools, the Islamic Bloc holds a sports competition in middle schools called "The Strongest," which includes training and competitions in four fields: shooting, sports commentary, arm wrestling, and cycling. The Facebook page for the Islamic Bloc in the western Gaza Strip stated on February 23, 2013 that the initial tryouts for the competition had been attended by more than 3,000 pupils from various schools, and that further tryouts would be held among the regional winners. The posting was accompanied by photos showing pupils learning how to fire rifles. The Islamic Bloc in the eastern Gaza Strip clarified on its Facebook page that training with hunting rifles (see pictures below) would be the default option until the opening of the first military school in the Gaza Strip next year. "Welcome, students participating in the tryouts for the sports creativity project – Shooting event." Click here to read the full report.  Please remember the environment before printing.