Islamic Jihad officials were invited to Russia this week. Apparently, this recognition of them as important players in the region did not change their support for terrorism one bit.
Who would have guessed that meeting with Russia would not turn them into moderates?
Dr. Mohammad Hindi, one of the attendees and a member of the "Political Bureau of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine," praised Russia in remarks after the meeting, and insisted that Islamic Jihad will support terror forever.
"Russia is an important country that wants to play a role in resolving the crises in the region. We encourage this," the terror group leader said.
But, he added, Islamic Jihad wants nothing to do with any long term truce between Hamas and Israel, and criticized Hamas for considering it. "A long term truce with Israel and the prisoner issue is more than just humanitarian matters, and these issues do not concern Hamas alone, but all factions and the Palestinian people."
He added: "We reject the long-term calm. We also reject the cessation of resistance in return for a long-term truce. We are steadfast in our rights and our steadfastness."
If Hamas signs a truce with Israel, it can use Islamic Jihad to ensure that there will always be terror attacks from Gaza, claiming that they tried to stop them while winking at any rockets and mortars and tunnel attacks.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad terror group - funded by Iran - has now achieved an unprecedented level of political power, being recognized by a superpower as an important player, and it gave nothing up in exchange.