By Taghreed Saadeh
A senior official in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement said the group is seeking to join the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) following efforts to rebuild it as an inclusive national framework representing all Palestinians.
Islamic Jihad is a Palestinian armed political faction that has long opposed the Oslo peace process and has maintained an armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades.
Speaking to “Zaitoun News” on condition of anonymity, the official said the movement would participate in the Palestinian National Council, either through elections or national consensus.
He said Islamic Jihad had previously proposed rebuilding the PLO before joining it, but that position had evolved significantly, with the movement now showing greater flexibility over the mechanisms and conditions for joining the organization.
The shift, he said, comes amid major changes and challenges facing the Palestinian cause, which could make pursuing change from within the PLO a more effective approach for the Palestinian national movement.
The official described the change as a “fundamental shift” in Islamic Jihad’s position, while stressing that the new direction has not yet been formally announced because the circumstances are not yet conducive to doing so.
A broader national alliance
Regarding a possible alliance with Hamas, the official stressed that the proposal was not a bilateral alliance but a broader national alliance involving Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Reformist Current, the Palestinian National Initiative and the Popular Resistance Committees.
He said the proposal had also been presented to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The discussions, he said, focused on forming a national electoral list made up largely of independent national figures capable of safeguarding the Palestinian national position while enjoying popular and international acceptance.
The official said Islamic Jihad had not yet met with Fatah, although preparations for a leadership-level meeting had been underway for several months.
Position on Iran unchanged
On Iran, the official said Islamic Jihad’s position had not changed, describing Iran as “an allied country that supports the Palestinian people” and saying Tehran’s principal conflict is with Israel, which he described as the central enemy of the Palestinian people.
No talks with the United States
The official denied that Islamic Jihad had held talks with U.S. officials, saying that American officials had met only with Hamas, which subsequently briefed the Palestinian factions on the meeting and its contents.
“I do not see U.S. coordination with Hamas evolving into an alliance, or even into any form of understanding,” he said. “It is coordination of necessity to enable the United States to implement President Donald Trump’s plan.”
He said there was “nothing for Islamic Jihad to be concerned about” regarding such contacts or coordination over negotiations and implementation mechanisms.
The official also said Hamas’ relationship with Iran remained “strong and solid”, describing it as no less significant than Islamic Jihad’s relationship with Tehran.
Weapons and future arrangements
On the issue of weapons, the official said Islamic Jihad was committed to agreements reached through national consensus, noting that Hamas had announced its position together with other Palestinian factions.
He referred to a previous statement by Islamic Jihad deputy secretary-general Muhammad al-Hindi, who said the movement had “swallowed the poison” when it signed the 15 provisions of the Peace Council.
Asked whether Islamic Jihad could eventually transform into a political party, the official said the idea had not yet been raised.
He said, however, that as a national liberation movement, Islamic Jihad would explore new mechanisms for political action and resistance and seek to redefine its national priorities.
Weapons in the West Bank
Regarding whether the movement could commit to surrendering its weapons in the West Bank, as is expected in Gaza, the official said Islamic Jihad has unified organizational structures and that decisions taken by its political bureau are implemented across all arenas under a single secretary-general.
He stressed that each arena has its own circumstances and priorities, while remaining within the broader national framework.
“It is certainly possible,” he said. “The discussion and the signing concern Gaza’s weapons only, not the weapons of Islamic Jihad and the factions across all arenas.”
The Gaza experience, he said, had created an environment in which future decisions would have to be made within a broader national framework rather than unilaterally by a single faction.
He added that discussions over national alliances, elections and the possibility of joining the PLO had created a new atmosphere in Palestinian politics, allowing for broader debate over a future national strategy.
Commitment to a national agreement
The official said Islamic Jihad was committed before the Palestinian people and all factions to any comprehensive national agreement reached through consensus.
“Any agreement reached behind the scenes, or any unilateral decision by any faction or party, does not bind Islamic Jihad,” he said.
He cited the movement’s experience with Hamas between 2018 and 2023, saying Hamas had accused Islamic Jihad of “embarrassing it and escalating the situation outside the national agreement and outside the joint operations room.”
A changing political approach
The official said the movement is undergoing a broader internal shift in its political outlook, with new leadership figures advocating different approaches to national action and resistance.
“Islamic Jihad is not what it used to be,” he said. “There are leaders who hold new visions, but we hope Israel, which does not want solutions, does not assassinate them prematurely.”
The official said the movement’s future approach would be shaped by the broader Palestinian national framework, particularly in light of the Gaza war, emerging political alliances and discussions over a unified national strategy.
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