What Is Palestinian Islamic Jihad?

Beneath the media spotlight on Hamas lies a lesser-known but fiercely radical group: Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). PIJ has honed the brutal art of terror to imperil the notion of peace in the Middle East. From its foundation by Dr. Fathi Shaqaqi, a nerdy, poetry-loving, Gaza-born pediatrician with a penchant for revolutionary thought, to its reputation for pioneering suicide attacks, the PIJ’s tactics have fueled a generational war against compromise and coexistence.

Harboring a dualism of nationalism and radical Islamism, the last three decades have proven PIJ’s unyielding resolve to destroy Israel.

Essential Questions:

1. What is the difference between education and indoctrination?
2. What makes terrorism a uniquely dangerous form of warfare?

Big Ideas:

1. PIJ uses terrorism as a means to actualize its goal of creating an Islamic Palestinian state.
2. The PIJ’s use of indoctrination methods make it particularly dangerous.