Past Failures Of The Palestinian Liberation Organization

Essay, Research Paper

PAST FAILURES OF THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION

In 1948 when the country of Israel was created, Palestinian Arabs lost control of all the lands which they possessed. Although many organizations were immediately formed to regain the lost lands, it was not until 1964 when the Palestinian Liberation Organization was created, that there was a single voice to be “the sole representative of the Palestinian people”. (Nassar. pg. 40)

Currently headed by Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (P.L.O.) had never in its existence achieved the success which it sought. What had prevented the P.L.O. from establishing a free and independent Palestinian state was their inconsistent relationship with the United States of America, their failure in the past to condemn the use of international terrorist tactics and finally the internal feuding among the various groups who make up the Palestinian Liberation Organization. It is these three factors that limited the success of the P.L.O.

The P.L.O. had not received recognition from Western countries until the early 1980’s. In fact it was not until 1982 that Canada formerly recognized the P.L.O. as being the representative of all Palestinian Arabs. (Rafael pg. 159) However, it was the relationship which the P.L.O. had with the United States, one of the world s superpowers that had greatly limited its success. United States foreign policy stipulated that the P.L.O. would not be recognized until the group accepted the existence of the state of Israel. Resolution 242 of the United Nations Security Council played a significant role in shaping this policy. Resolution 242 calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and weaponry from the Occupied territory as well as Palestinian acceptance of the right of Israel to “live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries..[reaffirming the decision] to achieve a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem.” (Nassar pg. 152) It was not until 1974 that the general assembly issued resolution 3236 which recognized Palestinians as having national as well as individual rights. (Nassar pg 155) However, resolutions enacted by the Security Council take the place of those drafted by the general assembly. Since the P.L.O. refused to acknowledge Israel, a United States ally, Americans refused to meet with Arafat or acknowledge the existence of the P.L.O. until their decision was reversed. “American leaders while occasionally mentioning the territorial integrity of all states in the region did nothing to pressure Israel out of the Occupied Territories.” (Nassar pg. 155) While the United States recognized Palestinian self rule, it encompassed only Palestinians living in the Occupied Territory and entailed local autonomy rather than independence. (Nassar pg. 156)

The United States finally began to show signs of easing their stance on the P.L.O. and its caused in the early years of the Carter Administration. President Carter recognized that if peace was to be established in the Middle East it could not occur without the inclusion of the P.L.O. Within months of taking office Carter stated in a public speech “there has to be a homeland provided for Palestinian refugees who have suffered for many years.” (Rafael pg. 169). It was Carter, who in July of 1977, suggested that a “homeland” be created out of the Occupied Territory and Jordan. Carter s plan was rejected by the P.L.O. since it implied indirect recognition of Israel. However, Carter was insistent on P.L.O. representation at the October 1978 peace talks and reaffirmed his earlier statement that a “homeland” needed to be provided for the Palestinian people.

Despite public criticism from both sides, dialogue between the two did occasionally exist. “During the Lebanese war (1975 – 1976) P.L.O. guerillas assisted in the evacuation of 276 Americans and Europeans from Lebanon.” (Nassar pg. 121) Egypt s Foreign Minister and the Palestinian news agency Wafa had even stated that direct contact had actually taken place between the two sides.

Nevertheless, once Egyptian President Anwar Sadatt, acting as a representative of the P.L.O., had broke away from the Peace conference, Carter s statements to a turn. “I have never favoured an independent Palestinian state and I still don t favour one. We will have no contact with the P.L.O. until it takes action to recognize the rights of Israel to exist. (Laquer pg. 608) However, Carter had previously known that the P.L.O. would at that time never recognized the existence of Israel.

One of the main problems behind the lack of previous acceptance of the P.L.O. is their immediate association with terrorist activities. Although the President of the P.L.O. currently has a no tolerance policy towards terrorism, this was not always the case. Bombings, hi-jacking and shootings were in the P.L.O. s earlier existence directed at civilian targets by Palestinians claiming their actions were political statements. In 1956 Palestinian guerillas began intense attacks after the Suez War and attacks became increasingly extreme in 1965 when “a number of Palestinian guerillas were taking part.” (Hiro pg 319) It was the loss of all Palestinian land that provoked the various sub-groups making up the P.L.O. to turn their attentions to the rest of the world. It was their belief that terrorism was the only way to regain all Palestinian lands since it woul