INDEPTH: MIDDLE EAST
Ishmail Haniyeh: Pragmatic activist?
CBC News Online | February 23, 2006
 (CP Photo)
Haniyeh studied in United Nations refugee schools in the Gaza Strip and graduated from the Islamic University in 1987 with a degree in Arabic language. He was active in student politics and became close with Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin.
In 1992, Haniyeh was among 400 Hamas activists that Israel expelled and sent to southern Lebanon. A year later, he was back in Gaza. He became dean of the Islamic University. By 1998, he was running Yassin's office.
He's said to be a pragmatist and an able negotiator who has enjoyed close ties with other Palestinian groups, including the Fatah movement. He has served as a liaison between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority and has been widely quoted in the media.
He is said to prefer compromise to conflict – when it comes to rival Palestinian groups. When it comes to Israel, he has not shown a desire to shift the official Hamas ideology of refusing to accept Israel's right to exist.
After Hamas swept the January election, Haniyeh dismissed Western calls for Hamas to disarm, saying there's no contradiction in holding political power and hanging on to the organizations weapons.
Days after the election, Haniyeh pleaded for the international community not to cut off aid money to the Palestinian Authority. "We in Hamas are ready to meet and have an open dialogue," he said.
On Feb. 21, 2006, Hamas named Haniyeh as its choice for prime minister. Haniyeh has said he wants to bring Fatah into his government.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Haniyeh's government must accept agreements with Israel that previous Palestinian governments have negotiated. Haniyeh has been noncommittal. However, Hamas has said it would consider extending its year-long truce with Israel if Israel withdraws from the West Bank, like it pulled out of Gaza in September 2005.
Haniyeh has said the integration of Hamas into the Palestinian security establishment would serve the national Palestinian interests.
Haniyeh survived an Israeli assassination attempt in June 2003. He was also slightly wounded in the attack that killed Yassin.
He and his wife have 11 children.
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