The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement announced in a Feb. 9 statement that it would boycott the upcoming Palestinian general elections.

“The movement has decided not to take part in the elections held in accordance with the Oslo Accord. We believe the right path toward national unity is through an agreement on a political program that cements people’s resilience, protects their resistance and rearranges the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) by holding elections for the Palestinian National Council (PNC), separate from the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).”

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, formed in 1981, is not a member of the PLO and does not participate in the Hamas-run government in Gaza. It claims an estimated 8,000 members and receives funding from Iran. While mostly aligned with Hamas, it takes a more aggressively militant stance, and is also more inclined to initiate attacks on Israel.

The Islamic Jihad considers the presidency and the PLC to be a product of the 1993 Oslo Accord, which the movement opposes. The Oslo Accord provides for the establishment of a Palestinian self-governing authority on the one hand and the election of a PLC and president for the Palestinian people on the other.