A key Palestinian Islamic insurgency group has been bolstered by support from the Palestinian Authority and Middle
East states, a new report says.
As a result, the Islamic Jihad has become more active and lethal
over the last year. The report by the Washington Institute for Near East
Policy said Jihad has been provided with new funding and operational support
from such countries as Iran and Syria.
The report said that until the end of 2000, the Islamic Jihad failed
often in missions against Israeli targets and the organization was
overshadowed by the much larger Hamas movement. But by August 2001, three
Islamic Jihad members were listed among Israel's seven most-wanted
Palestinian insurgents, Middle East Newsline reported.
"PIJ's [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] sudden sprint to the front of the
terrorist pack was facilitated by enhanced operational and logistical
support from Palestinian terrorist groups and security services, and from
Hizballah, Syria, and Iran," the report, authored by Matthew Levitt, said.
"By striking these alliances, PIJ leaders enhanced their capabilities and
resources exponentially, opening the door to joint attacks with other
groups, increases in weapons and recruits, and advance warning of pending
crackdowns."
In October, Jihad chief Ramadan Shallah said his organization was in
better shape than ever. The report said the group improved its standing in
the battle for the West Bank city of Jenin in April 2002, in which 13
Israeli soldiers were killed in one day.
Today, the report said, Jihad engages in joint operations with Fatah
insurgents. Levitt quoted PA documents that Jihad
"pays the expense of most of the activities that Fatah carries out" and the
PA supplies the group in the Jenin area with weapons.
The institute said Iran has provided Jihad with cash bonuses for
successful attacks against Israeli targets. The report said that in June
Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei met with Shallah and pledged to fund
Jihad directly and increase payments by 70 percent. Until then, the Iranian
allocations to Jihad were part of the budget for Hizbullah.
"PIJ's recent ascension is an ominous warning of the potential price of
any policy that fails to hold state sponsors accountable," the report said.
