NCJ Number
62907
Date Published
1975
Length
375 pages
Annotation
THE GOALS, STRUCTURE, PROGRAMS, AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION (PLO) ARE EXAMINED AND ITS DEGREE OF LEGITIMACY AMONG PALESTINIANS AND THROUGHOUT THE ARAB STATES IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE STUDY ALSO ANALYZES THE IMPACT OF PALESTINIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE ON THE RISE, DEVELOPMENT, AND LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS OF THE PLO; SEEKS TO IDENTIFY POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES THAT HAVE SHAPED THE PLO; AND RELATED THESE FINDINGS TO THOSE OF OTHER RESEARCHERS TO BETTER EXPLAIN THE ORIGINS OF CONFLICT, VIOLENCE, AND REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE ROOTS, RISE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLO AND ITS USE OF VIOLENCE WERE RESPONSES TO DEPRIVATIONS AND GRIEVANCES RESULTING FROM A VARIETY OF POLICIES AND REGIMES; TO THE DEFEATS OF ARAB FORCES IN 1948, 1956, AND 1967; AND TO THE IMAGE OF PALESTINIANS AS DOWNTRODDEN REFUGEES. DATA SOURCES INCLUDE ANALYSIS OF PLO COMMUNIQUES, REPORTS, AND PAPERS; UN, BRITISH, ISRAELI, AND ARAB DOCUMENTS; ARABIC, ENGLISH, AND FOREIGN-LANGUAGE MEDIA SOURCES; AND PERSONAL INTERVIEWS AND EXPERIENCE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT (1) THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE MOVEMENT SINCE 1967 HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC ELEMENTS IN THE ARAB MIDDLE EAST AND ISRAEL; (2) THE MOVEMENT FAILED TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF AN OUTSTANDING LEADER AND RESISTANCE BY OTHER ARAB GOVERNMENTS; (3) THE MOVEMENT'S MAIN STRENGTH WAS IN GIVING HOPE, UNITY, AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE TO THE PALESTINIANS; (4) OTHER MAJOR STATES INCLUDING ISRAEL HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST REQUIRES THE RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN SELF-DETERMINATION; AND (5) LONG-MIDDLE-AND SHORT-TERM CAUSES THAT BROUGHT THE PLO AND ITS USE OF VIOLENCE INTO BEING CAN BE FOUND IN THE WORKS OF VARIOUS SCHOLARS WHO HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT MODERNIZATION, SECULARIZATION, AND DEMOCRATIZATION. TABULAR DATA, MAPS, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND EIGHT APPENDIXES WITH PERTINENT DOCUMENTS ARE ATTACHED. (AOP)