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Syn Hamasu
Wstrząsająca relacja odsłaniająca kulisy terroru, intrygę tajnych służb i heroiczny wybór niezwykłego człowieka…
BESTSELLER „NEW YORK TIMES”!
Musab Hasan Jusuf już od najmłodszych lat od środka obserwował działalność Hamasu. Jako najstarszy syn szajcha Hasana Jusufa – założyciela Hamasu i jego najbardziej szanowanego lidera – młody Musab asystował ojcu w aktywności politycznej i przygotowywał się do pójścia w jego ślady. Uczestniczył w spotkaniach z przywódcami bliskowschodnimi znanymi na całym świecie z wiadomości telewizyjnych. Cieszył się zaufaniem kierownictwa Hamasu i brał udział w intifadzie.
Jednak od pewnego momentu historia autora potoczyła się w niespodziewanym kierunku. Pomimo ścisłych związków z kierownictwem Hamasu Musab zgodził się na współpracę z Izraelem, aby ocalić życie tysięcy niewinnych ludzi. Co więcej, kilkuletnie poszukiwania duchowe doprowadziły go do radykalnego zrewidowania poglądów, porzucenia islamu i wyznania wiary w Jezusa Chrystusa. Nawrócenie na chrześcijaństwo zmieniło bieg życia Musaba, a składane przez niego publicznie świadectwo wiary może pozytywnie wpłynąć na wielu innych Palestyńczyków i Izraelczyków, którzy swoją postawą zadecydują o przyszłości obu narodów. Autor z wielką determinacją przekonuje, że pokój na Bliskim Wschodzie zapanuje tylko wtedy, gdy jego mieszkańcy po obu stronach barykady uznają autorytet niezwykłego Nauczyciela, który dwa tysiące lat temu wzywał ludzi, by kochali swych nieprzyjaciół.
Na stronach tej książki Musab Hasan Jusuf ujawnia zdarzenia i powiązania, które do tej pory znane były tylko w wąskim kręgu wtajemniczonych. Przedstawia sensacyjne informacje na temat swojej prawdziwej roli. Syn Hamasu niemal natychmiast po premierze trafił na listę bestsellerów „New York Times”, a niezwykła historia Musaba była relacjonowana przez stacje telewizyjne i gazety na całym świecie.
BESTSELLER „NEW YORK TIMES”!
Musab Hasan Jusuf już od najmłodszych lat od środka obserwował działalność Hamasu. Jako najstarszy syn szajcha Hasana Jusufa – założyciela Hamasu i jego najbardziej szanowanego lidera – młody Musab asystował ojcu w aktywności politycznej i przygotowywał się do pójścia w jego ślady. Uczestniczył w spotkaniach z przywódcami bliskowschodnimi znanymi na całym świecie z wiadomości telewizyjnych. Cieszył się zaufaniem kierownictwa Hamasu i brał udział w intifadzie.
Jednak od pewnego momentu historia autora potoczyła się w niespodziewanym kierunku. Pomimo ścisłych związków z kierownictwem Hamasu Musab zgodził się na współpracę z Izraelem, aby ocalić życie tysięcy niewinnych ludzi. Co więcej, kilkuletnie poszukiwania duchowe doprowadziły go do radykalnego zrewidowania poglądów, porzucenia islamu i wyznania wiary w Jezusa Chrystusa. Nawrócenie na chrześcijaństwo zmieniło bieg życia Musaba, a składane przez niego publicznie świadectwo wiary może pozytywnie wpłynąć na wielu innych Palestyńczyków i Izraelczyków, którzy swoją postawą zadecydują o przyszłości obu narodów. Autor z wielką determinacją przekonuje, że pokój na Bliskim Wschodzie zapanuje tylko wtedy, gdy jego mieszkańcy po obu stronach barykady uznają autorytet niezwykłego Nauczyciela, który dwa tysiące lat temu wzywał ludzi, by kochali swych nieprzyjaciół.
Na stronach tej książki Musab Hasan Jusuf ujawnia zdarzenia i powiązania, które do tej pory znane były tylko w wąskim kręgu wtajemniczonych. Przedstawia sensacyjne informacje na temat swojej prawdziwej roli. Syn Hamasu niemal natychmiast po premierze trafił na listę bestsellerów „New York Times”, a niezwykła historia Musaba była relacjonowana przez stacje telewizyjne i gazety na całym świecie.
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 23, 2011
1462 people are currently reading
13907 people want to read
About the author
Mosab Hassan Yousef
6 books253 followersMosab Hassan Yousef is an ex–Palestinian militant who defected to Israel in 1997, thereafter working as an Israeli spy for the Shin Bet until he moved to the United States in 2007. His father is Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,086 reviews
April 17, 2019
I haven't read much so far, and I am duly and genuinely shocked, just as I am supposed to be, about the terrible things the Israelis did on a daily basis to the occupants of the Gaza strip. I am not terribly impressed with the glossing-over of the 'guaranteed-non-violent, peaceful, moderate' stance of Hamas during this time. When I read, continually and in detail, that the Israelis often shot innocent Palestinians for just being Palestinians but that a Palestinian just went and shot a couple of Israelis and took their guns and then that became a way for them to get arms all in one sentence I begin to suspect that this book, by a Christian convert, is more the wolf wearing the Lamb of Peace's clothing.
A sentence like, "Then Israel decided to secretly deport 415 leaders...". It wasn't very secret then, was it? And, following on from this, "The men were driven to a snow-covered no-man's-land in Southern Lebanon. Although we were in the middle of a bitter winter, they were dumped there with no shelter or provisions. Neither Israel nor Lebanon would allow relief agencies to deliver food or medicine. Beirut refused to transport the sick and injured to its hospitals."
Then, in the next paragraph, "A couple of weeks later, we finally saw him [his father:] on television for the first time since his deportation. Apparently Hamas members had named him secretary-general of the camp, second only to..." Eventually the father gets a cell phone and communications are normalised.
Doesn't sound a bit like they were dumped in the middle of nowhere without food or shelter.
I hope the book improves, it's naively written by the obvious ghost writer and it seems to be all about total emotional manipulation of the all-too-willing to believe the author's intended, pro-Palestinian audience. I want the facts not this soft, biased pap.
There is more to the war between the Palestinians, the Arabs and Israel than meets the eye but its never discussed. Israel is the West's secure base in the Middle East, it is democracy's secure base. It is a total sore for the Arabs who do not practice any kind of democracy, kings, dictators, and the military rule their countries. They do not want women walking the streets in tiny shorts and halter tops and having relationships of their own choosing. They do not even allow women to be educated and live a self-determined life. They do not allow unmarried women to get contraception and screw whomsoever they please after a hot night at the club. They don't have those sort of clubs for local women either.
How many Arab countries do you hear of where a woman (or a man) has risen from a poor background to a high position? It happens in our societies all the time. Everything about Israel, which is a country very similar to the US, the UK, France etc, threatens the Arabs. It doesn't stop me supporting the idea of a Palestinian State, in fact I want one even more because of it. But they see Israel as the hole of the Western decadence we call freedom in the doughnut of Arab and Muslim repression and any kind of land exchange isn't going to make the slightest difference to their collective enmity to that.
I had hoped this book would present a true picture of Hamas from the inside and see that they are just people trying to live in moderate Islamic way who are terribly persecuted and whom we should all support. Yeah well, I got suckered into paying for this piece of crap but I'm not wasting my time reading any more of it. Deep shite for the PC-people to sigh and tut-tut over, more grist for the anti-Israelis/Zionists/Jews, another biased BBC documentary, and still... still no representation for the Palestinians who would like peace, would be happy to see their daughters educated and for all of them to live in the 21st century.
(Do such people exist? Yes, I used to share an apartment in London with some, I worked for a couple in Jerusalem, there are a few on the island, but no one hears their voices and they aren't loud people by nature, and neither would I be if I were them).
Israel is the only country in the world where the idea of total genocide is approved of by the Left of the US, UK and everywhere else. In other words, they support the return of the Palestinians and ejection of the Israelis, the Jewish, Baha'i and probably the Druze whom they also hate. Where are the Jews to go? What other nation would accept millions of people? Or is it to be the Hamas solution as in their Charter, drive them all into Red Sea, kill them, finish Hitler's Holocaust? These people do not envisage a secular country for all peoples and religion a private practice not a government-mandated one. I do.
Rewritten April 2019 as a response to a comment that is now deleted on how there would be no Muslim terrorism in the West if Israel became Palestine (only it wasn't put so nicely). Original review was 7 Dec 2010.
A sentence like, "Then Israel decided to secretly deport 415 leaders...". It wasn't very secret then, was it? And, following on from this, "The men were driven to a snow-covered no-man's-land in Southern Lebanon. Although we were in the middle of a bitter winter, they were dumped there with no shelter or provisions. Neither Israel nor Lebanon would allow relief agencies to deliver food or medicine. Beirut refused to transport the sick and injured to its hospitals."
Then, in the next paragraph, "A couple of weeks later, we finally saw him [his father:] on television for the first time since his deportation. Apparently Hamas members had named him secretary-general of the camp, second only to..." Eventually the father gets a cell phone and communications are normalised.
Doesn't sound a bit like they were dumped in the middle of nowhere without food or shelter.
I hope the book improves, it's naively written by the obvious ghost writer and it seems to be all about total emotional manipulation of the all-too-willing to believe the author's intended, pro-Palestinian audience. I want the facts not this soft, biased pap.
There is more to the war between the Palestinians, the Arabs and Israel than meets the eye but its never discussed. Israel is the West's secure base in the Middle East, it is democracy's secure base. It is a total sore for the Arabs who do not practice any kind of democracy, kings, dictators, and the military rule their countries. They do not want women walking the streets in tiny shorts and halter tops and having relationships of their own choosing. They do not even allow women to be educated and live a self-determined life. They do not allow unmarried women to get contraception and screw whomsoever they please after a hot night at the club. They don't have those sort of clubs for local women either.
How many Arab countries do you hear of where a woman (or a man) has risen from a poor background to a high position? It happens in our societies all the time. Everything about Israel, which is a country very similar to the US, the UK, France etc, threatens the Arabs. It doesn't stop me supporting the idea of a Palestinian State, in fact I want one even more because of it. But they see Israel as the hole of the Western decadence we call freedom in the doughnut of Arab and Muslim repression and any kind of land exchange isn't going to make the slightest difference to their collective enmity to that.
I had hoped this book would present a true picture of Hamas from the inside and see that they are just people trying to live in moderate Islamic way who are terribly persecuted and whom we should all support. Yeah well, I got suckered into paying for this piece of crap but I'm not wasting my time reading any more of it. Deep shite for the PC-people to sigh and tut-tut over, more grist for the anti-Israelis/Zionists/Jews, another biased BBC documentary, and still... still no representation for the Palestinians who would like peace, would be happy to see their daughters educated and for all of them to live in the 21st century.
(Do such people exist? Yes, I used to share an apartment in London with some, I worked for a couple in Jerusalem, there are a few on the island, but no one hears their voices and they aren't loud people by nature, and neither would I be if I were them).
Israel is the only country in the world where the idea of total genocide is approved of by the Left of the US, UK and everywhere else. In other words, they support the return of the Palestinians and ejection of the Israelis, the Jewish, Baha'i and probably the Druze whom they also hate. Where are the Jews to go? What other nation would accept millions of people? Or is it to be the Hamas solution as in their Charter, drive them all into Red Sea, kill them, finish Hitler's Holocaust? These people do not envisage a secular country for all peoples and religion a private practice not a government-mandated one. I do.
Rewritten April 2019 as a response to a comment that is now deleted on how there would be no Muslim terrorism in the West if Israel became Palestine (only it wasn't put so nicely). Original review was 7 Dec 2010.
November 14, 2023
"The only real enemy was the enemy inside me."
Never thought I would say this about nonfiction, but I wish it had been longer. I had to pace myself and read other books that I was committed to finishing otherwise I would binge this captivating memoir read by the author.
I went into this blind because it was trending on Hoopla. I had no idea who the author was and the title piqued my interest. I didn't google. Nothing. My rating is purely for Mosab's story, the coauthor's ability to string the events together, and Mosab's terrific narration. It's the first time, I rewind the audiobook over and over to hear Arabic pronunciations and it's such a beautiful language. If I ever start learning Arabic, it's because of this man.
There will be no spoiler. As a fan of fiction would say there is a major plot twist I didn't see coming.
This book started with a bang. In 1996 at the age of 18, Mosab was arrested at a checkpoint and beaten. Hands tied and blindfolded he was taken to Ofer Army base, one of the largest and most secure Israeli military bases in West Bank.
I’m pretty sure I passed out several times, but every time I came to, the soldiers were still there, hitting me. I couldn’t dodge the blows. The only thing I could do was scream. I felt bile rising in the back of my throat and I gagged, vomiting all over myself.
Mosab is the oldest of five brothers and three sisters. His father is a Hamas co-founder/leader, Sheikh Hassan Yousef who was arrested more times than you can count, both by Israelis and by the Palestinian Authority. Often, Mosab had to care for his siblings and help his mother sell pastries in order to survive while his father was imprisoned.
In 1995, when the Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, Yasser Arafat called his father and asked to keep Hamas from celebrating his death. It was a loss because peace negotiation was in place. A crackdown on Hamas by the Palestinian Authority put his father in prison.
Now my hatred had multiple focal points. I hated the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat, I hated Israel, and I hated secular Palestinians.
I could think of nothing else except joining the military wing of Hamas and taking revenge on Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Allah had given us the responsibility of eradicating the Jews, and my father didn’t question that, though he personally had nothing against them.
From throwing stones when he was young, Mosab and his friend searched and bought submachine guns and pistols. He was angry and desired revenge killing.
Manipulated by lies and driven by racism, hatred, and revenge, I was on my way to being one of those people.
But it wasn't meant to be, they were cheated by the Palestinian man who sold them the guns. The guns didn't work and Mosab was stopped at a checkpoint, arrested, and interrogated.
Son of Hamas reads like a thriller. It's terrible to say that I enjoyed listening to it. I don't know how else to describe it really, because the audiobook was unputdownable. It's a tough life story through the author's eyes and memory.
Truth and forgiveness are the only solution for the Middle East.
A gripping and worthwhile read/listen.
April 12, 2010
Here is a book to break your heart. Mosab Yousef is the son of one of the founders of Hamas, and was intimately involved in its operations. He was also doing intelligence work for the Israelis, all while in the process of becoming a Christian. This one really is a page turner. With regard to the Palestinian situation, this book will really give you a different vantage point from which to look at everything. When you are done, you will ache for everybody over there, and be angry with everybody over there. There is no political solution. The answer is Jesus Christ.
May 26, 2010
I'm skeptical of many of the author's claims and have a strong feeling that he's telling us what he thinks we want to hear in these troubled times. The book is strongly self-serving and I doubt that his alleged conversion to Christianity is valid.
He lied to the Israelis, he lied to his Hamas compatriots, he lied to his family...and I think he lies to his readers.
He lied to the Israelis, he lied to his Hamas compatriots, he lied to his family...and I think he lies to his readers.
June 30, 2024
Thoughts to come, and I have quite a few.
October 21, 2019
Mosab Hassan Yousef’s non-fiction book, "Son of Hamas" charts the author’s upbringing in Ramallah in the Palestinian Territories, his secretly working for Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, his conversion to Christianity and his move to the United States, where he had to fight his next battle: deportation due to his Hamas connection. As the title suggests, his father, Sheikh Hassan Yousef was a Hamas leader who spent many years in Israeli prisons. While some elements of the story have been questioned, the alleged facts are far too detailed for me not to accept them at face value. As a child, Yousef wanted to be a fighter because that was expected of Palestinian children in the West Bank. His first arrest came at ten years of age during the First Intifada, for throwing rocks at Israeli settlers. He was further arrested and jailed by Israel numerous times. As Sheik Yousef’s eldest son, he was seen as his heir apparent and became an important part of the Hamas organisation. His doubts about Islam and Hamas began to form when he witnessed Hamas’ brutality and how the organisation, which is recognised as a terrorist organisation by numerous countries and international organisations, including Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, used the lives of suffering civilians and children to achieve its goals. According to the book, while imprisoned and under interrogation by Shin Bet in 1996, he was shocked by its interrogation methods, which he considered humane compared to how Hamas tortured and imprisoned suspected collaborators. He decided to accept a Shin Bet offer to become an informant. Yousef’s account of the matters covered in his book gives a fascinating insight into life for ordinary Palestinians under the brutal Hamas rule, the extraordinary friendship that developed between him and his Shin Bet handler and his conversion to Christianity. "Son of Hamas" is a most interesting read.
October 28, 2020
Updating this because the activists have finally been released from jail and I am so incredibly relieved that they're okay (and fucking furious that they spent six months in jail for the terrible crime of talking to Israelis).
--------------------------------
I had a chance to participate in a conversation with activists from Gaza last week. I spent a few days after thinking about compassion and empathy, the sheer magic of having a conversation. And then, yesterday, I came across this article that says that after this video call, the Hamas arrested the activists that we met and really, no one knows what happened to them since.
And I can't recall the last time I felt such anger.
I can't get his smile out of my head, the way he kept trying to make everyone comfortable throughout the conversation, the positive energy they all had. In those moments during the talk, I genuinely felt like peace isn't as far as we all think. We're all people, we're all scared of the coronavirus, we're not so different. Someone asked if taking part in a conversation with us was dangerous and they all smiled and shrugged, making it seems like it's not but I think deep down we all knew that as always, Palestinians risk more than Israelis.
So maybe I shouldn't have read this book right now because I'm so upset. I'm so angry at Palestinians for acting this way, for forcing their people into this position. Up until now, I've always focused on the sacrifices that we, the Israelis make (and truly, I will never ever forgive this country for teaching me how to shoot a gun) but this was the first time I realized that the Palestinian leadership forces itself people into far worse situations and that's not okay. Talking to Israelis shouldn't be a crime and oh my god, I can't stop thinking about this and I can't stop feeling compliant, I can't stop feeling like my mere presence in a conversation could have helped ruin a person's life.
And it's so easy to ignore. Everything has been deleted from online, there's no connection to Gaza, I might never hear from these people again. We all spoke in the video chat about doing this again but will anyone be ever willing to do it again? And if we will, what will Palestinians have to sacrifice for it?
Anyway, I should probably get to the actual book (although, I doubt people actually read through all of my reviews and heck, is it even my review if I don't rant about my feelings and irrelevant stories?).
This book tells us about Yousef and the way he grew up in the Hamas and ultimately started working for Israeli intelligence and converted to Christianity. This book is somehow very popular for people who are interested in the conflict.
My first thought about this book is that Yousef doesn't come across as very trust worthy. Yousef seems like a perfect example of a Slytherin and I don't mean this in a bad way. He is cunning and ambitious. It seems like his goal was to protect his father and he was willing to do whatever it took to do so, even if it meant lying to everyone he knows the second it became convenient.
To me, it makes it hard to believe a lot of what he writes here. There's no way to certify that what he's saying is right and that's a little unsettling. I wish there were some chapters with Ben Yitzhak, the guy he worked with in the intelligence agency.
My other issue with this book was that somehow, even though he technically "changes sides", it almost seems like he's still justifying Palestinian terror. By this, I mean, as a teen he went through the effort of buying a gun (which is no easy task) and yet, to this day he describes it as a stupid thing kids do and not as a big problem. In the same vein, his problem with stone throwing isn't that, you know, people die. It's that Israelis retaliate so it's dangerous for whoever throws the stones.
Throughout the book, he talks a lot about the deaths of everyone but again, I felt like Yousef ultimately wanted to protect his father and was enjoying the action that came with being a spy. That's not a bad thing but I was surprised to see how throughout this all, it seems like there wasn't an ideological shift, apart from discovering Christianity. I mean, he seems to blame it all on Islam and not on the politics, which is what seems more logical.
My anger at the Palestinian government just grew while reading this. It's so frustrating to think that leadership could cause so many problems and that I would feel so helpless to solve them because let's be real, there's no lack of political problems in Israel as well and I haven't gotten around to solving them. It's just, how could their leadership care so little about them?
The writing was simplistic but at the same time, this guy speaks Arabic which is drastically different from English. I feel like hearing this in his own voice matters.
All in all, this was a really quick read. I feel like there are far better books about the conflict out there. This book was a little strange, I'm still not sure how to explain why.
what I'm taking with me:
• People often talk about how it's hard to differentiate between civilians and soldiers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to civilians who act like soldiers and this book highlights this.
• Israeli prisoners are split into political factions? It really makes you think about how the Palestinian society is very split apart.
• I would love to read more about his father and understand how he could be so peaceful and yet support this organization.
• I wonder what Yousef thinks of America.
--------------------------------
I had a chance to participate in a conversation with activists from Gaza last week. I spent a few days after thinking about compassion and empathy, the sheer magic of having a conversation. And then, yesterday, I came across this article that says that after this video call, the Hamas arrested the activists that we met and really, no one knows what happened to them since.
And I can't recall the last time I felt such anger.
I can't get his smile out of my head, the way he kept trying to make everyone comfortable throughout the conversation, the positive energy they all had. In those moments during the talk, I genuinely felt like peace isn't as far as we all think. We're all people, we're all scared of the coronavirus, we're not so different. Someone asked if taking part in a conversation with us was dangerous and they all smiled and shrugged, making it seems like it's not but I think deep down we all knew that as always, Palestinians risk more than Israelis.
So maybe I shouldn't have read this book right now because I'm so upset. I'm so angry at Palestinians for acting this way, for forcing their people into this position. Up until now, I've always focused on the sacrifices that we, the Israelis make (and truly, I will never ever forgive this country for teaching me how to shoot a gun) but this was the first time I realized that the Palestinian leadership forces itself people into far worse situations and that's not okay. Talking to Israelis shouldn't be a crime and oh my god, I can't stop thinking about this and I can't stop feeling compliant, I can't stop feeling like my mere presence in a conversation could have helped ruin a person's life.
And it's so easy to ignore. Everything has been deleted from online, there's no connection to Gaza, I might never hear from these people again. We all spoke in the video chat about doing this again but will anyone be ever willing to do it again? And if we will, what will Palestinians have to sacrifice for it?
Anyway, I should probably get to the actual book (although, I doubt people actually read through all of my reviews and heck, is it even my review if I don't rant about my feelings and irrelevant stories?).
This book tells us about Yousef and the way he grew up in the Hamas and ultimately started working for Israeli intelligence and converted to Christianity. This book is somehow very popular for people who are interested in the conflict.
My first thought about this book is that Yousef doesn't come across as very trust worthy. Yousef seems like a perfect example of a Slytherin and I don't mean this in a bad way. He is cunning and ambitious. It seems like his goal was to protect his father and he was willing to do whatever it took to do so, even if it meant lying to everyone he knows the second it became convenient.
To me, it makes it hard to believe a lot of what he writes here. There's no way to certify that what he's saying is right and that's a little unsettling. I wish there were some chapters with Ben Yitzhak, the guy he worked with in the intelligence agency.
My other issue with this book was that somehow, even though he technically "changes sides", it almost seems like he's still justifying Palestinian terror. By this, I mean, as a teen he went through the effort of buying a gun (which is no easy task) and yet, to this day he describes it as a stupid thing kids do and not as a big problem. In the same vein, his problem with stone throwing isn't that, you know, people die. It's that Israelis retaliate so it's dangerous for whoever throws the stones.
Throughout the book, he talks a lot about the deaths of everyone but again, I felt like Yousef ultimately wanted to protect his father and was enjoying the action that came with being a spy. That's not a bad thing but I was surprised to see how throughout this all, it seems like there wasn't an ideological shift, apart from discovering Christianity. I mean, he seems to blame it all on Islam and not on the politics, which is what seems more logical.
My anger at the Palestinian government just grew while reading this. It's so frustrating to think that leadership could cause so many problems and that I would feel so helpless to solve them because let's be real, there's no lack of political problems in Israel as well and I haven't gotten around to solving them. It's just, how could their leadership care so little about them?
The writing was simplistic but at the same time, this guy speaks Arabic which is drastically different from English. I feel like hearing this in his own voice matters.
All in all, this was a really quick read. I feel like there are far better books about the conflict out there. This book was a little strange, I'm still not sure how to explain why.
what I'm taking with me:
• People often talk about how it's hard to differentiate between civilians and soldiers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to civilians who act like soldiers and this book highlights this.
• Israeli prisoners are split into political factions? It really makes you think about how the Palestinian society is very split apart.
• I would love to read more about his father and understand how he could be so peaceful and yet support this organization.
• I wonder what Yousef thinks of America.
March 31, 2015
I can’t tell whether this book is the product of an elaborate disinformation campaign or simply the excrement of a feeble mind. Either way, it is total crap.
The purported author is the son of a founding member of Hamas and his muse has connections to the Washington Times – I guess I should have known what I was in store for once I learned that the Moonies were involved. Anyway, his goal to deliberately distort history is demonstrated straight off as the “Time Line” appended to the story contains a laundry list of Arab misdeeds, but glosses over significant bad acts of Israel. Worse, the book gets major parts of world history completely wrong, for example, by claiming that Islam “spread from its base in Turkey” to 3 continents with the rise of Ottoman Empire from “1527-1923.” Since when is Turkey the base of Islam, rather than Saudi Arabia? And is the author unaware that Islam had already spread to the plains of Spain, the coast of China and the jungles of Africa by 711 AD, more than 300 years before anyone had ever heard of the Turks? The book also claims that the Ottomans “oppressed” Moslem villages, which leads to the ridiculous suggestion that non-Moslems had it better under Ottoman rule – somehow I don’t think 1 million dead Armenians would agree.
However, what is far more troubling are the book’s conclusions regarding Islam. First, the author suggests that Islam is a fundamentally dangerous religion completely incompatible with peaceful co-existence, which is completely contrary to most of the history of the Ottoman Empire itself and that of modern Moslem life in the US. Second, the author makes the wild claim that the most dangerous Moslems are the moderate Moslems because one never knows when they will spontaneously radicalize, as if our Islamic neighbors and co-workers are like recently unburied World War II ordinance that might go off at any time. This is the type of zealotry to be expected by a recent convert to Christianity, but that doesn't make his wild claims any easier to stomach.
I could go on as to the many ways that this book is a complete joke, including its turgid writing style. However, perhaps the most damning condemnation I can make is to list some of the Congresspersons who apparently supported granting this buffoon refugee status in the US: Michele Bachman, Aaron Shock and Dana Rohrbacher. Anything else you need to know?
The purported author is the son of a founding member of Hamas and his muse has connections to the Washington Times – I guess I should have known what I was in store for once I learned that the Moonies were involved. Anyway, his goal to deliberately distort history is demonstrated straight off as the “Time Line” appended to the story contains a laundry list of Arab misdeeds, but glosses over significant bad acts of Israel. Worse, the book gets major parts of world history completely wrong, for example, by claiming that Islam “spread from its base in Turkey” to 3 continents with the rise of Ottoman Empire from “1527-1923.” Since when is Turkey the base of Islam, rather than Saudi Arabia? And is the author unaware that Islam had already spread to the plains of Spain, the coast of China and the jungles of Africa by 711 AD, more than 300 years before anyone had ever heard of the Turks? The book also claims that the Ottomans “oppressed” Moslem villages, which leads to the ridiculous suggestion that non-Moslems had it better under Ottoman rule – somehow I don’t think 1 million dead Armenians would agree.
However, what is far more troubling are the book’s conclusions regarding Islam. First, the author suggests that Islam is a fundamentally dangerous religion completely incompatible with peaceful co-existence, which is completely contrary to most of the history of the Ottoman Empire itself and that of modern Moslem life in the US. Second, the author makes the wild claim that the most dangerous Moslems are the moderate Moslems because one never knows when they will spontaneously radicalize, as if our Islamic neighbors and co-workers are like recently unburied World War II ordinance that might go off at any time. This is the type of zealotry to be expected by a recent convert to Christianity, but that doesn't make his wild claims any easier to stomach.
I could go on as to the many ways that this book is a complete joke, including its turgid writing style. However, perhaps the most damning condemnation I can make is to list some of the Congresspersons who apparently supported granting this buffoon refugee status in the US: Michele Bachman, Aaron Shock and Dana Rohrbacher. Anything else you need to know?
January 20, 2024
As an anthropologist, I have studied numerous religions and appreciate the roles they play in human society. As an individual, though, I have had many negative experiences with them—Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Mormonism, and Judaism—not just because of the way that I’ve been personally treated, but also because of how I have seen groups from those religions treat others (e.g., forcing women to have children (anti-abortions), child rapes covered up by religious authorities, and etc.).
To be perfectly honest, I wanted to read Mosab Hassan Yousef’s book, “Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices,” but I was put off by the fact that he was a “born-again Christian.” It’s not that I’m opposed to Yousef’s choices or that I’m prejudiced. Rather, these types of people, in my experience, usually come off as preachy, rigid, and generally try to force the world into living according to their values.
However, as I was flipping through YouTube, I noticed that Yousef had given a lecture to a synagogue in Florida. So, I decided to watch it. After hearing Yousef speak, it was obvious that he was just a normal, non-preachy guy who just happened to be Christian. So, I decided to give his book a chance. I’m glad that I did.
There has always been a lot of misunderstandings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In fact, most people around the world—especially here in the United States—believe that one side or the other is 100% to blame for everything. Even today, you hear about large groups of people running around calling for a ceasefire when those same people don’t even have the knowledge necessary to explain what it’s all about. For example, they can’t tell you the names of the river or sea in the “from the river to the sea” chant is. Everyone, it seems, wants to make a victim out of one side or the other. But in reality, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are 100% innocent. And one’s support of Israeli hostages does not indicate support for the right-wing fascist faction currently ruling the country. Likewise, support for Palestinians does not indicate support for Hamas, a known terrorist organization.
The dual responsibility of both Israel and Palestine in the conflict is something that Yousef discusses in great detail throughout the book, particularly when Yousef states that he,
“…was a prisoner of the Israelis when my eyes were opened to the fact that the Palestinian people were as oppressed by their own leaders as they were by Israel…” p. 248
Throughout the book, Yousef appears honest and thoughtful. Even though he worked with the Shin Bet—the Israeli secret service—he doesn’t shy away from Israel’s responsibilities. For example, he clearly states that Israel violated international law when diverting water away from the occupied territories (p. 152). However, the author is blunt and honest about how Palestinians also bear their brunt of responsibility for the ongoing conflict.
This book was eye-opening, interesting, and easy to read. It provides an insider’s view of how this conflict continues to escalate even to this day. I definitely recommend this book to everyone, and especially to those who are determined to make “martyrs” out of either Israelis or Palestinians.
To be perfectly honest, I wanted to read Mosab Hassan Yousef’s book, “Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices,” but I was put off by the fact that he was a “born-again Christian.” It’s not that I’m opposed to Yousef’s choices or that I’m prejudiced. Rather, these types of people, in my experience, usually come off as preachy, rigid, and generally try to force the world into living according to their values.
However, as I was flipping through YouTube, I noticed that Yousef had given a lecture to a synagogue in Florida. So, I decided to watch it. After hearing Yousef speak, it was obvious that he was just a normal, non-preachy guy who just happened to be Christian. So, I decided to give his book a chance. I’m glad that I did.
There has always been a lot of misunderstandings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In fact, most people around the world—especially here in the United States—believe that one side or the other is 100% to blame for everything. Even today, you hear about large groups of people running around calling for a ceasefire when those same people don’t even have the knowledge necessary to explain what it’s all about. For example, they can’t tell you the names of the river or sea in the “from the river to the sea” chant is. Everyone, it seems, wants to make a victim out of one side or the other. But in reality, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are 100% innocent. And one’s support of Israeli hostages does not indicate support for the right-wing fascist faction currently ruling the country. Likewise, support for Palestinians does not indicate support for Hamas, a known terrorist organization.
The dual responsibility of both Israel and Palestine in the conflict is something that Yousef discusses in great detail throughout the book, particularly when Yousef states that he,
“…was a prisoner of the Israelis when my eyes were opened to the fact that the Palestinian people were as oppressed by their own leaders as they were by Israel…” p. 248
Throughout the book, Yousef appears honest and thoughtful. Even though he worked with the Shin Bet—the Israeli secret service—he doesn’t shy away from Israel’s responsibilities. For example, he clearly states that Israel violated international law when diverting water away from the occupied territories (p. 152). However, the author is blunt and honest about how Palestinians also bear their brunt of responsibility for the ongoing conflict.
This book was eye-opening, interesting, and easy to read. It provides an insider’s view of how this conflict continues to escalate even to this day. I definitely recommend this book to everyone, and especially to those who are determined to make “martyrs” out of either Israelis or Palestinians.
July 31, 2015
This was a fascinating story to read in so many ways. I enjoyed Yousef's candor --- he does not gloss over the bad and the ugly from either the Palestinian or the Israeli sides that he dealt with. Neither does he exaggerate their virtues. The result is an unvarnished tale of a young man caught up in the one of the most complicated conflicts in the world who, somehow, manages to rise above the limitations and prejudices of such a situation, and, not only that, finds a relationship with Jesus Christ.
In addition, I really enjoyed how he humanizes the Palestinian people --- it is clear that these are not the fanatical terrorists shown so often in the media, and his own family --- including his father --- were very close and caring for each other. It's clear that, notwithstanding his renunciation of Hamas, Yousef deeply loves his people for good reasons, but is grieved by the way they are manipulated one or another by their leadership's various factions.
It's a remarkable tale overall ---- one of Middle Eastern culture and history that, at times, almost reads like a spy novel. It is also one of a young man's trek to salvation through Jesus Christ which clearly helped him in dark hours and spurred him to take actions that saved both Israeli and Palestinian lives.
In addition, I really enjoyed how he humanizes the Palestinian people --- it is clear that these are not the fanatical terrorists shown so often in the media, and his own family --- including his father --- were very close and caring for each other. It's clear that, notwithstanding his renunciation of Hamas, Yousef deeply loves his people for good reasons, but is grieved by the way they are manipulated one or another by their leadership's various factions.
It's a remarkable tale overall ---- one of Middle Eastern culture and history that, at times, almost reads like a spy novel. It is also one of a young man's trek to salvation through Jesus Christ which clearly helped him in dark hours and spurred him to take actions that saved both Israeli and Palestinian lives.
June 8, 2010
You don't comprehend the sociopolitical relationship between Israel and Hamas!? Neither do I. Neither do most of us. Neither, still, do people living in Israel and the occupied territories--who have a mortal interest in their own sociopolitics. Neither do people who work for Israeli Defense Forces (military), Mossad (CIA equivalent), or the Shin Bet (FBI equivalent)--who have a security interest in the sociopolitics. Neither do people in Hamas, Hizbollah, Fatah, or the Palestinian Authority--who have a strategic interest in the sociopolitics.
Before you read any further you have to decide if the sociopolitics in Israel is something that should pique your interest as a citizen of the United States. If not, hit next, and godspeed. If it does concern you, then Son of Hamas is a compact little book about Hamas v. Israel. It's a neat little confessional from the son of a sheik that founded Hamas and who became an insider for Shin Bet over the last 10 years. He was probably the most important (spy, traitor, hero) that Israel has turned in the last quarter century. The narrative he unleashes in Son of Hamas reveals a chock of classified data and has probably made him a lifelong target for assassination. And yet, there it is--the mechanics of the shadowy Shin Bet, the suicide tactics of Hamas, his contacts, his field operations, his stark betrayals, and some of the cover-ups and clandestine stories he had to tell his friends, family, and countrymen.
The book is simple, direct, and well-paced. If you read USA Today, then you will not be confused by this biography. It reads like investigative journalism and provides information not too much unlike an extended entry in Wikipedia. And yet, there is an emotional journey, a confession, a rebirth of Mossab Hassan Yousef that puts a personal touch on the pages and keeps you rapt to the book. Unlike other 'insider' stories, there is little maudlin reasoning or second-guessing. It seems the novel was cut to its bear minima.
This book will not make you understand the tendrils that grow into and out of Hamas and Israel. But I feel that the Palestinian condition one of the most important Realpolitik crisis in the world today. Sure, there's North/South Korea, India and Pakistan, Turkey and the landless Kurdish people, and of course, the US and everybody else. It's okay to skip the Middle East, but realize: now that the US occupies real estate in Iraq, Qatar, UAE, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan, it's extremely likely that our military will never vacate those locations (think South Korea and Germany). They are too strategic, and the region is too near a flashpoint for us to realistically leave anytime soon. Son of Hamas is a tight little primer that should fold into your other reading about the Middle East.
3.5 stars rounded up. Get it from the library. This isn't an essential read, but it provides a solid, factual perspective about a topic that is usually covered politically. I mean, good gracious, nobody on Goodreads has marked the book 1-star yet!!
Before you read any further you have to decide if the sociopolitics in Israel is something that should pique your interest as a citizen of the United States. If not, hit next, and godspeed. If it does concern you, then Son of Hamas is a compact little book about Hamas v. Israel. It's a neat little confessional from the son of a sheik that founded Hamas and who became an insider for Shin Bet over the last 10 years. He was probably the most important (spy, traitor, hero) that Israel has turned in the last quarter century. The narrative he unleashes in Son of Hamas reveals a chock of classified data and has probably made him a lifelong target for assassination. And yet, there it is--the mechanics of the shadowy Shin Bet, the suicide tactics of Hamas, his contacts, his field operations, his stark betrayals, and some of the cover-ups and clandestine stories he had to tell his friends, family, and countrymen.
The book is simple, direct, and well-paced. If you read USA Today, then you will not be confused by this biography. It reads like investigative journalism and provides information not too much unlike an extended entry in Wikipedia. And yet, there is an emotional journey, a confession, a rebirth of Mossab Hassan Yousef that puts a personal touch on the pages and keeps you rapt to the book. Unlike other 'insider' stories, there is little maudlin reasoning or second-guessing. It seems the novel was cut to its bear minima.
This book will not make you understand the tendrils that grow into and out of Hamas and Israel. But I feel that the Palestinian condition one of the most important Realpolitik crisis in the world today. Sure, there's North/South Korea, India and Pakistan, Turkey and the landless Kurdish people, and of course, the US and everybody else. It's okay to skip the Middle East, but realize: now that the US occupies real estate in Iraq, Qatar, UAE, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan, it's extremely likely that our military will never vacate those locations (think South Korea and Germany). They are too strategic, and the region is too near a flashpoint for us to realistically leave anytime soon. Son of Hamas is a tight little primer that should fold into your other reading about the Middle East.
3.5 stars rounded up. Get it from the library. This isn't an essential read, but it provides a solid, factual perspective about a topic that is usually covered politically. I mean, good gracious, nobody on Goodreads has marked the book 1-star yet!!
September 3, 2011
There is little I could say that would do justice to this book. If there are criticisms that could be made, I won't make them. This is a deeply felt story of a life. So far it's still a somewhat young life and I pray the best for the writer.
Is this book inspiring? In some ways. Is the book frightening? Yes in other ways. Are there lessons to be learned? Undoubtedly. Is there Hope in this story? Yes.
I'm not here to lecture, I'm not here to give a synopsis. I'll avoid that as anything I might say that would pique the interest of some might put someone else off and I wouldn't want to do that. We live in a world rife with violence and strife that can and does touch people around the world. Much of it springs from deeply held beliefs and long clung to hatreds. The writer here saw and experienced these firsthand. His father is a Muslim who seems to exemplify the best in that belief system. He has first hand experience of the best and the worst of humanity. This is an insightful memoir full of pain and hope.
I salute the author and as said will pray for him and his.
In case I need to say it, recommended.
Is this book inspiring? In some ways. Is the book frightening? Yes in other ways. Are there lessons to be learned? Undoubtedly. Is there Hope in this story? Yes.
I'm not here to lecture, I'm not here to give a synopsis. I'll avoid that as anything I might say that would pique the interest of some might put someone else off and I wouldn't want to do that. We live in a world rife with violence and strife that can and does touch people around the world. Much of it springs from deeply held beliefs and long clung to hatreds. The writer here saw and experienced these firsthand. His father is a Muslim who seems to exemplify the best in that belief system. He has first hand experience of the best and the worst of humanity. This is an insightful memoir full of pain and hope.
I salute the author and as said will pray for him and his.
In case I need to say it, recommended.
November 7, 2013
لا اعرف كيف ابدأ حديثي عن هذا الكتاب الصادم.
بدايةُ الحكاية كانت عندما سمعنا في وسائل الأخبار عن هروب ابن القيادي في حركة حماس الشيخ حسن يوسف إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وارتداده عن الدين الإسلامي وتحوله إلى الديانة المسيحية بالإضافة إلى اعترافه بالتجسس لصالح الكيان الصهيوني لمدة عشر سنوات كاملة!
كان الخبر صادمًا ومؤلمًا ، وكان السؤال الذي يدور في خلد كل فلسطيني كيف حدث ذلك وهو ابن قيادي في حماس ، هل استطاع جهاز الشين بيت ( جهاز الأمن الداخلي الإسرائيلي ) اختراق حركة حماس والوصول إلى بيت أحد القادة فيها ؟ وكان السؤال الثاني الذي لمع في رأسي ، كيف لابن شيخ يؤم الناس في الصلاة ويقف خطيبًا على منابر المساجد ، كيف لهذا الابن أن يكون ضعيف الإيمان وبمجرد حضوره لعدة دروس تبشيرية وقراءته للعهد الجديد والقديم يتحول من الدين الإسلامي إلى الدين المسيحي؟!
بعد فترة سمعت بأن هذا (المصعب) قد وضع كتابًا باللغة الإنجليزية يتناول فيه سيرته الذاتية من البداية وحتى هروبه إلى أمريكا ، وقد تمنيت حصولي على نسخة من الكتاب ، ربما كان فيها أجوبة للأسئلة الكثيرة التي تدور في رأسي.
وأخيراً وجدت نسخة الكترونية مترجمة للعربية أمامي ، فشرعت في قراءتها فورًا.
صدمتي عندما سمعت ذلك الخبر منذ سنوات لم تعادلها صدمتي الجديدة عندما قرأت المكتوب هنا , فالكتاب صادم ومخيف وفيه من الأخبار التي لو صحت لكانت كارثة.
بدايةً كان مصعب حاقداً على قادة حماس الذين تجاهلوا عائلته أثناء اعتقال والده بل تعدى الأمر فأهانوا والدته ، ثم خروجه للعمل وهو طفل حتى يتمكن من إطعام والدته وإخوانه وأخواته.
وتتوالى الأحداث ، فنجد مصعب وقد خرج لرشق الجنود بالحجارة ومن ثم تطور الأمر فأراد أن يشتري سلاحًا ، وهنا انكشف أمره لقوات الاحتلال فقامت باعتقاله ، وفي المعتقل تم تعذيبه ، وعرض عليه جهاز الشين بيت أن يعمل كجاسوس لصالحهم ، ووافق مصعب حتى يتخلص من التعذيب وفي ذهنه أن يصبح عميلاً مزدوجًا عند خروجه ، لكن للأسف لم يصبح كذلك بل عمل بإخلاص وتفاني مع ذلك الجهاز وكان هدفه كما يقول هو حماية المدنيين من الطرفين الإسرائيلي والفلسطيني " ولاحظ بأنه يقدم دائمًا في الكتاب" كلمة إسرائيلي على الفلسطيني.
أطلق عليه جهاز الشين بيت لقب الأمير الأخضر، وبدأ في انتفاضة الأقصى بالتجسس على والده وقادة الحركة وكان يقوم بالتبليغ عن العمليات الاستشهادية " والتي يفضل مصعب وصفها بالانتحارية وليست الاستشهادية " ، كما قام بالتبليغ عن المخابئ التي كانت تختبئ فيها قادة الحركة مما سهل على الجيش الإسرائيلي القبض عليهم واغتيالهم في أحيانٍ أخرى (رغم معارضته للاغتيالات كما يقول).
اذكر أن حركة حماس في تلك الفترة قالت بأن وقوع قادتها في قبضة الجيش الإسرائيلي جاء بسبب التنسيق الأمني بين السلطة الفلسطينية وإسرائيل!! " يا للسخرية".
كان مصعب يتألم عندما يسمع عن مقتل الإسرائيليين في العمليات الانتحارية ، ويغضب عندما يرى قادة حركة حماس يرسلون الأولاد صغار السن للاشتباك مع قوات الاحتلال عند الحواجز ليقتلوا بينما هم – أي القادة – يختبئون في الأماكن الآمنة.
كان مصعب حسن يوسف هو الورقة الرابحة للإسرائيليين في انتفاضة الأقصى فلقد استفادوا منه كثيراً ، كما اعتبروه صديقًا لهم ، وكانت مكافأته هو عدم المساس بوالده ، لدرجة أنه اتفق مع الإسرائيليين على خطف والده من مخبأه وسجنه حتى يحافظ على حياته ويبعده عن خطر القصف العشوائي والاغتيالات التي كانت تقوم بها إسرائيل ، ثم اتفق معهم على إدخاله هو الأخر السجن بعد أن تعرض لمحاولة اغتيال فاشلة ، دون معرفة جهاز الشين بيت ، وذلك عندما كان يرافق أحد المطلوبين ، وطبعًا كان في المكان الخطأ في التوقيت الخطأ ، ومنعًا لتكرار هذه الحادثة وخوف الشين بيت على خسارة عميلها المميز والبطل (!) فقد تم فبركة عملية اقتحام للبيت واختطافه على أساس أنه أحد قادة الانتفاضة!
يسرد مصعب مواقف وأحداث كثيرة ، هي أشبه بالمغامرات البوليسية ، كما يذكر معلومات اسمعها لأول مرة ولا اعرف مدى صحتها عن يحيى عياش وعبد الله البرغوثي وجبريل الرجوب ومروان البرغوثي وخالد مشعل وغيرهم.
من الأشياء التي أزعجتني عند القراءة هو طريقة تحدثه عن القرآن والدين الإسلامي الذي يدعو من وجهة نظره إلى القتل وسفك الدماء وأن هذا القتل غير موجود في الديانة المسيحية ، فعيسى عليه السلام قال: (أحبوا أعداءكم) وهي الجملة السحرية التي وجد فيها مصعب ضالته وغيرت نظرته للدين الإسلامي وجعلته يرتد عنه إلى المسيحية ، لكن ألا يجدر به أن يحب أهله وشعبه بالأول قبل أن يحب عدوه ؟!
الغريب في الأمر أنه حافظ على علاقته بعائلته بعد تلك الفضيحة والجريمة التي ارتكبها في حق دينه ووطنه ، ومازال على اتصال بوالده الشيخ حسن يوسف الذي لم يتبرأ منه رغم فعلته تلك !؟!
هذا ما أورده مصعب في كتابه ، لكن هناك بعض المواقع التي تؤكد أن الشيخ حسن يوسف قد تبرأ منه بعد صدور الكتاب.
هذا الكتاب أصابني بالخيبة والضيق والحزن ، لكن ماذا كنتُ انتظر أو أتوقع من جاسوس باع دينه ووطنه وأهله وقضيته ؟!
عينات من الكتاب تجدونها هنا
http://emtiazalnahhal.blogspot.com/20...
December 7, 2025
G-D Bless this man!
December 13, 2021
This was one of those rare, hard to put down, books. Once I got started I couldn't stop. It is loaded with so much of what goes on behind the scenes in terrorist organizations. At the same time it gives a lot of insight into what drives them and, like many organizations, how leaders seem to be all for themselves using a cause to further their personal ambitions, and bank accounts, at the expense of the lives of their followers. A great read recommended for everyone and particularly those concerned about the never-ending conflicts in the middle east.
March 29, 2011
What the heck do I do with this book?
Initially Mosab enraged me. The author's perspective as a Palestinian engaging in gratuitous acts of violence toward Israelis as a child and painting the Israelis as the big bad bullies was infuriating, especially in light of the recent murder of a three-month-old Israeli baby by Palestinians, not to mention a bomb just a few blocks away from me targeting innocent civilians at a bus station going about their business.
But then Mosab writes about his offer from the shin-bet (Israeli secret police) to work for them as an infiltrator, and how he originally accepted this offer with the intention of sabotaging the shin-bet but ultimately switched sides, still pretending to be Hamas to his friends and family but reporting everything to which he was privy to his Israeli bosses. During this time the author also converted from Islam to Christianity.
Is this for real? How was the author not afraid to write his story and put his name to it? Ayaan Hirsi Ali needs bodyguards 24/7 and this guy's fine? I suppose it's not impossible, but I did find it hard to believe.
I found it interesting that this book seemed to be written at a second grade level, especially since the author apparently hired someone to help him write it. Maybe the hired hand thought it would sound more authentic if the book was written in telegraphic ESL speech, but I think it's a little odd to hire someone to help you sound like a foreigner.
All in all, I don't know what to make of this book. Mosab's transition from angry Palestinian to Benedict Arnold turncoat/loyal shin bet mole seemed a bit abrupt and superficial to me. As a Jew living in Israel it's pretty clear where my sympathies lie; it's always validating to hear about someone rejecting your enemy and joining your side, and many of Mosab's statements about peace and Israel were gratifying to hear, especially considering where he was coming from. I just wish I found his story more credible.
Initially Mosab enraged me. The author's perspective as a Palestinian engaging in gratuitous acts of violence toward Israelis as a child and painting the Israelis as the big bad bullies was infuriating, especially in light of the recent murder of a three-month-old Israeli baby by Palestinians, not to mention a bomb just a few blocks away from me targeting innocent civilians at a bus station going about their business.
But then Mosab writes about his offer from the shin-bet (Israeli secret police) to work for them as an infiltrator, and how he originally accepted this offer with the intention of sabotaging the shin-bet but ultimately switched sides, still pretending to be Hamas to his friends and family but reporting everything to which he was privy to his Israeli bosses. During this time the author also converted from Islam to Christianity.
Is this for real? How was the author not afraid to write his story and put his name to it? Ayaan Hirsi Ali needs bodyguards 24/7 and this guy's fine? I suppose it's not impossible, but I did find it hard to believe.
I found it interesting that this book seemed to be written at a second grade level, especially since the author apparently hired someone to help him write it. Maybe the hired hand thought it would sound more authentic if the book was written in telegraphic ESL speech, but I think it's a little odd to hire someone to help you sound like a foreigner.
All in all, I don't know what to make of this book. Mosab's transition from angry Palestinian to Benedict Arnold turncoat/loyal shin bet mole seemed a bit abrupt and superficial to me. As a Jew living in Israel it's pretty clear where my sympathies lie; it's always validating to hear about someone rejecting your enemy and joining your side, and many of Mosab's statements about peace and Israel were gratifying to hear, especially considering where he was coming from. I just wish I found his story more credible.
April 1, 2024
MY FATHER WAS ISLAM TO ME. If I were to put him on the scale of Allah, he would weigh more than any other Muslim I had ever met. He never missed a prayer time. Even when he came home late and tired, I often heard him praying and crying out to the god of the Qur'an in the middle of the night. He was humble, loving, and forgiving—to my mother, to his children, even to people he didn't know. More than an apologist for Islam, my father lived his life as an example of what a Muslim should be. He reflected the beautiful side of Islam, not the cruel side that required its followers to conquer and enslave the earth. However, over the ten-year period that followed my imprison-ment, I would watch him struggle with an inner, irrational conflict. On the one hand, he didn't see those Muslims who killed settlers and soldiers and innocent women and children as wrong. He believed that Allah gave them the authority to do that. On the other hand, he personally could not do what they did. Something in his soul rejected it. What he could not justify as right for himself he rationalized as right for others.
- Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
.
.
The author can be a convert from Islam to Christianity for all i care. Whatever religion he changed into, even atheism itself, will not be able to excuse what he wrote in the book. All of the lies and deceit to accommodate his distorted views about Zionists and Palestinians. I cannot stand how disillusioned he was with Israel and even accusing that Palestinians has been mingling with terrorism for as long as he can remember. The fact that he painted Israel as a good guy and how Israelis genuinely wanted peace made me want to gag. Despite the series of occupations and countless nakbas, he decided to use one situation he encountered in the prison to put Hamas and every Palestinians in the same category. I personally would have tried to at least highlight some grace in the book but i got none from the book except in the beginning of the book when he narrated the history and his father’s background. The rest, i would say straight to the trash. You got caught because your own carelessness, and then you mingled with the devil - betraying your own family and your own nation and now, out of nowhere you are saying that you did it for Jesus and last but not least, you are now settling down in USA after you said you are done playing double agent for both IDF and Hamas. If its not money, citizenship or simply a way to leave Palestine, what was the true motive here? And i wonder whether the author can see that many of Palestinian Christians is being persecuted and churches is being bombed after the October 7th? Or does the author decided to adopt the selective outrage by western standards and decided to ignore the plight of Palestinian Christians and let Zionist obliterated the birthplace of Jesus to the rubbles that it is now.
- Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
.
.
The author can be a convert from Islam to Christianity for all i care. Whatever religion he changed into, even atheism itself, will not be able to excuse what he wrote in the book. All of the lies and deceit to accommodate his distorted views about Zionists and Palestinians. I cannot stand how disillusioned he was with Israel and even accusing that Palestinians has been mingling with terrorism for as long as he can remember. The fact that he painted Israel as a good guy and how Israelis genuinely wanted peace made me want to gag. Despite the series of occupations and countless nakbas, he decided to use one situation he encountered in the prison to put Hamas and every Palestinians in the same category. I personally would have tried to at least highlight some grace in the book but i got none from the book except in the beginning of the book when he narrated the history and his father’s background. The rest, i would say straight to the trash. You got caught because your own carelessness, and then you mingled with the devil - betraying your own family and your own nation and now, out of nowhere you are saying that you did it for Jesus and last but not least, you are now settling down in USA after you said you are done playing double agent for both IDF and Hamas. If its not money, citizenship or simply a way to leave Palestine, what was the true motive here? And i wonder whether the author can see that many of Palestinian Christians is being persecuted and churches is being bombed after the October 7th? Or does the author decided to adopt the selective outrage by western standards and decided to ignore the plight of Palestinian Christians and let Zionist obliterated the birthplace of Jesus to the rubbles that it is now.
May 30, 2010
This is a fascinating book written by the son of one of the founders of the Hamas, a Palestinian terror organization. It chronicles his youth as the son of a devout Muslim iman, to his years in prison, then follows his years as a spy for Israel.
Mosab's autobiography reads like a spy thriller. He was uniquely positioned to see the inner workings of the Palestinian terror organizations plus the inner world of the Israeli FBI. The book is interesting on two fronts: First, it is an inside view on the founding and politics of the Hamas. Secondly, and to me most importantly, it chronicles how the son of Hamas changes from an angry, hate-filled youth to a young man trying to love his enemy and save untold lives from terrorism because he was introduced to the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus.
Jesus changed his life - he gave up his family and his country to live out the life Jesus calls us to live. When he reads in the New Testament, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.’” (Matthew 5:43-45), he is thunderstruck—it is the message he has been searching for. The more Mosab reads the Bible, the more he sees that loving and forgiving one’s enemies is the only way to stop the bloodshed. He puts Christ’s words into action as he risks his own life to save lives in the occupied territories. He gathers every scrap of information he can to help the Israeli Shin Bet (Intelligence Service) stop the blood bath.
Mosab's autobiography reads like a spy thriller. He was uniquely positioned to see the inner workings of the Palestinian terror organizations plus the inner world of the Israeli FBI. The book is interesting on two fronts: First, it is an inside view on the founding and politics of the Hamas. Secondly, and to me most importantly, it chronicles how the son of Hamas changes from an angry, hate-filled youth to a young man trying to love his enemy and save untold lives from terrorism because he was introduced to the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus.
Jesus changed his life - he gave up his family and his country to live out the life Jesus calls us to live. When he reads in the New Testament, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.’” (Matthew 5:43-45), he is thunderstruck—it is the message he has been searching for. The more Mosab reads the Bible, the more he sees that loving and forgiving one’s enemies is the only way to stop the bloodshed. He puts Christ’s words into action as he risks his own life to save lives in the occupied territories. He gathers every scrap of information he can to help the Israeli Shin Bet (Intelligence Service) stop the blood bath.
June 16, 2025
Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef Is a non-fiction book about the son whose father started Hamas. It’s intense, eye-opening, and deeply personal. Mosab Hassan Yousef’s story is brave and complicated, and I couldn’t put it down. I learned so much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but what really stuck with me was his inner struggle and the courage it took to choose a different path. This is my 2nd time to read. I wanted to listen to the audio this time. The book was much better.
March 18, 2024
Treat this book with caution, as it must have been written under duress by someone controlled by the Zionist squatter on Palestine.
From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!
From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!
October 27, 2012
It's hard to know where to start in reviewing this controversial book about a controversial part of the world and a controversial choice made by its author, but the number of stars should be a hint. I came to this book with little other than a cursory knowledge of the tenets of Islam and the intricate workings of the Middle East conflict, and eager to learn. I was most interested, as a Christian, to read how a son of Hamas came to a place where he was willing to renounce not only terrorism but Islam in order to become a follower of Christ. I have read reviews criticizing one aspect or another of this memoir--either feeling he left out important information or questioning his motives for writing. I feel that's to be expected with a book like this, and would encourage prospective readers to read it and decide on their own. This is Mosab's story, and I think it is a good one, but I also see it as an amazing story of sovereign God gathering His people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. As Mosab said in an interview I watched, "[Jesus] didn't come to take sides--He came to take OVER." I pray for Mosab's continued safety and growth in grace.
December 15, 2017
S/o ಹಮಾಸ್ - ಮೊಸಾಬ್/ಅನುವಾದ - ಅಜಿತ್ ಹನುಮಕ್ಕನವರ್.
ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್, ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ನಡುವಿನ ಯುದ್ಧ ಹಲ ವರ್ಷಗಳದ್ದು. ಶಾಂತಿ ಮಾತುಕತೆ ಮುರಿದು ಬಿತ್ತಂತೆ, ಬಾಂಬು ಬಿತ್ತಂತೆ, ಇಸ್ರೇಲಿ ಗಳು ಅವರನ್ನ ಹಾಗೆ ಕೊಂದರಂತೆ, ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ನವರು ಪಾಪ ಅಂತೆ ಇವಷ್ಟೇ ನಮಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಸುದ್ದಿಗಳು. ಅದರ ಹೊರತಾಗಿ ಒಳಗೇನು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ ಅನ್ನುವುದು ಇಸ್ಲಾಂನಷ್ಟೇ ನಿಗೂಢ ನಮಗೆ.
ಇದು ಹಮಾಸ್ ಸಂಘಟನೆಯ ಸ್ಥಾಪಕ ಏಳು ಜನರಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬನ ಮೊದಲ ಮಗ ಬರೆದ ನೆತ್ತರ ಕತೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಯ ಬದುಕಿನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಸದಾ ನಡೆವ ರಕ್ತಪಾತದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಗಡಿ ಕದನದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ,ಸೆರೆಯ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆವ ಹಿಂಸೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಬರೆದ ಕತೆ. ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಸಾಲು ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. ಹಿಂಸೆ ಅನ್ನುವುದು ಅದೆಷ್ಟರ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸವಾಯಿತು ಅಂದರೆ ಶಾಂತಿ ಅಂದರೆ ಬೇಜಾರು ಬಂದುಹೋಯಿತು ಅಂತ.ಅಂತಹ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ. ಇಂತಹ ಪರಿಸರದ ಹುಡುಗ ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ಬೇಹುಗಾರನಾಗುವುದೂ, ರಹಸ್ಯಗಳ ಪತ್ತೆ ಹಚ್ಚಿ ತಲುಪಿಸುವುದೂ, ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಮತಾಂತರವಾಗಿ ಅಮೆರಿಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಯ ಪಡೆಯುವುದು. ಇವಿಷ್ಟೇ ಅಲ್ಲ! ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ಜನರ ಬವಣೆಗಳು, ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ದಾಳಿಯ ಕರಾಳ ಮುಖಗಳು, ಯಾಸಿರ್ ಅರಾಫತ್ ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೋಸ,ಧರ್ಮದ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆವ ಕೆಲಸಗಳು ಒಂದೇ ಎರಡೇ!
ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಹೇಳಿದರೆ,ಈಗ ತಾನೆ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯ ಕೆಟ್ಟುಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅನುವಾದ ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿದೆ. ಅಜಿತ್ ಹನುಮಕ್ಕನವರ್ ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಕತೆ ಅನ್ನುವಂತೆ ಅನುವಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮುದ್ರಣ ಹಿತವಾಗಿದೆ. ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಬಂದ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಇದು.
ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್, ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ನಡುವಿನ ಯುದ್ಧ ಹಲ ವರ್ಷಗಳದ್ದು. ಶಾಂತಿ ಮಾತುಕತೆ ಮುರಿದು ಬಿತ್ತಂತೆ, ಬಾಂಬು ಬಿತ್ತಂತೆ, ಇಸ್ರೇಲಿ ಗಳು ಅವರನ್ನ ಹಾಗೆ ಕೊಂದರಂತೆ, ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ನವರು ಪಾಪ ಅಂತೆ ಇವಷ್ಟೇ ನಮಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಸುದ್ದಿಗಳು. ಅದರ ಹೊರತಾಗಿ ಒಳಗೇನು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ ಅನ್ನುವುದು ಇಸ್ಲಾಂನಷ್ಟೇ ನಿಗೂಢ ನಮಗೆ.
ಇದು ಹಮಾಸ್ ಸಂಘಟನೆಯ ಸ್ಥಾಪಕ ಏಳು ಜನರಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬನ ಮೊದಲ ಮಗ ಬರೆದ ನೆತ್ತರ ಕತೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಯ ಬದುಕಿನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಸದಾ ನಡೆವ ರಕ್ತಪಾತದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಗಡಿ ಕದನದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ,ಸೆರೆಯ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆವ ಹಿಂಸೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಬರೆದ ಕತೆ. ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಸಾಲು ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. ಹಿಂಸೆ ಅನ್ನುವುದು ಅದೆಷ್ಟರ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸವಾಯಿತು ಅಂದರೆ ಶಾಂತಿ ಅಂದರೆ ಬೇಜಾರು ಬಂದುಹೋಯಿತು ಅಂತ.ಅಂತಹ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ. ಇಂತಹ ಪರಿಸರದ ಹುಡುಗ ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ಬೇಹುಗಾರನಾಗುವುದೂ, ರಹಸ್ಯಗಳ ಪತ್ತೆ ಹಚ್ಚಿ ತಲುಪಿಸುವುದೂ, ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಮತಾಂತರವಾಗಿ ಅಮೆರಿಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ರಯ ಪಡೆಯುವುದು. ಇವಿಷ್ಟೇ ಅಲ್ಲ! ಪ್ಯಾಲೆಸ್ಟೈನ್ ಜನರ ಬವಣೆಗಳು, ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ದಾಳಿಯ ಕರಾಳ ಮುಖಗಳು, ಯಾಸಿರ್ ಅರಾಫತ್ ಮಾಡಿದ ಮೋಸ,ಧರ್ಮದ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆವ ಕೆಲಸಗಳು ಒಂದೇ ಎರಡೇ!
ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಹೇಳಿದರೆ,ಈಗ ತಾನೆ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯ ಕೆಟ್ಟುಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅನುವಾದ ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿದೆ. ಅಜಿತ್ ಹನುಮಕ್ಕನವರ್ ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಕತೆ ಅನ್ನುವಂತೆ ಅನುವಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮುದ್ರಣ ಹಿತವಾಗಿದೆ. ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಬಂದ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಇದು.
February 9, 2024
The way this book is used blatantly as Israeli propaganda is beyond upsetting and unforgivably unethical. This Palestinian man essentially develops Stockholm syndrome with an Israeli agent after being TORTURED for weeks by the Israeli army at 18 yrs old (basically a child!). Mosab’s logic represents that of someone who was abducted as a kid. It is nonsensical and ultimately reinforced my support for Palestine. Israeli propaganda makes me so sick and clearly made this man sick too. This book isn’t about love, it’s about a desperate attempt to escape immediate torture and bombings by Israeli soldiers. It’s a clear case of being forced into an impossible situation. Mosab’s desperation for freedom is so strong that he clings to something that will never allow him to be free
This man forgot to mention the fact that in Islam, Allah forbids the killing of women and children in war. To the point it’s also forbidden to kill a tree during war, thus wars happen is open and barren lands. This guy wrote this book to portray Islam in a negative light, for someone who grew up in mosques either he forgot Islam or he’s straight up lying. So him converting to Christianity after all that doesn’t surprise me because he doesn’t know what to believe anymore. But it breaks my heart because Christianity has a similar history of being violent to attain goals.
Regarding the political side of this book, nah ofc people want their own homes back. I don’t understand why this was seen as something negative with regard to the Palestinians. In addition, there’s historical inaccuracies, such as 1948 war of independence.
Overall, this book is filled with stories from a man who wanted an escape, suffering from Stockholm syndrome, and fabricated a story to help him sleep better at night🤝
This man forgot to mention the fact that in Islam, Allah forbids the killing of women and children in war. To the point it’s also forbidden to kill a tree during war, thus wars happen is open and barren lands. This guy wrote this book to portray Islam in a negative light, for someone who grew up in mosques either he forgot Islam or he’s straight up lying. So him converting to Christianity after all that doesn’t surprise me because he doesn’t know what to believe anymore. But it breaks my heart because Christianity has a similar history of being violent to attain goals.
Regarding the political side of this book, nah ofc people want their own homes back. I don’t understand why this was seen as something negative with regard to the Palestinians. In addition, there’s historical inaccuracies, such as 1948 war of independence.
Overall, this book is filled with stories from a man who wanted an escape, suffering from Stockholm syndrome, and fabricated a story to help him sleep better at night🤝
January 4, 2024
The life of Mosab Hassan Yousef is fascinating. Born in Ramallah to the co-founder of Hamas, Yousef became disillusioned as a young man with both Hamas' "theology of jihad" and the PLO's "nationalism and the ideology of power." Following a period of incarceration in an Israeli prison after he was arrested for trying to acquire firearms, Yousef eventually came to work as a mole for the Shin Bet, putting himself in great danger to identify suicide bombers before they struck. He eventually converted to Christianity and now resides in the U.S.
As a Palestinian who now ardently defends Israel on social media, Yousef has a very unique and valuable perspective on the Palestine-Israel conflict. Though the book frequently criticizes Hamas, it also helped me appreciate what life is like for ordinary Palestinians. For example, this quote:
"If Hamas called a strike and threatened to burn stores of anyone who stayed open, PLO leaders across the street threatened to burn the stores of anyone who closed."
Though this is a gripping tale, one can't help but wonder at what details are left unsaid. It feels like there is more to this story. One reviewer here on GR calls Yousef "a Slytherin," and while I hate to doubt anything about him, I can't say that my intuition doesn't agree. Though I sympathize with some of his sentiments, a video that he posted very recently on social media stuck me as a little unhinged and not very Christ-like in nature. I wonder about his Christian walk today.
So, in a nutshell, a worthwhile read that left me with questions.
As a Palestinian who now ardently defends Israel on social media, Yousef has a very unique and valuable perspective on the Palestine-Israel conflict. Though the book frequently criticizes Hamas, it also helped me appreciate what life is like for ordinary Palestinians. For example, this quote:
"If Hamas called a strike and threatened to burn stores of anyone who stayed open, PLO leaders across the street threatened to burn the stores of anyone who closed."
Though this is a gripping tale, one can't help but wonder at what details are left unsaid. It feels like there is more to this story. One reviewer here on GR calls Yousef "a Slytherin," and while I hate to doubt anything about him, I can't say that my intuition doesn't agree. Though I sympathize with some of his sentiments, a video that he posted very recently on social media stuck me as a little unhinged and not very Christ-like in nature. I wonder about his Christian walk today.
So, in a nutshell, a worthwhile read that left me with questions.
December 1, 2024
The violence in this book is eerily familiar. I remembered many from headlines, and smaller ones from reading his story years ago, but the connection with more recent events made it sadder. Nothing seems to have changed since it was written, but - I picked it up again because I knew that one thing had changed. One soul was reborn! One soul saved from Satan’s grasp! One soul turned from death to life! One soul turned from Violence to Peace! It’s the hope of that change that makes this book worth reading. Through all the pain and hate in his life, he slowly shows us God’s overwhelming love.
Read it. It will give you hope despite the darkest events.
Some point years ago...
I've also read 'Once an Arafat Man' and 'The Blood of Lambs' each man played a different part in the Middle East conflict. Each motive was different, but lead to the same end. Mosab's motivation was love for family and country. Those good motives though were misdirected and lead to much suffering. Here he tells how he came to know the Solution to his war.
Read it. It will give you hope despite the darkest events.
Some point years ago...
I've also read 'Once an Arafat Man' and 'The Blood of Lambs' each man played a different part in the Middle East conflict. Each motive was different, but lead to the same end. Mosab's motivation was love for family and country. Those good motives though were misdirected and lead to much suffering. Here he tells how he came to know the Solution to his war.
January 22, 2024
Wow, amazing story and life! You get a good understanding of how Palestinian people think. His father was involved with Hamas and high up on the political side.
Most enlightening statement: *Hamas does not want true peace, because if peace came to the region Hamas would cease to exist.
His father spends much time in Israeli prison and eventually he does as well.
He agrees to become a double agent in hopes to get back at Israel. Yet as he spends time with them his perspective changes, and close to the Damascus gate he meets his first Christian. Over time he starts studying the Bible and he is so amazed at the teachings of Jesus and how contrasting it is with his culture and the Koran. The Christians he meets with are very respectful of his culture and faith, and eventually he accepts Christ!🙌🙌🙌
After time he decides what he wants most is freedom and he leaves the country and moves to the US.
I just love stories like this! Highly recommend!
Listen FREE on Hoopla!
Most enlightening statement: *Hamas does not want true peace, because if peace came to the region Hamas would cease to exist.
His father spends much time in Israeli prison and eventually he does as well.
He agrees to become a double agent in hopes to get back at Israel. Yet as he spends time with them his perspective changes, and close to the Damascus gate he meets his first Christian. Over time he starts studying the Bible and he is so amazed at the teachings of Jesus and how contrasting it is with his culture and the Koran. The Christians he meets with are very respectful of his culture and faith, and eventually he accepts Christ!🙌🙌🙌
After time he decides what he wants most is freedom and he leaves the country and moves to the US.
I just love stories like this! Highly recommend!
Listen FREE on Hoopla!
July 31, 2024
Powerful and unrelenting in its ambiguity…and exponentially more edifying bc this is non fiction…
The dilemma of the author reminds me of the problems of the Irish and the Troubles.
The Gordian Knot of Palestine is that many in the Arab world profit from keeping these people in a ferment against Israel…Hamas has one goal and its to end Israel…this is impractical to say the least…
Hamas must be forced to unconditionally surrender or face the razing of Gaza…the same decision the Wehrmacht and the imperial army of japan faced at World War 2’s end.
The psychological impact of this kind of resignation I believe will in the long run lead to a better future for the entire Middle East…
The dilemma of the author reminds me of the problems of the Irish and the Troubles.
The Gordian Knot of Palestine is that many in the Arab world profit from keeping these people in a ferment against Israel…Hamas has one goal and its to end Israel…this is impractical to say the least…
Hamas must be forced to unconditionally surrender or face the razing of Gaza…the same decision the Wehrmacht and the imperial army of japan faced at World War 2’s end.
The psychological impact of this kind of resignation I believe will in the long run lead to a better future for the entire Middle East…
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July 15, 2012بدايةً يتحدّث عن أبيه بكلّ احترام، لا يتهمّ أباه بالارهاب أو شيء من هذا القبيل، بل يقول إنّ والده "كان مختلفًا عن باقي الرجال المسلمين" و إنّه لم يرَ منه سوى الجانب الجيّد والطيّب من الاسلام.
عدا ذلك يشنّ هجومًا على مبادئ الاسلام ويعتبره دينًا ارهابيّا وكذلك حركة حماس
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لا يكتفي بسرد قصّته لكنّه بحاول أن يظهر بمظهر المحلّل فيأتي بحقائق ما أنزل الله بها من سلطان، يقول مثلًا إنّ حسن البنا أرسل أخاه إلى فلسطين سنة 1935 لانشاء فرع للاخوان المسلمين في الأراضي الفلسطينيّة (!) ويذكر أنّ الاخوان حاولوا سنة 48 القيام بمحاولة انقلابيّة على الحكم الملكي في مصر. يقول أيضًا إنّ الشقاقي مثلًا انشقّ عن الاخوان المسلمين وأسّس حركة الجهاد بسبب رفض حماس للعنف في بدايتها. يقول لاحقًا انّ توجّه حماس للعنف كان متحمّسًا له قيادتها الغزيّة فقط، بينما قيادة الضفة (ومنهم والده) لم يعارضوه لكنّهم لم يكونوا داعمين بقوّة له. يهاجم عرفات بضراوة ويقول إنّه هو الذي افتعل الانتفاضة الثانية وزيارة شارون ليست إلا حجّة(!) ويقول انّ الفصائل الفلسطينيّة، سواءً حماس في معارضتها أوسلو أو فتح في معارضتها كامب ديفيد، كان نابعًا من استفادتهم من الصراع الحاصل وما معناه متاجرتهم بالقضيّة
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يذكر ظروفًا صعبة عاشتها عائلته بينما كان والده معتقًا، يقول إنّ أحدًا لم يتعرّف عليهم ولم يقدّم لهم المساعدة.
قصّة تجنيده: اعتقل وهو في الثانويّة العامّة (كان ما يزال طفلًا يعني!) ويشير إلى أنّه في البداية كان في نيّته قبول عرض الشين بيت تجنيده ليكون عميلًا مزدوجًا وينتقم من اليهود، فقط هكذا كان تخطيطه.. لكن ما رآه من شدّة حماس في المعتقل بالاضافة إلى العطف المفرط الذي تعامل به ضابط الشين بيت معه جعله يغيّر نظرته شيئًا فشيئًا (مع انه قبل ذلك يذكر أساليب "جيش الدفاع" في معاملته عند اعتقاله والتعذيب الشديد والظروق اللاانسانيّة التي تعرَض لها مع المعتقلين الفلسطينيّين)
ما أثار الاستغراب هو أنّه أشار لأحد الحمساويين الذين وثق بهم عن نيّته بأن يصبح عميلًا مزدوجًا، وهذا ما وصل لأبيه الذي قال له -لاحقًا بعد خروجه من السجن- فقط انّه يثق به وانّه ما كان يجب أن يخبر أحدًا بذلك.
بعد سنة ونصف في السجن، في احدى زياراته للقدس استوقفه أحد المبشّرين وعرّفه بجمعيّة تقوم بالتعريف بالكتاب المقدّس ومنها بدأت رحلّه تنصّره.
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عن نشاطه الاستخباراتي: يقول انّه ساهم في منع الكثير من العمليّات "الارهابية" وحماية الأبرياء الاسرائيليّين، يذكر أنّه كان السبب في محاولة الاغتيال الأولى الفاشلة لمهنّد أبو حلاوة (القيادي في كتائب شهداء الأقصى، والذي اغتيل لاحقًا لكن لم يكن عن طريقه) وإنّه شعر بتأنيب ضمير.
وساهم بعدها في القبض على 5 انتحاريّين جاءوا من الأردن، بعد أن جعل الشين بيت يتراجع عن قرار اغتيالهم (لأنّ أخلاق يسوع لا تسمح له بالقتل حتّى لو ارهابيّين، على حدّ وصفه)
ورغم ما يدّعيه عن صلاته واتصالاته (يزعم انّه هو وخالد مشعل كانا على رأس هرم الاتّصالات في حركة حماس، ولا أحد يدانيهما في منزلتهما! وكان يتحدّث بشكل أسبوعي مع خالد مشعل -- والأعجب عندما يقول إنّه أصبح بعد مقتل واعتقال عدد من قادة الفصائل هو الصلة الرئيسة بين كافّة التنظيمات والخلايا الفلسطينيّة باختلاف توجّهاتها) رغم ذلك يقول انّه كل جهود الشين بيت في محاولة ايجاد المسؤلين عن العمليّات الاستشهاديّة في بداية الانتفاضة كانت عبثيّة وتدور في حلقة مفرّغة. حيث كانت تدور حول ابراهيم حامد ومحمّد النتشة وصالح تلحمي (وهم من قيادات حماس) لكنّ لم يجدوا أيّ دليل على ذلك. العجيب والمفارقة في آنٍ واحد أنّ من كشف الخليّة المسؤولة كانت السي آي ايه حيث اتصلت بالسلطة التي قامت بالواجب واعتقلت المسؤول الذي كان عبد الله البرغوثي (قيادي في حماس).
أخر عمليّاته كانت المساهمة في القبض على ابراهيم حامد، وبعدها وصل الى درجة لم يطق فيها العيش بانفصام بين ظاهره وباطنه.. فأصرّ على انهاء خدماته للشين بيت للمغادرة والعيش في أمريكا سنة 2007
عدا ذلك يشنّ هجومًا على مبادئ الاسلام ويعتبره دينًا ارهابيّا وكذلك حركة حماس
--
لا يكتفي بسرد قصّته لكنّه بحاول أن يظهر بمظهر المحلّل فيأتي بحقائق ما أنزل الله بها من سلطان، يقول مثلًا إنّ حسن البنا أرسل أخاه إلى فلسطين سنة 1935 لانشاء فرع للاخوان المسلمين في الأراضي الفلسطينيّة (!) ويذكر أنّ الاخوان حاولوا سنة 48 القيام بمحاولة انقلابيّة على الحكم الملكي في مصر. يقول أيضًا إنّ الشقاقي مثلًا انشقّ عن الاخوان المسلمين وأسّس حركة الجهاد بسبب رفض حماس للعنف في بدايتها. يقول لاحقًا انّ توجّه حماس للعنف كان متحمّسًا له قيادتها الغزيّة فقط، بينما قيادة الضفة (ومنهم والده) لم يعارضوه لكنّهم لم يكونوا داعمين بقوّة له. يهاجم عرفات بضراوة ويقول إنّه هو الذي افتعل الانتفاضة الثانية وزيارة شارون ليست إلا حجّة(!) ويقول انّ الفصائل الفلسطينيّة، سواءً حماس في معارضتها أوسلو أو فتح في معارضتها كامب ديفيد، كان نابعًا من استفادتهم من الصراع الحاصل وما معناه متاجرتهم بالقضيّة
--
يذكر ظروفًا صعبة عاشتها عائلته بينما كان والده معتقًا، يقول إنّ أحدًا لم يتعرّف عليهم ولم يقدّم لهم المساعدة.
قصّة تجنيده: اعتقل وهو في الثانويّة العامّة (كان ما يزال طفلًا يعني!) ويشير إلى أنّه في البداية كان في نيّته قبول عرض الشين بيت تجنيده ليكون عميلًا مزدوجًا وينتقم من اليهود، فقط هكذا كان تخطيطه.. لكن ما رآه من شدّة حماس في المعتقل بالاضافة إلى العطف المفرط الذي تعامل به ضابط الشين بيت معه جعله يغيّر نظرته شيئًا فشيئًا (مع انه قبل ذلك يذكر أساليب "جيش الدفاع" في معاملته عند اعتقاله والتعذيب الشديد والظروق اللاانسانيّة التي تعرَض لها مع المعتقلين الفلسطينيّين)
ما أثار الاستغراب هو أنّه أشار لأحد الحمساويين الذين وثق بهم عن نيّته بأن يصبح عميلًا مزدوجًا، وهذا ما وصل لأبيه الذي قال له -لاحقًا بعد خروجه من السجن- فقط انّه يثق به وانّه ما كان يجب أن يخبر أحدًا بذلك.
بعد سنة ونصف في السجن، في احدى زياراته للقدس استوقفه أحد المبشّرين وعرّفه بجمعيّة تقوم بالتعريف بالكتاب المقدّس ومنها بدأت رحلّه تنصّره.
--
عن نشاطه الاستخباراتي: يقول انّه ساهم في منع الكثير من العمليّات "الارهابية" وحماية الأبرياء الاسرائيليّين، يذكر أنّه كان السبب في محاولة الاغتيال الأولى الفاشلة لمهنّد أبو حلاوة (القيادي في كتائب شهداء الأقصى، والذي اغتيل لاحقًا لكن لم يكن عن طريقه) وإنّه شعر بتأنيب ضمير.
وساهم بعدها في القبض على 5 انتحاريّين جاءوا من الأردن، بعد أن جعل الشين بيت يتراجع عن قرار اغتيالهم (لأنّ أخلاق يسوع لا تسمح له بالقتل حتّى لو ارهابيّين، على حدّ وصفه)
ورغم ما يدّعيه عن صلاته واتصالاته (يزعم انّه هو وخالد مشعل كانا على رأس هرم الاتّصالات في حركة حماس، ولا أحد يدانيهما في منزلتهما! وكان يتحدّث بشكل أسبوعي مع خالد مشعل -- والأعجب عندما يقول إنّه أصبح بعد مقتل واعتقال عدد من قادة الفصائل هو الصلة الرئيسة بين كافّة التنظيمات والخلايا الفلسطينيّة باختلاف توجّهاتها) رغم ذلك يقول انّه كل جهود الشين بيت في محاولة ايجاد المسؤلين عن العمليّات الاستشهاديّة في بداية الانتفاضة كانت عبثيّة وتدور في حلقة مفرّغة. حيث كانت تدور حول ابراهيم حامد ومحمّد النتشة وصالح تلحمي (وهم من قيادات حماس) لكنّ لم يجدوا أيّ دليل على ذلك. العجيب والمفارقة في آنٍ واحد أنّ من كشف الخليّة المسؤولة كانت السي آي ايه حيث اتصلت بالسلطة التي قامت بالواجب واعتقلت المسؤول الذي كان عبد الله البرغوثي (قيادي في حماس).
أخر عمليّاته كانت المساهمة في القبض على ابراهيم حامد، وبعدها وصل الى درجة لم يطق فيها العيش بانفصام بين ظاهره وباطنه.. فأصرّ على انهاء خدماته للشين بيت للمغادرة والعيش في أمريكا سنة 2007
April 6, 2012
It is important to understand the Arab-Israeli conflict, for it is at the literal and figurative center of religious and political strife today. Son of Hamas gives the reader a ground view of this conflict from 1987 to 2007 through the eyes of its author, Mosab Hassan Yousef. His perspective is a unique one, for not only is Yousef the first born son of one of founders of Hamas, he became an intelligence asset of the Shin Bet - Israel’s internal security service. Balancing these two whether patrolling the streets of Ramallah or incarcerated in the Israeli prison system was daunting and dangerous. Keeping up his two personas became even more complicated when Yousef was introduced to, and eventually converted to Christianity.
Son of Hamas is an important book for those who are interested in intelligence, particularly human intelligence, and an imperative for any studying international relations or security issues. A well written account with Ron Brackin, it is a quick read and will provide invaluable anecdotes of the human condition that can be referred to again and again.
Son of Hamas is an important book for those who are interested in intelligence, particularly human intelligence, and an imperative for any studying international relations or security issues. A well written account with Ron Brackin, it is a quick read and will provide invaluable anecdotes of the human condition that can be referred to again and again.
February 6, 2016
حثالة ..شئ مقزز و مثير للاشمئزاز
هل ندمت على قراءة الكتاب ؟ابدا
من المهم ان نعرف كيف يفكر المختلون عقليا الخائنون و اولئك اللذين لاكرامة لهم
ابدأ مراجعتي بجملة شدتني في فهرس الكتاب حيث يعرف محمد الدرة (طفل في الثانية عشرة يشتبه بان الجيش الاسرائيلي قتله خلال مظاهرة!!!) من هذه العبارة نفهم كل شي ولاداعي للحديث عن باقي الاستفزازات في الكتاب
بالنسبة لموضوع تحوله للمسيحية فهو امر لايعني احدا ذلك بينه وبين الله اوكما قال هو اله القرآن الوحشي
كما اني تساءلت كيف لم يكتب اهداءا لصديقه اليهودي او رئيسه في الشين بين بيت رائد والذي بكل تاكيد هو شاب لطيف لا يرغب الا في السلام و يداه نظيفتان من دم الفلسطينيين او من اغتصاب الحرائر الفلسطينيات او من قهر العائلات .
برافو مصعب على انعدام رجولتك و ارغب فقط ان اقول ان من لا مبدأ ولاقضية له رخيص و ****
وآمل من كل قلبي ان يصبر الله عائلتك وخاصة والدك على هذه المصيبة .
هل ندمت على قراءة الكتاب ؟ابدا
من المهم ان نعرف كيف يفكر المختلون عقليا الخائنون و اولئك اللذين لاكرامة لهم
ابدأ مراجعتي بجملة شدتني في فهرس الكتاب حيث يعرف محمد الدرة (طفل في الثانية عشرة يشتبه بان الجيش الاسرائيلي قتله خلال مظاهرة!!!) من هذه العبارة نفهم كل شي ولاداعي للحديث عن باقي الاستفزازات في الكتاب
بالنسبة لموضوع تحوله للمسيحية فهو امر لايعني احدا ذلك بينه وبين الله اوكما قال هو اله القرآن الوحشي
كما اني تساءلت كيف لم يكتب اهداءا لصديقه اليهودي او رئيسه في الشين بين بيت رائد والذي بكل تاكيد هو شاب لطيف لا يرغب الا في السلام و يداه نظيفتان من دم الفلسطينيين او من اغتصاب الحرائر الفلسطينيات او من قهر العائلات .
برافو مصعب على انعدام رجولتك و ارغب فقط ان اقول ان من لا مبدأ ولاقضية له رخيص و ****
وآمل من كل قلبي ان يصبر الله عائلتك وخاصة والدك على هذه المصيبة .
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