Jenin, dubbed the Palestinian “terror capital” by observers, has been in the news for the past few months as Israel continues to carry out counter-terrorism operations in a bid to save Israeli lives and prevent the actions of those who seek to harm the Jewish state.
But while Jenin is constantly being mentioned in the media, how much do we really know about Jenin?
In this series, we will take a look at different Jenin-related topics and hopefully provide a multi-faceted understanding of the city at the center of the current rise in violence and terrorism.
This is ‘Spotlight on Jenin.’
In this piece, we will take a look at some of the terror groups that call Jenin home and the threat that they pose to the wider region.
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Who Are the Top Terror Groups in Jenin?
1. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
PIJ is an Iran-backed terror group that opposes the existence of the Jewish state and seeks to replace it with an Islamic Palestinian state.
In the 40 years of its existence, PIJ has been responsible for a number of shooting and bombing attacks against Israeli civilians, including a 2003 suicide bombing at the Maxim restaurant in Haifa (21 killed), a 2006 suicide bombing of a Tel Aviv restaurant (11 killed), and a 2007 suicide bombing attack targeting a bakery in Eilat (3 killed).
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Political Bureau Member Dr. Walid Al-Qutati: Operating Sleeper Cells and Engaging in Armed Resistance in Israel Is Part of Our Plan #Palestinians #Israel #IslamicJihad pic.twitter.com/A6fZ9WsbXv
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) October 2, 2022
Related Reading: Media’s Eyes Wide Shut: Iran’s ‘Hidden’ Hand Behind Palestinian Violence Atop Temple Mount
2. Hamas
Also known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and seeks to replace it with an Islamic Palestinian state.
In the 35 years of Hamas’ existence, the internationally designated terror group has engaged in numerous deadly attacks against Israeli civilians.
Some of the most notable attacks include the 2001 suicide bombing of the Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem (15 killed), the 2002 suicide bombing of a Passover Seder in a Netanya hotel (30 killed), and the 2002 bombing of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (9 killed).
Hamas on the recent violence: "Our people in the West Bank have launched a new phase in the confrontation (with Israel). The (armed) operations will increase and spread to other places."
— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) September 4, 2022
Related Reading: Associated Press Whitewashes Hamas ‘Workshop’ That Ended With Call for Israel’s Destruction, Enslavement of ‘Educated Jews’
3. Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades
The Brigades was founded at the turn of the millennium as a network of armed factions with close ties to Yasser Arafat’s Fatah party. The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades subscribe to an ideology of secular Palestinian nationalism.
Since its founding in 2000, the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades have been responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians, including a 2002 suicide bombing at a Bar Mitzvah in Jerusalem (9 dead), a 2003 twin suicide bombing at the Tel Aviv central bus station (23 dead) and a 2022 shooting attack in Bnei Brak (5 dead).
In a massive show of force, armed gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades – the military wing of Fatah – held “a military exercise” in the streets of the Palestinian city of Jenin.
Fatah are currently in charge of the Palestinian Authority. https://t.co/G3ri3lLD87 pic.twitter.com/QNVoHuSiFH
— Pal Media Watch (@palwatch) September 2, 2021
Related Video:
4. The Jenin Battalion:
Founded in May 2021, this PIJ-affiliated organization was formed as a way for armed Palestinian groups in Jenin and the surrounding area — including Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades — to increase attacks on Israeli forces operating in the area.
Using advanced communications methods to coordinate attacks, this new group uses gunfire, IEDs, and Molotov cocktails in an effort to halt Israeli counter-terror operations.
⚠️ Advanced IED’s made by Jenin battalion. This video shows a noticable progress in the gunmen’s weaponry.
It started with fire extinguisher, to this in few months.
This PJI made. pic.twitter.com/ZECenH9izC— Younis Tirawi -يونس الطيراوي (@ytirawi) September 30, 2022
Related Reading: Reality Check, Washington Post, AP: Jenin is the Epicenter of Palestinian Terrorism
What Threat Do These Terror Groups Pose?
With their radical hatred for Israel and its citizens, these terror groups are dead set on destroying the only Jewish state and replacing it with a monolithic Palestinian state.
By using violence and terror against civilians to achieve these aims, these groups pose a direct threat to millions of innocent Israelis, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
This use of violence by the Jenin-based terror groups also threatens the welfare of local Palestinians, who are faced with the possibility of economic losses during times of heightened tensions as well as the danger of being caught in the crossfire between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian terror groups during counter-terror operations.
For Part Three: Everything You Need to Know About the Palestinian ‘Terror Capital’ (VIDEO), click here
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