Hassan Yousef (born 1955) is a Palestinian militant and co-founder of Hamas who currently serves as organization's leader in the West Bank.
He is considered a member of Hamas' extremist faction and refrains from any talk of rapprochement between Israelis and Palestinians.
In response, members of Hamas described him as a traitor and a collaborator, while other Hamas-affiliated networks accused him of working with the Mossad.
He was initially unwilling to accept the nomination, but eventually agreed, when he found out that his eldest son had received death threats.
[6] On October 19, 2015, during the ongoing Palestinian unrest, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) raided Yousef's home in Beitunia in the West Bank and arrested him, accusing him of inciting violence.