SUMMARY
AMB (Kateab al-Shaheed al Aqsa, Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades) was, as implied by the name, a child of the Al-Aqsa Intifada (Second Intifada), initiated in September 2000. The name was chosen to commemorate this uprising and those who were killed in its initial stages. The group has strong links to the Fatah movement, and can be viewed as having been created as an unofficial armed wing of this larger political movement to fight Israel during the highly turbulent years of the Second Intifada (approximately 2000-2003).
Just as Fatah the group is not explicitly Islamic, but secular, even though it draws in some of its statements on Islamic theology. The group was inspired at its’ inception by Hezbollah’s successful ousting of Israel from southern Lebanon, and initial activity was aimed at Israeli soldiers and settlers. The group however began attacking civilian targets around 2002, and soon became known as an especially active and lethal terrorist group, carrying out suicide bombings and Qassam rocket launching against Israel and Israeli civilians.
AMB is mainly formed by ex-Tanzim activists (a group abolished in 1993) and PNA (Palestinian National Authority security personnel of Fatah affiliation. Until 2004 (when the AMB became formally integrated into Fatah) the AMB’s links to Fatah were much debated, with Israel and some observers claiming that the group was paid and supplied by Arafat and the PNA; allegations that are hard to fully verify since many members of the AMB were paid salaries due to them being members of the various Palestinian security forces. Links between the AMB and the PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) and PRC (Popular Resistance Commitees) are also said to exist, or to have existed, at various stages since the group was formed.
AMB have been active all over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as well as in Israel proper where suicide attacks have been carried out. The group’s strongholds however have been in the West Bank, specifically in Jenin, Nablus and Ramallah. Lethal AMB activity is for instance said to have been one of the main goals of the “Operation Defensive Shield” attack on Jenin in 2002 by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
The leaders of AMB are somewhat shrouded in secrecy, with local leaders in cities and villages being the most pronounced authorities. A well-known leader was Raed Karmi, killed in January 2002. Marwan Barghouti, on trial in Israel for murder, is also an alleged leader of AMB and Fatah, but the exact ties to the AMB are not clear.
AMB has been involved in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence.
