Mosab Hassan Yousef, Whittier College's 2015 Feinberg Lecturer and oldest son of founding Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, captivated his audience in standing-room-only Villalobos Hall as he recounted his fascinating life story documented in his autobiography The Son of Hamas and the documentary The Green Prince.
Since he was a young boy, Mosab Hassan Yousef has had an insider's view of the terrorist group Hamas. The young Yousef assisted his father for years in his political activities while being groomed to later assume his legacy and power.
"Hamas is a violent movement. They can only express their frustration through terrorism and violence," said Yousef.
After being captured and tortured by the Israeli Intelligence Service, he was recruited to be an informant for Israel for nearly a decade, operating at the highest levels of Hamas.
"Working for the intelligence service, I came to realize that our minds are very limited, and that we really need to see things through the heart sometimes,” said Yousef.
Everything changed when Yousef turned away from his family, his beliefs, everything he knew as true, and embraced the teachings of another famous Middle East leader. Yousef revealed information about the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and unveiled the truth about his own role, his agonizing separation from family and homeland, the dangerous decision to make his newfound faith public, and his belief that the Christian mandate to “love your enemies” is the only way to peace in the Middle East.
Yousef moved to the United States and became an outcast when the first draft of his book The Son of Hamas was circulated. No government would offer him political asylum, the Israeli government wouldn't recognize his work, and no church would welcome him. He would eventually get asylum from the American government, got recognition for his work from Israel and now resides in the U.S.
"Get out of your comfort zone. Write your own script and live free," said Yousef to end his lecture.
Did you miss the 2015 Feinberg Lecture? Watch it here.
