Ismail Haniya

Ismail Haniya

Ismail Haniya (Ismail 'Abd al-Salah Ahmad Haniya) leading figure in Hamas. Born 1962, Shati camp, to a family from Ashqulon. Studied Arabic literature at Islamic Univirsity of Gaza, graduating in 1987. Was imprisoned by Israel for most of period 1988-1992, before being deported to Marj al-Zuhhur in South Lebanon. Allowed to return in Dec. 1993, serving as dean of Islamic Univirsity of Gaza. Later, appointed assistant to Ahmad Yassin on his release from prison in 1997. Believed to have been appointed to the three-person collective leadership of Hamas in Palestine in Apr. 2004, led the campaign in the Jan. 2006 elections