Key players, groups and terms in Israel/Palestine Conflict

Israeli parliament (unicameral) Knesset Israeli parliament (unicameral)

Fatah Palestinian political and military organization founded by Yasser Arafat in 1958 to work toward the creation of a Palestinian state

hezbollah radical Shiʿite Muslim organization in Lebanon engaged in guerrilla warfare against Israel

Hamas Palestinian Islamic movement engaged in grass-roots organizing and terrorism against Israel

a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims jihad a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Political movement uniting Palestinian Arabs in an effort to create an independent state of Palestine; when formed in 1964 it was a terrorist organization dominated by Yasser Arafat's al-Fatah; in 1968 Arafat became chairman; received recognition by the United Nations and by Arab states in 1974 as a government in exile; has played a largely political role since the creation of the Palestine National Authority

Palestinian National Authority The authority formed in 1994 to govern the Palestinian Administered Territories: it controls policy on health, education, social welfare, direct taxation, tourism, and culture and manages elections to the Palestinian Council