What is the PLO?
The Palestinian Liberation Organization, better known as the PLO, was established in 1964 by Palestinian refugees with backing by Arab States in order to, as they saw it, fill the gap that had been left open after 1948, and to resist the Israeli state by any means necessary.
How has it changed over the years?
In 1969, Yasser Arafat became the President of the PLO, and with this change, the PLO became an organization made up of all of the different Palestinian political factions – which, while not democratic, was still largely representative – from Islamists to Communists.
In 1988, the PLO changed its mission to form a single Palestinian state across the entire territory and announced its acceptance of the idea of two states, one Jewish (Israel) and one Arab (Palestine), to coexist side by side.
“We accept two states, the Palestinian state and the Jewish state of Israel”-- Yasser Arafat, 1988
After the first Intifada in the 1980’s, and then the Oslo Accords in 1993, the PLO’s role shifted significantly. The PLO leaders, who had been exiled and had been living first in Jordan, then in Lebanon, and finally in Tunis, were allowed to return to the West Bank.
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The Oslo Accords changed the PLO drastically
In accordance with the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) was created in order to take over many state functions in parts of the West Bank, such as collecting taxes, waste collection, paying teachers and other civil servants, and providing security. This was created as the precursor for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. And even with the ultimate failure of Oslo Accords, the jurisdictions of PA authority in areas A, B and C are still determined by its construct.
While distinct entities, the PLO and PA were both run by Arafat. After he died, and Mahmoud Abbas took over in the early 2000’s, he also took over both institutions. Questions remain about how the two institutions will be managed when Abbas steps down or passes away, as it is unlikely that the next successor will control both.
For many Palestinians, the PLO is still seen as the only legitimate political body that represents them on the international stage, whereas the PA is seen as largely bureaucratic and administrative.