What Is Palestinian Islamic Jihad?

Abstract

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is a radical Sunni Muslim group that portrays Palestine as vital to the Muslim world and contends that anti-Zionism is the key to Islam's success. PIJ believes that carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel will weaken it in preparation for military confrontation by the “great Islamic Arabic army.” It also opposes pro-Western Arab governments. PIJ is headquartered in Damascus, Syria. The group is allied with HAMAS, the Lebanese Hizballah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards stationed in Lebanon. The group conducts fundraising through Islamic charities. It receives logistical assistance from Syria and financial and material resources from Iran.