1. Palestinian Liberation
Organisation
Michael Subritzky
Indigenous Liberation Studies
Bachelor of Applied Social Science Year 3
Waikato Institute of Technology

2. How did the PLO originate?
 The Palestinian cause was lobbied by other Arab
nations
 Formed 1964 by the Arab League of Nations
 Recognised as the ‘sole representative of Palestine’

3. PLO Structure
 Purpose “The Liberation of Palestine” through armed
struggle
The Palestinian National Charter Article 7:
“That there is a Palestinian community and that it has material,
spiritual, and historical connection with Palestine are
indisputable facts. It is a national duty to bring up individual
Palestinians in an Arab revolutionary manner. All means of
information and education must be adopted in order to acquaint
the Palestinian with his country in the most profound manner,
both spiritual and material, that is possible. He must be
prepared for the armed struggle and ready to sacrifice his
wealth and his life in order to win back his homeland and bring
about its liberation.”

4. PLO Structure (continued)
The Palestinian National Charter Article 9:
Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. This is the
overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase. The Palestinian
Arab people assert their absolute determination and firm
resolution to continue their armed struggle and to work for an
armed popular revolution for the liberation of their country and
their return to it . They also assert their right to normal life in
Palestine and to exercise their right to self-determination and
sovereignty over it.

5. PLO Structure (continued)
 Factions
Fatah – Founded by Yasir Arafat
PFLP – Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
DFLP – Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine
PSF – Popular Struggle Front
Although each faction is independent, they remained
under the PLO umbrella.

6. PLO Structure (continued)
 Leaders
Palestinian National Council (PNC) – executive committee
Ahmad Shuqayri 1964-67
Yasir Arafat 1969-2004
Mahmoud Abbas 2004- Present

7. World Map

8. Middle East Map

9. Shrinking Palestine

10. What are the major roots of
the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict? Religion
 Zionism
 Israel’s Settlement Policy
 Impact of Israeli Settlements and Economics

11. Religion
Ishmael Isaac
Abraham
Look up the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them.
So shall your offspring be. Genesis 15:5
The true heir inherits the
land of Canaan as outlined in
Numbers 31:1-2

12. Zionism

13. Zionism
Zionism is a nationalist and political movement of Jews
and Jewish culture that supports the re-establishment of a
Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the historic
Land of Israel (roughly corresponding to Palestine,
Canaan or the Holy Land)

14. Zionism
 Jewish Nationalists and rebirth of Jewish State
 Reclamation of Biblical land
 1917 Zionists lobbied British
 1939 only 75,000 migrants allowed over following 5yr
 Palestine to be independent and political power based on
population ratio of Jew & Palestinian
 1945 Zionists revolted – 2:1 ratio
 British withdrew leaving admin to UN
 1947 UN divided land, allocating 45% to Jews
 1948 war resulted in 80% of land to Jews

15. Israel’s Settlement Policy
 Grants
 Subsidies
 Tax incentives
 Security acquisitions
 Unclaimed land seized
 6% pop growth per year

16. Impact on the Palestinians
 Unemployment
 Decline in trade
 Severe poverty
 Refugees in Jordan

17. Israeli Colonialism
 No investment into Palestinian economy
 Shaped the Territories to their own needs
 Palestinians = low wage labour force
 Palestinian trade mostly with Israel
 Regulation of agriculture, industry, investments =
multiple layers of tax
 Created Palestinian dependency on Israel
 Checkpoints, curfews, and security barriers

18. PLO Response
 Shootings, kidnappings
 1987 Peaceful protests – not totally peaceful however
 Yasar Arafat praised the “children of the stones”
 Guerilla tactics against settlers & IDF
 2000 violent uprising and escalated IDF response
 Suicide bombers featured
 11 Sept 2001

19. Conclusion

20. References
Arens, O., & Kaufman, E. (2012). The Potential Impact of Palestinian Nonviolent Struggle on Israel: Preliminary
Lessons and Projections for the Future. Middle East Journal , 66 (2), 231-252.
De Waart, P. J. (2007). Israel's Settlement Policy Stumbling Block in the Middle East Peace Process. Leiden Journal
of International Law , 825-839.
Drey, P. R. (2002). The Role of Hagar in Genesis 16. Andrews University Seminary Studies , 40 (2), 179-195.
Farsakh, L. (2011). The One State Solution and the Israeli-Palestine Conflict: Palesitinian Challenges and Prospects.
Middle East Journal , 65 (1), 55-71.
Naqib, F. M. (2003). Economic Aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: The Collapse of the Oslo Accord. Journal of
International Development , 15 (4), 499-512.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). (2016). In Compton's by Britannica. Retrieved from
http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/article-309059/Palestine-Liberation-Organizatio (The American-Israeli
Cooperative Enterprise, 2016)n-PLO
palistinefacts.org. (n.d.). Founding the Palistinian Liberation Organisation. Retrieved May 8, 2016, from
palestinefacts.org: www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1948to1967_plo_backgd.php
Reuveny, R. (2008). The Last Colonialist: Israel in the Occupied Territories since 1967. The Independant Review , 12
(3), 325-374.
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21. References (Ctd)
Rowley, C. K., & Taylor, J. (2006). The Israel and Palestine Land Settlement Problem, 1948-2005: An
Analytical History. Public Choice (128), 77-90.
The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. (2016). Palistinian Liberation Organization PLO: History &
Overview. Retrieved May 8, 2016, from Jewish
Virtual Library: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/plo.html
Zeep, I. G. (2000). A Muslim Primer: beginner's guide to Islam, (Vol. 2). University of Arkansaa Press.