For several decades the Palestinian terrorist organizations have been waging a terrorist campaign against Israel. Over the years the terrorist organizations have killed and wounded thousands of Israelis and, caused millions of dollars of property damage. The terrorist organizations have not limited their activities to the State of Israel but have struck Israeli targets abroad as well (especially between 1968 and 1978). Most of the terrorist organizations' attacks are carried out against innocent civilian targets, as manifested by the wave of suicide bombing attacks.
There are ideological differences between the various terrorist organizations. Some of them have an Islamist ideology while other are secular. However, the terrorist organizations all have the same objectives: to put the Palestinian issue and their various ideologies on the world's agenda, to disrupt Israel's civilian life and undermine the country's security, and to damage Israel's economy and image.
Throughout the years of the conflict the Palestinian terrorist organizations have attacked Israel in almost every possible arena, on land, at sea and in the air, gradually becoming more sophisticated. The terrorist organizations have bases in the various Arab countries (especially in the Palestinian refugee camps), Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. Over the years the terrorist organization map has changed, some of the organizations have disappeared or been suppressed, while others have sprung up in their place.