Ali Tajideen is a U.S.-designated financier and former military commander for Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. He serves as the managing partner of Tajco Company LLC through which he purchases and develops properties in Lebanon for Hezbollah.“Treasury Designates Hizballah’s Construction Arm,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, February 20, 2007, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp271.aspx. Ali Tajideen co-owns the company with his brother, Kassim Tajideen.“Treasury Designates Hizballah’s Construction Arm,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, February 20, 2007, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp271.aspx. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Ali Tajideen has provided funding for Hezbollah in cash bundles as large as $1 million.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. He is believed to operate out of Lebanon.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx.

Tajideen reportedly owns and operates several U.S.-designated companies alongside his brothers, business partners, and fellow Hezbollah financiers, Kassim and Husayn Tajideen.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. Kassim and Husayn have both been designated by the United States.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. Tajideen is also a “major player” for Jihad Al Bina, a Hezbollah-operated construction company that was designated by the U.S. in 2007.“Treasury Designates Hizballah’s Construction Arm,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, February 20, 2007, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp271.aspx.

Companies owned or operated by the Tajideen brothers include Tajco, Kairaba Supermarket, Congo Futur, Ovlas Trading, Golfrate Holdings, and Grupo Arosfran.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. His brother Hussain was expelled from Gambia in early June 2015 for his alleged ties to Hezbollah.“Gambia expels Lebanese businessman accused of Hezbollah ties,” Reuters Africa, June 2, 2015, http://af.reuters.com/article/drcNews/idAFL5N0YO49P20150602.

Also Known As

• Ali Taj al Din
• Ali Tajeddine
• Ali Mohammad Abed Al-Hassan Tajeddin
• Ali Mohammad Abdel Hassan Tajeddin
• Ali Mohamed Tageddine“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx.

Hashem Safieddine is the reported head of Hezbollah’s Executive Assembly, responsible for overseeing the terror group’s political, organizational, social, cultural, and educational activities. Casey L. Addis and Christopher M. Blanchard, “Hezbollah: Background and Issues for Congress,” Congressional Research Service, January 3, 2011, 11, https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/R41446.pdf. As head of the Executive Assembly, Safieddine is one of seven elected members of Hezbollah’s ruling Shura Council.Jonathan Masters and Zachary Laub, “Hezbollah (a.k.a. Hizbollah, Hizbu’llah),” Council on Foreign Relations, January 3, 2014, http://www.cfr.org/lebanon/hezbollah-k-hizbollah-hizbullah/p9155. According to the Iranian newspaper Khoursid, Safieddine is next in line to lead Hezbollah after Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.Dudi Cohen, “Nasrallah replacement chosen,” YNet, October 13, 2008, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608528,00.html.

Safieddine has been part of Hezbollah’s hierarchy since the group’s inception and reportedly received leadership training in Iran in the 1980s.“INSIGHT - HZ - More details on reshuffling,” Wikileaks, March 11, 2013, https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/10/1012276_insight-hz-more-details-on-reshuffling-.html. He took over the Executive Assembly in 1992 after its previous head, Nasrallah, became secretary-general.“INSIGHT - HZ - More details on reshuffling,” Wikileaks, March 11, 2013, https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/10/1012276_insight-hz-more-details-on-reshuffling-.html. In August 2008, Nasrallah accused Israel of trying to assassinate himRoee Nahmias, “Nasrallah: Georgia lost because of Israel,” YNet, August 14, 2008, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3582864,00.html. and two months later named Safieddine his successor.Dudi Cohen, “Nasrallah replacement chosen,” YNet, October 13, 2008, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608528,00.html.

Safieddine has spoken forcefully against Israel and the U.S. and has guaranteed Hezbollah’s resolve as it fights on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country’s civil war. Safieddine is Nasrallah’s maternal cousin.“Syria and Iran Come to a Temporary Understanding over Hezbollah,” Stratfor, November 26, 2010, https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/syria-and-iran-come-temporary-understanding-over-hezbollah. His brother, Abdallah Safieddine, is Hezbollah’s representative in Tehran.Michael Isikoff, “Bank accused of laundering drug money for Hezbollah,” NBC News, February 10, 2011, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41512092/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/bank-accused-laundering-drug-money-hezbollah/#.VQnZhY7F9ks.

Also Known As

• Hashem Safi al-DinDudi Cohen, “Nasrallah replacement chosen,” YNet, October 13, 2008, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608528,00.html.
• Hashem Safi a-DinZohar Blumenkrantz, Irit Rosenblum, Amos Harel, and Avi Issacharoff, “Lebanon army on alert after reported IDF build-up on border,” Haaretz, August 10, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/lebanon-army-on-alert-after-reported-idf-build-up-on-border-1.281701.
• Hashim Safi al DinCasey L. Addis and Christopher M. Blanchard, “Hezbollah: Background and Issues for Congress,” Congressional Research Service, January 3, 2011, https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/R41446.pdf.
• Hashim Safi Al-DinLarbi Sadiki, “Hezbollah and the Arab Revolution,” Al Jazeera, June 21, 2011, http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/06/2011619134113577322.html.
• Hashim Safieddine“Lebanon: Hezbollah’s Reshuffle,” Stratfor, April 25, 2008, https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/lebanon-hezbollahs-reshuffle.

Lebanese national Abd al-Menhem Qubaysi is a U.S.-designated fundraiser and facilitator for Hezbollah based in Côte d’Ivoire. Qubaysi reportedly helped to establish a Hezbollah foundation in Côte d’Ivoire to recruit members and raise money for the terror group. The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Qubaysi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 in May 2009.“Country Reports on Terrorism 2009: Chapter 2. Country Reports: Africa Overview,” U.S. Department of State, August 5, 2010, http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2009/140883.htm.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Qubaysi is the “personal representative” of Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah Secretary General.“2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR)—Volume II:Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Database—Comoros through India,” U.S. Department of State, May 4, 2010, http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2010/database/141516.htm. Qubaysi communicates with Hezbollah leaders and has hosted senior Hezbollah officials visiting Côte d'Ivoire in fund-raising efforts.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 27, 2009, , http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx.

In August 2009, Qubaysi was detained by Ivorian authorities as he landed after a flight from Lebanon. He was denied entry and returned to Lebanon. According to the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, however, he was permitted to return to Côte d'Ivoire in 2010 after pressure from the Lebanese government.Dr. Ely Karmon, “The Iran/Hezbollah Strategic and Terrorist Threat to Africa,” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, March 28, 2012, http://www.ict.org.il/Article.aspx?ID=1088.

Also Known As

• Abd-al-Munim al-Qubaysi
• Abd al Menhem Kobeissi
• Abd al Menhem Qubaysi
• Abd al Munhim Kubaysy
• Abdul Menhem Kobeissy
• Abdul Menhem Kobeissi
• Abdel Menhem Kobeissi“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 27, 2009, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx.

Lebanese national and Hezbollah member Hussein Hassan Oneissi is wanted by United Nations and Lebanese authorities for his reported key role in the February 14, 2005 murder of Lebanon Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.Special Tribunal for Lebanon, “Hussein Hassan Oneissi,” April 25, 2012, http://www.stl-tsl.org/en/the-cases/stl-11-01/accused/618-hussein-hassan-oneissi. The bomb attack on Hariri’s motorcade also claimed the lives of 21 and injured more than 220.Owen Bowcott, “Trial of Lebanese broadcaster charged with contempt of court opens in Hague,” Guardian, April 16, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/13/hezbollah-suspect-at-large-journalists-in-dock-at-hague-un-tribunal. Oneisi is being tried in absentia at an international tribunal in The Hague, alongside Hezbollah co-accused Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badr Al-Din, Hassan Merhi, and Assad Sabra.Martin Chulov, “Rafik Hariri assassination: trial of Hezbollah suspects begins, Guardian, January 16, 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/16/rafik-hariri-assassination-trial-hezbollah-suspects. The Lebanese authorities have failed to arrest the five – whether they are unable or unwilling is unclear – and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has”vowed that the United Nations will never capture them.”Ronen Bergman, “The Hezbollah Connection,” New York Times, February 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/the-hezbollah-connection.html?_r=0.

Oneissi and Sabra are accused of recruiting an individual to falsely take responsibility for the crime and for arranging his disappearance.Owen Bowcott, “Trial of Lebanese broadcaster charged with contempt of court opens in Hague,” Guardian, April 16, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/13/hezbollah-suspect-at-large-journalists-in-dock-at-hague-un-tribunal. The individual was later identified as Ahmad Abu Adass.Ronen Bergman, “The Hezbollah Connection,” New York Times, February 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/the-hezbollah-connection.html?_r=0. The indictment at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon also alleges that Oneissi and Sabra collaborated directly after the attack to disseminate statements falsely attributing responsibility of the attack. The pair also reportedly ensured the delivery of a video-recorded false claim to Beirut’s Al Jazeera branch and its subsequent broadcast. Oneissi has described himself as either “self-employed or as the bookkeeper for his brother’s carpet store.”Ronen Bergman, “The Hezbollah Connection,” New York Times, February 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/the-hezbollah-connection.html?_r=0.

Also Known As

• Hussein Hassan Issa“Hussein Hassan Oneissi,” U.N. Special Tribunal for Lebanon, April 25, 2012, http://www.stl-tsl.org/en/the-cases/stl-11-01/accused/618-hussein-hassan-oneissi.
• Hussein Hassan Unaisi“Hezbollah leader Nasrallah rejects Hariri indictments,” BBC News, July 3, 2011, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14004096.

Mustafa Badr Al-Din is a U.S.-designated senior military commander for Hezbollah.“Treasury Designates Hizballah Leadership,” U.S. Department of the treasury, September 13, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1709.aspx. He reportedly controls Hezbollah’s external operations, including launching attacks on Israel from the West Bank and Gaza and attacking Sunni forces in Iraq. According to Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman, Al-Din was the target of a January 2015 Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah members in Syria in which an Iranian general and six Hezbollah members were killed.Ronen Bergman, “The Hezbollah Connection,” New York Times, February 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/the-hezbollah-connection.html?_r=0. He is believed to operate out of Syria.

Al-Din is wanted by the U.N. and Lebanese authorities for his reported role in the February 14, 2005 murder of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.Special Tribunal for Lebanon, “Hussein Hassan Oneissi,” April 25, 2012, http://www.stl-tsl.org/en/the-cases/stl-11-01/accused/618-hussein-hassan-oneissi. The bomb attack on Hariri’s motorcade claimed the lives of an additional 21 and injured more than 220.Owen Bowcott, “Trial of Lebanese broadcaster charged with contempt of court opens in Hague,” Guardian, April 16, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/13/hezbollah-suspect-at-large-journalists-in-dock-at-hague-un-tribunal. Al-Din is being tried in absentia at the U.N.’s special tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague alongside fellow Hezbollah agents Salim Ayyah, Hussein Onesisi, and Assad Sabra. Lebanese authorities have reportedly been unable to locate Al-Din since 2009.Owen Bowcott, “Trial of Lebanese broadcaster charged with contempt of court opens in Hague,” Guardian, April 16, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/13/hezbollah-suspect-at-large-journalists-in-dock-at-hague-un-tribunal.

Also Known As

• Mustafa Youssef Badreddine
• Mustafa Amine Badreddine
• Mustafa Badredine
• Elias Fouad Saab
• Ilyas Sa’b
• Sami Issa
• Dhu Al-Fiqar“Treasury Designates Hizballah Leadership,” U.S. Department of the treasury, September 13, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1709.aspx; Martin Chulov, “Rafik Hariri assassination: trial of Hezbollah suspects begins,” Guardian, January 16, 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/16/rafik-hariri-assassination-trial-hezbollah-suspects.

Ali Ibrahim al-Watfa is a senior member of Hezbollah and the group’s permanent liaison to Sierra Leone.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx. The U.S. accuses him of aiding a Hezbollah fundraising cell in Freetown, Sierra Leone.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx. Al-Watfa reportedly coordinates fundraising through Hezbollah’s Foreign Relations Department.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx. The U.S. called al-Watfa and three other Lebanese nationals in West Africa “ambassadors” for Hezbollah responsible for raising millions of dollars for the group.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx. Al-Watfa denied the charges, calling them “a big surprise” and suggesting he had been set up.David Lewis, “Insight: U.S. and allies target Hezbollah financing, ties in Africa,” Reuters, September 20, 2013, http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/20/us-syria-crisis-hezbollah-africa-insight-idUSBRE98J04L20130920.

West Africa has become an important region for Hezbollah in recent years as financial sanctions on Iran have diminished the country’s financial support of Hezbollah.David Lewis, “Insight: U.S. and allies target Hezbollah financing, ties in Africa,” Reuters, September 20, 2013, http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/20/us-syria-crisis-hezbollah-africa-insight-idUSBRE98J04L20130920. Hezbollah has been involved in Sierra Leone’s illicit diamond trade for years, according to Hezbollah expert Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Matthew Levitt, “Hezbollah Finances: Funding the Party of God,” Washington Institute for Near East Peace, February 2005, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/hezbollah-finances-funding-the-party-of-god.

Also Known As

• Ali Ibrahim Al-Wafa
• Alie Ibrahim Al-Wafa
• Alie Ibrahim Al-Watfa
• Al Hajj Alie Ibrahim“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Operatives in West Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 11, 2013, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl1980.aspx.

Kassim Tajideen is a U.S.-designated financier for Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 27, 2009 http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx. According to the U.S. Treasury, Tajideen operates multiple alleged Hezbollah front companies across Africa and the Caribbean alongside his brothers Hussain and Ali Tajideen.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 27, 2009 http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx; Dino Mahtani, “Exclusive: Congo under Scrutiny over Hezbollah Business Links,” Reuters, March 16, 2012, http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/16/us-congo-democratic-hezbollah-idUSBRE82F0TT20120316. The U.S. designated Kassim Tajideen as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in May 2009.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 27, 2009, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx. It is unclear where he currently resides.David Lewis, “Insight: U.S. and allies target Hezbollah financing, ties in Africa,” Reuters, September 20, 2013, http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/20/us-syria-crisis-hezbollah-africa-insight-idUSBRE98J04L20130920.

The Tajideen’s African business network extends across multiple industries including real estate, food processing, and the diamond industry.Pascal Fletcher and Mark John, “An African supermarket with a sinister side,” Reuters, July 13, 2012, http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/16/us-congo-democratic-hezbollah-idUSBRE82F0TT20120316. With the funds procured from one of their businesses, “Tajco Company LLC,” the Tajideen brothers have reportedly purchased and developed properties in Lebanon for use by Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hezbollah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx.

In 2003, Belgium police arrested Tajideen and his wife in a raid on Soafrimex, one of Kassim’s Hezbollah businesses in Antwerp. Belgium authorities accused Kassim and his wife of transferring “tens of millions of Euros” to Hezbollah through his brother Ali, then a Hezbollah commander.Matthew, Levitt, Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God, 258, (Georgetown University Press: Washington D.C.), September 2013, accessed March 30, 2015, https://books.google.com/books?id=6WarAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA257&dq=kassim+tajideen+arrested+2003&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PLcZVcGxLsXIsQTK34CACA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kassim%20tajideen%20arrested%202003&f=false. Kassim was released on €125,000 bail.Chaim Even-Zohar, “Hezbollah Diamond Smugglers Put on U.S. Terrorists List,” Idex Online, May 28, 2009, http://www.idexonline.com/FullArticle?id=32413.

Companies owned or operated by the Tajideen brothers include Tajco, Kairaba Supermarket, Congo Futur, Ovlas Trading, Golfrate Holdings, and Grupo Arosfran.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Financial Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 9, 2010, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg997.aspx. His brother Hussain was expelled from Gambia in early June 2015 for his alleged ties to Hezbollah.“Gambia expels Lebanese businessman accused of Hezbollah ties,” Reuters Africa, June 2, 2015, http://af.reuters.com/article/drcNews/idAFL5N0YO49P20150602.

Also Known As

• Kasim Taji Al-Din
• Kasim Tajmudin
• Kassim Mohammad Tajiddine
• Qasim Taji Al-Din“Treasury Targets Hizballah Network in Africa”, Department of Treasury, May 27, 2009, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg149.aspx.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," goes an ancient proverb. New common enemies in today’s Middle East might not turn old foes into friends, but they may at least create a détente, allowing adversaries to join together against larger threats.

One example: The United States and Iran have not been working together in Iraq per se, but they have both been fighting ISIS. (I previously explored the U.S.-Iran vs. ISIS dynamic here and here.) Also noteworthy: Israel and Saudi Arabia have been holding quiet meetings and making small overtures to one another while rumors of a rapprochement have recently surfaced—all because of the common threat they face from Iran.

ISIS’s tentacles are spreading from Syria and Iraq into Gaza and Egypt. For that reason, ISIS may succeed in bringing closer two other seemingly intractable enemies: Israel and Hamas.

ISIS and Israel are natural enemies though they are not presently engaged in conflict. ISIS and Hamas have a more complex relationship. Hamas’s prime benefactor, Iran, is fighting ISIS in Iraq while Iranian proxy Hezbollah is fighting against ISIS in Syria. Iran also reportedly pledged tens of millions of dollars to Hamas earlier this year for the terror group to rebuild its network of underground tunnels. Given the seesaw relationship between Iran and Hamas in recent years, it is entirely plausible that Iran’s renewed largess toward Hamas stems from a pragmatic desire to counter ISIS’s growing influence in that region.  

The Sinai-based terror group formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to ISIS in November 2014 and subsequently renamed itself Wilayat al-Sina, “Province of Sinai.” On June 30, ISIS issued a video statement threatening to “uproot the state of the Jews,” Israel, and “the secularists” of Fatah. But the video statement also included the “tyrants of Hamas” in its warning that all three would be “over-run by [ISIS’s] creeping multitudes.”

That same day, the New York Times reported that another ISIS-related group in Gaza had claimed responsibility for a dozen bombings since January in the coastal strip—four in May alone—targeting Hamas. “We will stay like a thorn in the throat of Hamas, and a thorn in the throat of Israel,” said Abu al-Ayna al-Ansari, spokesman for a new Salafist group, Supporters of the Islamic State. This group also has claimed responsibility for recent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.

To maintain its present fragile truce with Israel, Hamas has cracked down on the wannabe-ISIS group. In May, Supporters of the Islamic State renewed its oath to ISIS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and called for him “to strengthen his influence and to launch a campaign in Palestine.” A series of bombings targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad on July 19. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, but an ISIS flag and the words “Shariah will win” were found scrawled near one of the bombed sites.

Hamas’s raison d’etre is to replace Israel with an Islamist state of Palestine. Hamas’s ascendance in Palestinian politics and subsequent takeover of Gaza gave it political power in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas has been loath to relinquish that power, as evidenced by the failure of last year’s reconciliation agreement with the Palestinian Authority. However, Hamas and Israel have reportedly been quietly discussing plans for a long-term ceasefire. Hamas’s pragmatism may be smoothing the rough edges of its ideology, but it’s too soon to tell. A ceasefire with Israel theoretically allows Hamas to maintain a position of power in exchange for enforcing quiet along Israel’s southern border. Israel also would likely rather have Hamas in control of Gaza than see the coastal strip fall to one or more ISIS-allied extremist groups.

Yet, Hamas is reportedly also cultivating ties with ISIS’s affiliate Wilayat al-Sina in the Sinai. In this case, they share a common enemy in Egypt. Since the fall of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood government in 2013, Egypt has cracked down on Hamas and Sinai-ISIS. In response, Hamas has reportedly provided drones, military training and medical care to ISIS’s Sinai fighters. 

Hamas and Israel remain formal enemies. On the other hand, Egypt and Hamas are allies-turned-enemies, and for that reason, Hamas is cooperating with ISIS’s Wilayat al-Sina against Egypt.

But, ISIS’s animosity toward Hamas and its growing influence in Gaza and the Sinai may be turning Hamas and Israel into the best of frenemies.

Mohamed Abrini is one of Europe’s most wanted fugitivesUmberto Bacchi, “Europe’s most wanted: Mafia boss and Islamist attacker in EU’s top fugitives list,” International Business Times, January 29, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/europes-most-wanted-mafia-boss-islamist-attacker-eus-top-fugitives-list-1540868. and a named suspect in the November 2015 ISIS attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people and wounded 350 more. A European arrest warrant has described Abrini as “armed and dangerous.”Umberto Bacchi, “Manhunt for last Isis Paris attacks fugitives: Who are Najim Laachraoui and Mohamed Abrini?” International Business Times, March 21, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/manhunt-last-isis-paris-attacks-fugitives-who-are-najim-laachraoui-mohamed-abrini-1550800.

On November 11, 2015, Abrini was filmed in a gas station with “childhood friend” and Paris attacks suspect, Salah Abdeslam.Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html. Abrini drove with Abdeslam in a Renault Clio that was ultimately used during the Paris attacks. Two days later, Abdeslam participated in the deadly ISIS attacks. According to the Belgian prosecutor’s office, Abdeslam had intended to detonate a suicide bomb near France’s national sports stadium north of Paris but ultimately backed out.Alastair MacDonald and John Irish, “'I was a suicide bomber': Paris suspect charged in Belgium,” Reuters, March 20, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-shooting-abdeslam-idUSKCN0WK1KB. Abdeslam was captured by Belgian police in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek on March 18, 2016.“Salah Abdeslam arrêté à Molenbeek, les opérations toujours en cours (direct vidéo),” Le Soir (Brussels), March 18, 2016, http://www.lesoir.be/1155105/article/actualite/belgique/2016-03-18/salah-abdeslam-arrete-molenbeek-operations-toujours-en-cours-direct-video.

Abrini grew up in now infamous Molenbeek, home to Salah Abdeslam, Abdeslam’s brother and fellow Paris attacker Ibrahim, as well as Paris attack "mastermind"Abdelhamid Abaaoud. Molenbeek is considered a hotbed of extremism, a major producer of foreign fighters to Syria, and a destination for obtaining illegal weaponry. The neighborhood is associated with an impressive roster of violent extremists, including suspected August 2015 train assailant Ayoub El Khazzani and May 2014 Brussels Jewish Museum shooter Mehdi Nemmouche.Liam Stack, “How Belgium Became Home to Recent Terror Plots,” New York Times, November 15, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/15/world/europe/belgium-terrorism-suspects.html; Tim Hume, “Brussels raids: Police hit Molenbeek, area at heart of Belgium's jihadist threat,” CNN, November 16, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/15/europe/paris-attacks-belgium-molenbeek/.

Abrini is a former drug dealer and reportedly was imprisoned on charges of petty crimes and robberies.Umberto Bacchi, “Manhunt for last Isis Paris attacks fugitives: Who are Najim Laachraoui and Mohamed Abrini?” International Business Times, March 21, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/manhunt-last-isis-paris-attacks-fugitives-who-are-najim-laachraoui-mohamed-abrini-1550800; Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html. He is believed to have traveled to Syria at some point in 2015.Tom Whitehead, Henry Samuel and Peter Foster, “Brussels attacks: who are the likely terror suspects behind the attack?” Telegraph (London), March 24, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12200965/Brussels-explosions-who-are-the-likely-terror-suspects-behind-the-attack.html.

Hassan Nasrallah is the secretary-general of the Shiite terrorist group Hezbollah, and an important figure in Lebanese politics.Guy Raz, “Hassan Nasrallah: Mideast Man of the Minute,” National Public Radio, July 18, 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5566717. Although Nasrallah does not hold official office in Lebanon, terrorism expert Walid Phares asserted, “[Nasrallah is] seen as a messianic figure, much higher than any official in Lebanon.”Eben Kaplan, “Profile: Hassan Nasrallah,” Council on Foreign Relations, August 11, 2010, http://www.cfr.org/lebanon/profile-hassan-nasrallah/p11132. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Nasrallah has shaped Hezbollah into the dominant political power in Lebanon and is the “driving force” behind the group’s military operations.​Eben Kaplan, “Profile: Hassan Nasrallah,” Council on Foreign Relations, August 11, 2010, http://www.cfr.org/lebanon/profile-hassan-nasrallah/p11132.

Nasrallah assumed leadership of Hezbollah in 1992 after Israel assassinated his predecessor, co-founder of the group Abbas Musawi.Guy Raz, “Hassan Nasrallah: Mideast Man of the Minute,” National Public Radio, July 18, 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5566717. Under Nasrallah’s leadership, Hezbollah has assumed many state functions in Lebanon’s Shiite-majority south by providing a social welfare network, schools, housing, and other services. These activities have boosted Hezbollah’s and Nasrallah’s popularity.Guy Raz, “Hassan Nasrallah: Mideast Man of the Minute,” National Public Radio, July 18, 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5566717.

Many in the Middle East view Nasrallah as a heroic figure for appearing to successfully stand up to Israel.Ronen Bergman, “The Fall of Hezbollah’s Leader,” Bloomberg Business, June 24, 2013, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-06-24/the-fall-of-hezbollah-s-leader. Hezbollah claimed credit for forcing Israel to end its 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.Marjorie Miller, John Daniszewski, and Tracy Wilkinson, “Israel leaves South Lebanon after 22 years,” Los Angeles Times, May 24, 2000, http://articles.latimes.com/2000/may/24/news/mn-33497. According to National Public Radio’s Guy Raz, “Nasrallah is seen as a hero [throughout the Arab world] — a leader capable of inflicting pain on Israel.”Guy Raz, “Hassan Nasrallah: Mideast Man of the Minute,” National Public Radio, July 18, 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5566717. However, Nasrallah’s popularity in Lebanon has suffered since 2012 as a result of Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian civil war.“Hezbollah Promises Syria ‘Victory,’” BBC News, May 25, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22669230.

Iran and Hezbollah have maintained strong ties under Nasrallah’s leadership, with Iran providing Hezbollah with financial and military support.Anoushiravan Ehteshami, “The Foreign Policy of Iran,” in The Foreign Policies of Middle East States (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002), 298; Jonathan Masters and Zachary Laub, “Hezbollah (a.k.a. Hizbollah, Hizbu’llah),” Council on Foreign Relations, January 3, 2014, http://www.cfr.org/lebanon/hezbollah-k-hizbollah-hizbullah/p9155. In September 2012, Nasrallah pledged to attack Israel if it or the U.S. attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities.Rana Muhammad Taha, “Nasrallah Threatens US on Behalf of Iran,” Daily News Egypt, September 4, 2012, http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2012/09/04/hezbollah-if-attacked-iran-could-attack-us-bases/.

Also Known As

• Hasan Abd-al-Karim“Treasury Targets Hizballah for Supporting the Assad Regime,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, August 10, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1676.aspx.

“Israel knows Hezbollah has missiles and rockets that can strike anywhere in its territory. The inhabitants of Haifa are afraid of an attack... that will lead to the death of tens of thousands of inhabitants out of a population of some 800,000. What does this mean? It means that a few missiles on this ammonia site could have the result of a nuclear bomb.”Vasudevan Sridharan, “Hezbollah's Nasrallah threatens nuclear-like attack on Israeli ammonia storage facility,” International Business Times, February 17, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/hezbollahs-nasrallah-threatens-nuclear-like-attack-israeli-ammonia-storage-facility-1544324.

“There will be no ceiling, limits or red lines. We can strike any target we want inside occupied Palestine.”“Hezbollah chief warns Israel there will be ‘no red lines,’” Associated Press, March 21, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/72978c5085ef44eeb757f7a1d2c9a5a7/hezbollah-chief-warns-israel-there-will-be-no-red-lines.

Lebanese-Colombian national Ali Mohamad Saleh is a U.S.-designated terrorist and Hezbollah financier. According to the U.S. government, Saleh has directed and coordinated Hezbollah activity in Colombia, where he launders money in order to finance the terror group. He has reportedly led a Hezbollah “support cell” in Maicao, Colombia, which solicits donations for Hezbollah and coordinates the transfer of funds to Lebanon via Venezuela. Saleh maintains communication with suspected Hezbollah operatives in Venezuela, Germany, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.“Treasury Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to Drug Trafficker Ayman Joumaa and a Key Hizballah Supporter in South America,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 27, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1624.aspx;
Jamie Crawford, “U.S. targets terrorist fundraisers in South America,” CNN, June 27, 2012, http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/27/u-s-targets-terrorist-fundraisers-in-south-america/;
Samuel Rubenfeld, “Treasury Targets Drug-Money Laundering Network, Hezbollah Fundraiser,” Wall Street Journal, June 27, 2012, http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2012/06/27/treasury-targets-drug-money-laundering-network-hezbollah-fundraiser/.

The U.S. Treasury designated Saleh as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on June 27, 2012, for providing financial support to Hezbollah. The U.S. previously sanctioned Saleh on December 29, 2011, under the Kingpin Act, a federal law that targets the financial networks of narcotics traffickers. The designation came as a result of Saleh’s reported role as a money launderer for the “Cheaitelly/El Khansaan” criminal organization, associated with a Hezbollah-linked drug network.“Treasury Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to Drug Trafficker Ayman Joumaa and a Key Hizballah Supporter in South America,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 27, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1624.aspx;
Jamie Crawford, “U.S. targets terrorist fundraisers in South America,” CNN, June 27, 2012, http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/27/u-s-targets-terrorist-fundraisers-in-south-america/;
Samuel Rubenfeld, “Treasury Targets Drug-Money Laundering Network, Hezbollah Fundraiser,” Wall Street Journal, June 27, 2012, http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2012/06/27/treasury-targets-drug-money-laundering-network-hezbollah-fundraiser/.

• Ali Abd-Al-Amir Muhammad Salih
• Ali Mohamed Saleh
• Ali Mohammad Salah
• Ali Mohammad Saleh
• Ali Muhammad Abd-Al-Amir Salih
• Ali Muhammad Salih“Treasury Targets Major Money Laundering Network Linked to Drug Trafficker Ayman Joumaa and a Key Hizballah Supporter in South America,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 27, 2012, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1624.aspx.

Fadi Hassan Nabha is a former Hezbollah member who was arrested in Brazil on drug-related charges on July 29, 2016. Though Nabha was not arrested on terrorism-related charges, his arrest was reportedly part of a crackdown on Brazilian suspects with links to terrorism in anticipation of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.“Brazil Nabs Former Hezbollah Member Wanted for Drug Trafficking,” Reuters, July 29, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-security-idUSKCN1091V5.

Nabha had been on the Interpol wanted list for drug trafficking since 2013. Upon his July 2016 arrest in the Sao Paulo suburb of Caieiras, Nabha told Brazilian police that he had served in Hezbollah’s Special Forces unit for two years, and that he had acquired weapons and explosives training.“Brazil Nabs Former Hezbollah Member Wanted for Drug Trafficking,” Reuters, July 29, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-security-idUSKCN1091V5.

Adam al-Herz is an American citizen and convicted arms smuggler suspected of providing weapons to Hezbollah.Trish Mehaffey, “Family members sentenced in gun smuggling,” The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), October 14, 2016, http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/cedar-rapids-man-sentenced-for-helping-smuggle-guns-to-lebanon-20161014. In March 2016, Herz pled guilty to firearms conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and violation of the Arms Export Control Act.“Three Plead Guilty In Connection With Scheme To Unlawfully Ship Firearms to Lebanon,” U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Iowa, March 11, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia/pr/three-plead-guilty-connection-scheme-unlawfully-ship-firearms-lebanon. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in July 2016 for attempting to illegally ship firearms and ammunition to Beirut, Lebanon.“Four Persons Charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Ship Arms to Lebanon,” U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Iowa, May 12, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/omaha/news/press-releases/four-persons-charged-with-conspiracy-to-unlawfully-ship-firearms-to-lebanon.

In May 2015, Herz was arrested alongside two family members, his father Ali Afif al-Herz, and his aunt, Sarah Majid Zeaiter. In court testimony, U.S. Assistant Attorney Richard Murphy accused Ali Afif al-Herz of being a Hezbollah sympathizer.Grant Rodgers, “Gun smuggling suspect had ties to Hezbollah, agent says,” Des Moines Register, May 16, 2015, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2015/05/15/suspected-gun-smugglers-lebanon/27370071/. Herz’s uncle, Bassem Afif Herz, was also later arrested. All four pled guilty to firearms offences. All are U.S. citizens apart from Zeaiter, who is a U.S. permanent resident.Grant Rodgers, “Cedar Rapids family accused of smuggling guns to Lebanon,” Des Moines Register, May 13, 2015, http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2015/05/12/cedar-rapids-family-linked-lebanese-gun-shipments/27180565/.

The four individuals legally acquired approximately 252 firearms from gun stores and gun shows in eastern Ohio over a span of 17 months.Trish Mehaffey, “Family members sentenced in gun smuggling,” The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), October 14, 2016, http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/cedar-rapids-man-sentenced-for-helping-smuggle-guns-to-lebanon-20161014. Between about August 2014 to May 2015, the family sent at least three shipping containers—containing firearms concealed inside Bobcat-labeled containers—from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with the intended destination of Beirut, Lebanon. After apparently successfully sending the first container to Beirut, the second and third containers were intercepted by U.S. authorities.Trish Mehaffey, “Family members sentenced in gun smuggling,” The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), October 14, 2016, http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/cedar-rapids-man-sentenced-for-helping-smuggle-guns-to-lebanon-20161014.

Herz’s aunt, Sarah Zeaiter, received seven years for her part in the smuggling scheme. Bassem Afif Herz and Ali Afif al-Herz await sentencing.Trish Mehaffey, “Family members sentenced in gun smuggling,” The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), October 14, 2016, http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/cedar-rapids-man-sentenced-for-helping-smuggle-guns-to-lebanon-20161014.

• Adam Ben Ali Al Herz“Four Persons Charged with Conspiracy to Unlawfully Ship Arms to Lebanon,” U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Iowa, May 12, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/omaha/news/press-releases/four-persons-charged-with-conspiracy-to-unlawfully-ship-firearms-to-lebanon.

Iranian-born Mustafa Mughniyeh is a U.S.-designated Hezbollah commander based in Lebanon. He previously oversaw Hezbollah’s operations in the Golan Heights, where he helped organize the group’s “infrastructure,” according to the U.S. Department of State.“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm. Mughniyeh was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 on January 9, 2016, alongside fellow Hezbollah operative Ali Damush.“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

Mughniyeh has extensive family ties to Hezbollah. He is the nephew of Mustafa Badreddine, the late Hezbollah military commander who oversaw the group’s external operations—including the launching of attacks on Israel from the West Bank and Gaza, and attacking Sunni forces in Iraq. Badreddine is believed to have been targeted and killed in a January 2015 Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah members in Syria.U.S. Department of State, “State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm;
Ronen Bergman, “The Hezbollah Connection,” New York Times, February 10, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/the-hezbollah-connection.html?_r=0.

Mughnieyh is the son of late Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh who, according to the Associated Press, was killed in a 2008 car bombing in Damascus attributed to Israel. Mustafa Mughnieyh’s brother was believed to be Jihad Mughniyeh, who was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Quneitra, Syria, in 2015. At the time, Jihad Mughniyeh was reportedly Hezbollah’s commander in the Syrian Golan Heights.U.S. Department of State, “State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm;
Associated Press, “US adds 2 members of Hezbollah to terrorism list,” Ynet News, January 10, 2017, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4905498,00.html.

United States

The U.S. State Department designated “Mustafa Mughniyeh” as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13324 on January 9, 2017.“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

• Mustafa MughniyahU.S. Department of State, “State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

Ali Damush is a U.S.-designated Hezbollah operative and a senior aid to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Damush also leads Hezbollah’s Foreign Relations Department, which partakes in terrorist operations internationally, including the recruitment of terrorist operatives and the gathering of intelligence. The U.S. State Department designated Damush as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 on January 9, 2016, alongside fellow Hezbollah operative Mustafa Mughniyeh.“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

United States

The U.S. State Department designated “Ali Damush” as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13324 on January 9, 2017.“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

• Ali Daghmoush
• Ali Dagmoush
• Ali Daamoush
• Ali Dagmush
• Shiekh Ali Musa Da’amoush“State Department Terrorist Designations of Ali Damush and Mustafa Mughniyeh,” U.S. Department of State, January 9, 2017, https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/01/266729.htm.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," goes an ancient proverb. New common enemies in today’s Middle East might not turn old foes into friends, but they may at least create a détente, allowing adversaries to join together against larger threats.

One example: The United States and Iran have not been working together in Iraq per se, but they have both been fighting ISIS. (I previously explored the U.S.-Iran vs. ISIS dynamic here and here.) Also noteworthy: Israel and Saudi Arabia have been holding quiet meetings and making small overtures to one another while rumors of a rapprochement have recently surfaced—all because of the common threat they face from Iran.

ISIS’s tentacles are spreading from Syria and Iraq into Gaza and Egypt. For that reason, ISIS may succeed in bringing closer two other seemingly intractable enemies: Israel and Hamas.

ISIS and Israel are natural enemies though they are not presently engaged in conflict. ISIS and Hamas have a more complex relationship. Hamas’s prime benefactor, Iran, is fighting ISIS in Iraq while Iranian proxy Hezbollah is fighting against ISIS in Syria. Iran also reportedly pledged tens of millions of dollars to Hamas earlier this year for the terror group to rebuild its network of underground tunnels. Given the seesaw relationship between Iran and Hamas in recent years, it is entirely plausible that Iran’s renewed largess toward Hamas stems from a pragmatic desire to counter ISIS’s growing influence in that region.  

The Sinai-based terror group formerly known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to ISIS in November 2014 and subsequently renamed itself Wilayat al-Sina, “Province of Sinai.” On June 30, ISIS issued a video statement threatening to “uproot the state of the Jews,” Israel, and “the secularists” of Fatah. But the video statement also included the “tyrants of Hamas” in its warning that all three would be “over-run by [ISIS’s] creeping multitudes.”

That same day, the New York Times reported that another ISIS-related group in Gaza had claimed responsibility for a dozen bombings since January in the coastal strip—four in May alone—targeting Hamas. “We will stay like a thorn in the throat of Hamas, and a thorn in the throat of Israel,” said Abu al-Ayna al-Ansari, spokesman for a new Salafist group, Supporters of the Islamic State. This group also has claimed responsibility for recent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.

To maintain its present fragile truce with Israel, Hamas has cracked down on the wannabe-ISIS group. In May, Supporters of the Islamic State renewed its oath to ISIS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and called for him “to strengthen his influence and to launch a campaign in Palestine.” A series of bombings targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad on July 19. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, but an ISIS flag and the words “Shariah will win” were found scrawled near one of the bombed sites.

Hamas’s raison d’etre is to replace Israel with an Islamist state of Palestine. Hamas’s ascendance in Palestinian politics and subsequent takeover of Gaza gave it political power in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas has been loath to relinquish that power, as evidenced by the failure of last year’s reconciliation agreement with the Palestinian Authority. However, Hamas and Israel have reportedly been quietly discussing plans for a long-term ceasefire. Hamas’s pragmatism may be smoothing the rough edges of its ideology, but it’s too soon to tell. A ceasefire with Israel theoretically allows Hamas to maintain a position of power in exchange for enforcing quiet along Israel’s southern border. Israel also would likely rather have Hamas in control of Gaza than see the coastal strip fall to one or more ISIS-allied extremist groups.

Yet, Hamas is reportedly also cultivating ties with ISIS’s affiliate Wilayat al-Sina in the Sinai. In this case, they share a common enemy in Egypt. Since the fall of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood government in 2013, Egypt has cracked down on Hamas and Sinai-ISIS. In response, Hamas has reportedly provided drones, military training and medical care to ISIS’s Sinai fighters. 

Hamas and Israel remain formal enemies. On the other hand, Egypt and Hamas are allies-turned-enemies, and for that reason, Hamas is cooperating with ISIS’s Wilayat al-Sina against Egypt.

But, ISIS’s animosity toward Hamas and its growing influence in Gaza and the Sinai may be turning Hamas and Israel into the best of frenemies.

“Israel knows Hezbollah has missiles and rockets that can strike anywhere in its territory. The inhabitants of Haifa are afraid of an attack... that will lead to the death of tens of thousands of inhabitants out of a population of some 800,000. What does this mean? It means that a few missiles on this ammonia site could have the result of a nuclear bomb.”Vasudevan Sridharan, “Hezbollah's Nasrallah threatens nuclear-like attack on Israeli ammonia storage facility,” International Business Times, February 17, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/hezbollahs-nasrallah-threatens-nuclear-like-attack-israeli-ammonia-storage-facility-1544324.

“There will be no ceiling, limits or red lines. We can strike any target we want inside occupied Palestine.”“Hezbollah chief warns Israel there will be ‘no red lines,’” Associated Press, March 21, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/72978c5085ef44eeb757f7a1d2c9a5a7/hezbollah-chief-warns-israel-there-will-be-no-red-lines.