To divide
He is in favor of the offensive and even says he feels sorry for the Israeli troops for having exposed themselves to this danger. What is behind Mosab Hassan Yousef, who could have become leader of Hamas?
They called him the “Green Prince”: green is the color of Hamas. He was a prince because his father, Sheikh Hassan Youssef, was a co-founder of Hamas. And he, Mosab Hassan Yousef, was to take over his father’s inheritance. He was on the right path to do so.
Everything ended completely differently. Today, the 45-year-old, who lives in a secret location in the USA, is one of Hamas’s most outspoken critics. Even though it could cost him his life, he once again appears before the television cameras and calls on the world to support Israel in the fight against Hamas. Recently in an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN on Monday.
Were you surprised by the barbaric violence that terrorists unleashed on Israel on October 7th? “Their brutality didn’t surprise me,” says Yousef – just the scale of the attack. Yousef says he has known violence and torture since he was a child. He saw how Hamas acted brutally against Palestinians they suspected of collaborating with Israel. “They murdered many people, including people I knew. They stuck needles in people’s nails, I saw it myself,” says Yousef.
As a teenager, Yousef was repeatedly imprisoned in Israeli prisons. The first time was when he was ten years old, because he attacked Jewish settlers with stones. He was later accused of terrorism. During one of his arrests, he accepted an offer to serve as a source for the Israeli domestic intelligence service. From then on, he worked as a Shin Bet spy for ten years. During this time, he is said to have thwarted several attacks during the Second Intifada. He also helped extradite prominent Hamas figures – including his own father, whose life he may have saved because he was on the Mossad hit list. In 2007, when the risk of exposure became too great, he fled to the USA, where he has lived ever since and published an autobiographical book, which was later made into a film like “The Green Prince”. In 2010, Hassan Yousef stated in a public letter sent from prison that his firstborn, Mosab, was no longer part of the family.
“Hamas doesn’t care about the Palestinians,” says Yousef, who has been called Joseph since converting to Christianity. “They only care about themselves.” The terrorist group is not only concerned with destroying Israel and murdering all Israelis and their supporters among the Palestinians. Instead, Hamas pursues a global agenda. “They want to build an Islamic state on the rubble of civilization.”
If the Israeli military succeeds in “liberating the Palestinians and Gaza from Hamas,” then this would also constitute a service to the international community. Israel deserves “all the support it needs”. The “blood for money” system initiated by Hamas must finally be abolished: “From time to time, when they need money, they start a war and shed the blood of children. This must come to an end.”
A ground offensive is the only way to advance the war in Israel, says Yousef, but the price will be high. “I feel sorry for the Israeli soldiers for having to enter Gaza, where they face traps at every step. I don’t know how many Israelis will have to die to eliminate Hamas.” But it’s the only way. “An unfinished operation will lead to an even greater disaster in the future.”
Yousef advises the Israeli military not to rush into anything. “Take your time, gather as much intelligence as possible.” Hamas’ tunnel network in Gaza is extremely well developed. Even the most modern army in the world is not equipped for this. “Most importantly, we have to get the civilians out of there.”