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Palestinian militant groups are militant palestinian groups who oppose Israel. They generally have nationalistic left-wing or islamic ideologies. Their status as legal armed combatants is disputed and they are called terrorists by some.
- Hamas
- Palestinian Liberation Organization (June 1964-Present)
- Formed as an umbrella group of eight Palestinian nationalist organizations devoted to terrorism, headquartered in Damascus, Syria and Beirut, Lebanon.
- Used the name Black September during the 1972 Munich Olympic Massacre)
- Groups within the PLO
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (1967-present)
- Left-wing Palestinian separatists
- Joined the PLO in 1968 and became the second-largest PLO faction, after Arafat's al-Fatah, but withdrew in 1974, accusing the group of moving away from the goal of destroying Israel outright.
- PFLP's splinter groups:
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) (1968-present) *
- Splinter group from the PFLP, founded by Ahmed Jibril. Declared its focus would be military, not political. Was a member of the PLO, but left in 1974 for the same reasons as PFLP.
- Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) (1969-present)
- Marxist-Leninist group that believes Palestinian national goals can be achieved only through revolution of the masses. Split into two factions in 1991; Nayif Hawatmah leads the majority and more hard-line faction, which continue to dominate the group. Joined with other rejectionist groups to form the Alliance of Palestinian Forces (APF) to oppose the Declaration of Principals signed in 1993. Broke from the APF - along with the PFLP - over ideological differences. Has made limited moves toward merging with the PFLP since the mid-1990s.
- Abu Nidal organization (ANO) (1974-2002?; Islamic extremists) *
- Split from PLO but is not considered primarily a Palestinian nationalist organization. See ANO entry above.
- Fatah (early 1960s-present; Palestinian nationalist political party; sponsors terrorism)
- In Arabic, "conquest by means of jihad."
- Reverse acronym for "Harekat at-Tahrir al-Wataniyyeh al-Falastiniyyeh."
- Also known as the movement for the National Liberation of Palestine.
- Founded by Yasser Arafat in the early 1960s. Took control of the PLO in 1960, with Arafat as chairman, forming the Palestinian Authority.
- Groups associated with Fatah:
- Al Aqsa Marytrs Brigade *
- Responsible of many suicide bombings and shooting attacks against Israeli civilian.
- Responsible of executing suspected collaberators and opposition leaders to Arafat.
- Funded by Fatah and the Palestinian Authority.
- Tanzim (1995-present)
- In Arabic, "organization."
- Loosely organized Fatah militia.
- Force 17 (early 1970s-present)
- Elite unit of the PLO under Yasser Arafat's direct guidance.
- Acts as a versatile unit for terrorism, combat, and intelligence-gathering.
- Hawari (1980s-1991)
- Also known as the Fatah Special Operations Group, Martyrs of Tal Al Za'atar, and Amn Araissi.
- Has not carried out terrrorist attacks recently.
- Ahmed Abu Reish Brigade
- Extreme off-shoot of Fatah.
- Was involved in July 17, 2004 kidnappings in the Gaza Strip.
- Possible link to the Popular Resistance Committees.
- The Popular Resistance Committees - Gaza Strip
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