[defrost]

> But the Hamas Charter makes alarming reading:

That happens with worst possible out of context translations.

There's a lot written about that charter, the original and translations, and various reasons why Hamas feel that Palestinians must defend themselves from Israelis.

As I understand it that feeling is mirrored, both sides having more in common than they might admit.

[cbeach]

Could you please translate Article 7 for me so I can understand your take on it?

[defrost]

The context of the 1988 charter is a better start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Hamas_charter

The later charter removed the strident stuff which was in the context of defence against oppressors and invaders.

[cbeach]

The great thing about a charter is that it’s there in black and white, a first-class source of information on the actual intent, as opposed to later subjective analysis of things like “context”

If a group tells you who they are in official written terms, believe them.