Palestinian Terrorists Going Political?

By Matthew Levitt

On March 28, Hamas formally announced they would join the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The next day, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) members attended the PLO�s executive committee meeting in a move that could lead to their eventual entering the organization. At the same time, Israeli forces uncovered a PIJ cell manufacturing and testing Qassam rockets in Jenin.

Muhammad al-Hindi, a prominent PIJ leader, stated that the group was not ready to formally join the PLO, but wanted to �discuss mechanisms to rebuild� the organization: �We will see whether we can agree. We will also discuss the PLO�s political program.�

One of those detained in the Qassam rocket plot, Muhammad Mashkah, had recently returned to the Jenin area after being released by Israel as part of the agreement following last month�s peace conference in Egypt. Another detainee, Ahmed Mashkah, was allowed to return to Jenin in recent days for the first time since his eviction from the Gaza Strip in 2003.

Beyond the possibility of joining the PLO, Hamas has also announced its intent to field candidates in the upcoming Palestinian legislative elections. PIJ is still considering whether or not to follow suit.

As Hamas, PIJ, and other terrorist groups consider participating in mainstream Palestinian politics, it is critical that such participation be predicated not only on winning elections but on the larger democratic principle of cessation of violence. If these groups continue to use violence against civilians, peace negotiators will be put in the difficult, weakening position of distinguishing politicians from those in the terrorist wings of their associated organizations. In fact, such wings are all part of a singular whole whose activities -- political, social and terrorist -- are intimately interconnected.

Read more about the conundrum created by terrorist groups participating in mainstream politics.

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