The Popular Incubator of Jihadist movements: The Case of Al-Qaeda and Hamas

Summary

The study discusses how Hamas and Al-Qaeda understand the term ‘popular incubator’, how they form and maintain it, and how far they have succeeded in that. The reason for choosing Hamas and Al Qaeda is that they are among the most important jihadist movements in the Arab world, and that they were formed at a relatively simultaneous time in the late twentieth century.

The study concludes that the jihadist movements, Hamas and Al-Qaeda, know very well that their fate will be failure without having sufficient popular support. However, there is significant difference between the two groups in thought and style of operation, but both groups understand the necessity of having local incubators as a precondition for achievement of their goals.