NCJ Number
52742
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION'S CLAIM THAT IT IS A POLITICAL GUERRILLA GROUP AIMED AT LIBERATING PALESTINE AND CREATING AN ARAB STATE AND ITS ROLE IN VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM ARE ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION HAS ACHIEVED THE ROLE OF THE MAIN CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST LINKUP. ITS DEVELOPMENT IS RELATED TO THE CONTINUOUS ISRAELI-ARAB CONFLICT OVER PALESTINE. IN 1964, THE PLO'S NATIONAL COVENANT WAS FORMULATED. THE COVENANT WAS INFLUENCED BY POLITICAL AIMS OF GAMAL ABDUL NASSER, WHO, AS LEADER OF EGYPT, DREAMED OF BECOMING THE LEADER OF ALL ARABS. THE PLO WAS MEANT TO BE AN ORGANIZATION AIMED AT PUSHING ARAB REFUGEES TO FIGHT AGAINST ISRAEL BUT NOT AT RESETTLING THEM IN THE TERRITORY OF HISTORIC PALESTINE. OF PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE IN THE CREATION OF THE PLO AND OTHER GROUPS WAS A MARXIST-LENINIST REVOLUTIONARY OUTLOOK. REWARDS AND BONUSES ARE AN ESTABLISHED PART OF TERRORISM. CONTRACTS ARE COMMONPLACE, BUT ONLY A FEW ARE PUBLICIZED. IMPORTANT SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THE PLO ARE DIRECT SUBSIDIES BY OIL COMPANIES, HIJACKINGS, REWARDS FOR TERRORIST COUPS, BLACKMAIL, AND THE SMUGGLING OF DRUGS. THE PLO ALSO HAS POLITICAL SUPPORT, INCLUDING THAT OF THE SOVIET KGB AND LIBYA. HAVING SO MANY DIFFERING IDEOLOGICAL APPROACHES AND AIMS, THE PLO DOES NOT ACCEPT OR NEED A COMMON POLITICAL PLATFORM. IT IS VIEWED AS A COVER ORGANIZATIN FOR A LARGE AND DIVERSIFIED NUMBER OF PALESTINIAN GROUPS SPONSORED BY DIFFERENT ARAB STATES AND LEADERS, EACH WITH ITS OWN IDEOLOGY AND HAVING TWO FACTORS IN COMMON: THE DESIRE TO EXERT POWER OVER PALESTINIAN REFUGEES AND, IF POSSIBLE, OVER THE ARAB PEOPLE; AND THE PERFORMANCE OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO GAIN MORE POWER AND PRESSURE OVER THE ARAB PEOPLE. DESPITE ITS CLAIMS, THE PLO IS SAID TO BE A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. (DEP)