Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a devout imam, was one of the seven founders of Hamas. He was, apparently, spiritual inspiration and not operations or strategy; and remained so.

One of his sons became the Green Prince who spied for Shin Bet; and eventually became a Christian. This is his story.

That story is of a son devoted to his father and what his father stands for, who comes to realize through gruesome experiences in a prison camp that his father’s organization, and through slow experience with Christians that his father’s religion, are neither fit representations of his father’s character.

To join the fight he promises himself that he will deceive the Israelis, and become a double agent. When he sees how Hamas treats other Palestinians in the prison camp, he starts to realize that he wants the cleaner side.

He tells what events look like beyond the headlines, and of some lively adventures and close calls. Alas, the style is not compelling—I blame Ron Brackin. And I wonder how accurate it is--if people’s lives were at risk I’d leave out details and replace them with plausible fictions.

The big story should have been how he changed, but it stutters and parts seem abbreviated. He is never very comfortable with being a part of killing and becomes more and more averse as time goes on. And the stress builds over years (as other spies testify as well), but it is only mentioned and not described. And something about the story of Jesus keeps at him.

After hearing Zakaria Botros he realized that Islam is mere rags, and that he needed to be baptized. But how?

And when he wants no part of war any longer, how can he get free?

The book had its unsatisfactory parts, but you won’t find this perspective, or this inside story, anywhere else. Read it.