Misplaced Pages

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125-572: The Council met formally 20 times in the 27 years between 1964 and 1991. Since the Oslo Accords , the council met formally only twice: in 1996 and 2018. The PNC is intended to be responsible for formulating the policies and programs for the PLO, and elects the PLO Executive Committee , which assumes leadership of the organization between its sessions. Resolutions are passed by a simple majority with

250-462: A Phalangist stronghold where they massacred 684 people and wounded many more. The Tel al-Zaatar camp fell to the Christians after a six-month siege in which thousands of Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed. Arafat and Abu Jihad blamed themselves for not successfully organizing a rescue effort. PLO cross-border raids against Israel grew during the late 1970s. One of the most severe—known as

375-679: A bargaining chip. Israel assumed that the Jordanian Army would ignore the invasion, but the latter fought alongside the Palestinians , opening heavy fire that inflicted losses upon the Israeli forces. This engagement marked the first known deployment of suicide bombers by Palestinian forces. The Israelis were repelled at the end of a day's battle, having destroyed most of the Karameh camp and taken around 141 PLO prisoners. Both sides declared victory. On

500-504: A border with Israel—which had recently seceded from its union with Egypt . Fatah had approximately three hundred members by this time, but none were fighters. In Syria, he managed to recruit members by offering them higher incomes to enable his armed attacks against Israel. Fatah's manpower was incremented further after Arafat decided to offer new recruits much higher salaries than members of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA),

625-508: A complete settlement within five years. When, however, an Israel–Jordan peace treaty was concluded on 26 October 1994, it was without the Palestinians. Only after Israel's acceptance of the PLO as negotiation partner could serious negotiations start. In their Letters of Mutual Recognition of 9 September 1993, days before the signing of the Oslo I Accord , each party agreed to accept the other as

750-734: A conference in Prague , he donned a solid white keffiyeh –different from the fishnet-patterned one he adopted later in Kuwait , which was to become his emblem. In 1990, Arafat married Suha Tawil , a Palestinian Christian , when he was 61 and Suha, 27. Her mother introduced her to him in France, after which she worked as his secretary in Tunis. Prior to their marriage, Arafat adopted fifty Palestinian war orphans . During their marriage, Suha tried to leave Arafat on many occasions, but he forbade it. Suha said she regrets

875-585: A freedom fighter's rifle in another. Do not let the green branch fall from my hand. He wore a holster throughout his speech, although it did not contain a gun. His speech increased international sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Following recognition, Arafat established relationships with a variety of world leaders, including Saddam Hussein and Idi Amin . Arafat was Amin's best man at his wedding in Uganda in 1975. Although hesitant at first to take sides in

1000-721: A larger entity known as Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which is a unit in the Defense Ministry of Israel , is still functioning in full. The Israeli–Palestinian Joint Water Committee also still exists. At the 2000 Camp David Summit , the US tried to save the Accords by reviving the negotiations. After the failure of the Summit, the Second Intifada broke out and

1125-714: A lasting peace. In December 1998, the PNC met in Gaza at the insistence of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who called it a condition of the continuation of the peace process . In the presence of the US President Clinton , it reaffirmed again the annulling of the parts of the Covenant which denied Israel's right to exist, but it still did not formally change or re-draft the Covenant. Clinton gave

1250-791: A loss of influence in Lebanon and switched sides. He sent his army, along with the Syrian-backed Palestinian factions of as-Sa'iqa and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) led by Ahmad Jibril to fight alongside right-wing Christian forces against the PLO and the LNM. The primary components of the Christian front were the Phalangists loyal to Bachir Gemayel and

1375-705: A major raid against the Jordanian administered West Bank town of as-Samu , in response to a Fatah-implemented roadside bomb attack which had killed three members of the Israeli security forces near the southern Green Line border. In the resulting skirmish, scores of Jordanian security forces were killed and 125 homes razed. This raid was one of several factors that led to the 1967 Six-Day War . The Six-Day war began when Israel launched air strikes against Egypt's air force on 5 June 1967. The war ended in an Arab defeat and Israel's occupation of several Arab territories, including

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1500-804: A meeting between the President of Iraq and the Emir of Kuwait in order to resolve their disputes. Also in 1974, the PLO was declared the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" and admitted to full membership of the Arab League at the Rabat Summit . Arafat became the first representative of a non-governmental organization to address a plenary session of the UN General Assembly . In his United Nations address, Arafat condemned Zionism, but said: Today I have come bearing an olive branch in one hand and

1625-460: A military confrontation with opposition forces, Hussein dismissed several of his anti-PLO cabinet officials, including some of his own family members, and invited Arafat to become Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan . Arafat refused, citing his belief in the need for a Palestinian state with Palestinian leadership. Despite Hussein's intervention, militant actions in Jordan continued. On 15 September 1970,

1750-708: A mine in the Negev, killing two children. However, plans for the two operations were prepared in 1967, one year before the bus attack. The size of the Israeli forces entering Karameh made the Jordanians assume that Israel was also planning to occupy the eastern bank of the Jordan River, including the Balqa Governorate , to create a situation similar to the Golan Heights , which Israel had captured just 10 months prior, to be used

1875-599: A national hero who dared to confront Israel. With mass applause from the Arab world , financial donations increased significantly, and Fatah's weaponry and equipment improved. The group's numbers swelled as many young Arabs, including thousands of non-Palestinians, joined the ranks of Fatah. When the Palestinian National Council (PNC) convened in Cairo on 3 February 1969, Yahya Hammuda stepped down from his chairmanship of

2000-537: A negotiation partner. The PLO recognized the State of Israel. Israel recognized the PLO as "the representative of the Palestinian people"; no more, no less. Palestine Liberation Organization Israel Norway (facilitating) The Oslo process is the "peace process" that started in 1993 with secret talks between Israel and the PLO. It became a cycle of negotiations, suspension, mediation, restart of negotiations and suspension again. A number of agreements were reached, until

2125-594: A permanent settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338" Some have interpreted this to mean that the Palestinian Authority was only meant to be temporary. Others have accused Israeli governments of not living up to their obligations under the Accord. The lack of a permanent agreement has led both Israelis and Palestinians to regard the Oslo Accords as no longer relevant. Nevertheless, elements of

2250-657: A quorum of two-thirds. The PNC elects its own Chairman. Although Article 5 of the PLO Basic Law, adopted at the first PNC meeting in 1964, states that members should be chosen by "direct election... by the Palestinian people", such elections have never happened. Since the PNC and PLO were created originally by the Arab League , the initial membership of the PNC was chosen by the Arab states, particularly Jordan and Egypt. Even Palestinian factions were wary of direct elections, worrying about

2375-600: A significant factor in maintaining security for both sides. A security analysis presented to the Israeli government by Shin Bet in 2016 praised the security cooperation. According to the IDF , Palestinian security forces were responsible for about 40% of arrests of terrorism suspects in the West Bank in early 2016. Following the announcement that Israel will unilaterally annex territories in May 2020,

2500-533: A speech to the event appealing to the PNC not to allow their grievances against Israel to stifle Palestinian progress. In 1996, when the Council had to vote on the revision of the Palestinian National Charter, the total number of PNC members was increased from 400 to about 800. By 2009, some 700 from them had remained. As of 2003, the PNC chairman was Salim Zanoun and the PNC had 669 members; 88 are from

2625-581: A tactical level, the battle went in Israel's favor and the destruction of the Karameh camp was achieved. However, the relatively high casualties were a considerable surprise for the Israel Defense Forces and was stunning to the Israelis. Although the Palestinians were not victorious on their own, King Hussein let the Palestinians take credit. Some have alleged that Arafat himself was on the battlefield, but

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2750-771: A year after his eviction from Beirut, this time establishing himself in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli . This time Arafat was expelled by a fellow Palestinian working under Hafez al-Assad . Arafat did not return to Lebanon after his second expulsion, though many Fatah fighters did. Arafat and Fatah's center for operations was based in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia , until 1993. In 1985 Arafat narrowly survived an Israeli assassination attempt when Israeli Air Force F-15s bombed his Tunis headquarters as part of Operation Wooden Leg , leaving 73 people dead; Arafat had gone out jogging that morning. The following year Arafat had his operational headquarters in Baghdad for some time. During

2875-415: Is also a word that was used in early Islamic times to refer to "conquest." Fatah dedicated itself to the liberation of Palestine by an armed struggle carried out by Palestinians themselves. This differed from other Palestinian political and guerrilla organizations, most of which firmly believed in a united Arab response. Arafat's organization never embraced the ideologies of the major Arab governments of

3000-676: Is generally defined as an uprising or revolt. The first stage of the Intifada began following an incident at the Erez checkpoint where four Palestinian residents of the Jabalya refugee camp were killed in a traffic accident involving an Israeli driver. Rumors spread that the deaths were a deliberate act of revenge for an Israeli shopper who was stabbed to death by a Palestinian in Gaza four days earlier. Mass rioting broke out, and within weeks, partly upon consistent requests by Abu Jihad, Arafat attempted to direct

3125-696: The Areas A and B . Redeployments from Area C would follow in subsequent phases. Article XI.3 states: "Area C" means areas of the West Bank outside Areas A and B, which, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations, will be gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction in accordance with this Agreement. The issues that will be negotiated, according to Article XVII.1, are: "Jerusalem, settlements, specified military locations, Palestinian refugees, borders, foreign relations and Israelis; and ... powers and responsibilities not transferred to

3250-618: The Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. The PFLP and the Japanese Red Army carried out a shooting rampage at the same airport , killing twenty-four civilians. Israel later claimed that the assassination of PFLP spokesman Ghassan Kanafani was a response to the PFLP's involvement in masterminding the latter attack. Two days later, various PLO factions retaliated by bombing a bus station, killing eleven civilians. At

3375-538: The Cave of the Patriarchs massacre as well as by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide bombings and attacks. Far-right Israelis also opposed the Oslo Accords, and Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a right-wing Israeli extremist for signing them. “We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and a clear voice; Enough of blood and tears. Enough!” — Rabin said on behalf of

3500-529: The Coastal Road massacre —occurred on 11 March 1978. A force of nearly a dozen Fatah fighters landed their boats near a major coastal road connecting the city of Haifa with Tel Aviv-Yafo . There they hijacked a bus and sprayed gunfire inside and at passing vehicles, killing thirty-seven civilians. In response, the IDF launched Operation Litani three days later, with the goal of taking control of Southern Lebanon up to

3625-622: The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood . Arafat had met Abu Iyad while attending Cairo University and Abu Jihad in Gaza. Both would later become Arafat's top aides. Abu Iyad traveled with Arafat to Kuwait in late 1960; Abu Jihad, also working as a teacher, had already been living there since 1959. After settling in Kuwait, Abu Iyad helped Arafat obtain a temporary job as a schoolteacher. As Arafat began to develop friendships with Palestinian refugees (some of whom he knew from his Cairo days), he and

3750-643: The General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) from 1952 to 1956. During his first year as president of the union, the university was renamed Cairo University after a coup was carried out by the Free Officers Movement overthrowing King Farouk I . By that time, Arafat had graduated with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and was called to duty to fight with Egyptian forces during the Suez Crisis ; however, he never actually fought. Later that year, at

3875-481: The Litani River . The IDF achieved this goal, and Arafat withdrew PLO forces north into Beirut. After Israel withdrew from Lebanon, cross-border hostilities between PLO forces and Israel continued, though from August 1981 to May 1982, the PLO adopted an official policy of refraining from responding to provocations. On 6 June 1982, Israel launched an invasion of Lebanon to expel the PLO from southern Lebanon. Beirut

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4000-642: The Madrid Conference of 1991 , the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 2000 Camp David Summit . The success of the negotiations in Oslo led to Arafat being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize , alongside Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres , in 1994. At the time, Fatah's support among the Palestinians declined with the growth of Hamas and other militant rivals. In late 2004, after effectively being confined within his Ramallah compound for over two years by

4125-586: The Mughrabi Quarter of the Old City . They lived there with their uncle Salim Abul Saud for four years. In 1937, their father recalled them to be taken care of by their older sister, Inam. Arafat had a deteriorating relationship with his father; when he died in 1952, Arafat did not attend the funeral, nor did he visit his father's grave upon his return to Gaza. Arafat's sister Inam stated in an interview with Arafat's biographer, British historian Alan Hart, that Arafat

4250-528: The Munich Olympic Games , Black September kidnapped and killed eleven Israeli athletes. A number of sources, including Mohammed Oudeh ( Abu Daoud ), one of the masterminds of the Munich massacre , and Benny Morris , a prominent Israeli historian, have stated that Black September was an armed branch of Fatah used for paramilitary operations. According to Abu Daoud's 1999 book, "Arafat was briefed on plans for

4375-651: The Oslo I Accord , signed in Washington, D.C. , in 1993; and the Oslo II Accord , signed in Taba, Egypt , in 1995. They marked the start of the Oslo process , a peace process aimed at achieving a peace treaty based on Resolution 242 and Resolution 338 of the United Nations Security Council . The Oslo process began after secret negotiations in Oslo, Norway , resulting in both the recognition of Israel by

4500-644: The PFLP (part of the PLO) hijacked four planes and landed three of them at Dawson's Field , located 30 miles (48 km) east of Amman . After the foreign national hostages were taken off the planes and moved away from them, three of the planes were blown up in front of international press, which took photos of the explosion. This tarnished Arafat's image in many western nations, including the United States, who held him responsible for controlling Palestinian factions that belonged to

4625-429: The PLA . As the conflict raged , other Arab governments attempted to negotiate a peaceful resolution. As part of this effort, Gamal Abdel Nasser led the first emergency Arab League summit in Cairo on 21 September. Arafat's speech drew sympathy from attending Arab leaders. Other heads of state took sides against Hussein, among them Muammar Gaddafi , who mocked him and his schizophrenic father King Talal . A ceasefire

4750-646: The Palestinian National Covenant (also called Palestinian National Charter). It also established the PLO as the political expression of the Palestinian people and elected Ahmad Al-Shuqeiry as the first chairman of the PLO Executive Committee . At the conference were representatives from Palestinian communities in Jordan , West Bank , the Gaza strip , Syria , Lebanon , Kuwait , Iraq , Egypt , Qatar , Libya , and Algeria . Subsequent sessions were held in Cairo (1965), Gaza (1966), Cairo (1968–1977), Damascus (1979–1981), Algiers (1983), Amman (1984), Algiers (1988), Gaza (1996 and 1998), Ramallah (2009). At

4875-400: The Palestinian authorities for maintaining security . Oslo II, Article X.2 reads: Further redeployments of Israeli military forces to specified military locations will commence after the inauguration of the Council and will be gradually implemented commensurate with the assumption of responsibility for public order and internal security by the Palestinian Police ... And Article XI.2.e: During

5000-434: The Tigers Militia led by Dany Chamoun , a son of former President Camille Chamoun . In February 1975, a pro-Palestinian Lebanese MP, Maarouf Saad , was shot and killed, reportedly by the Lebanese Army . His death from his wounds, the following month, and the massacre in April of 27 Palestinians and Lebanese travelling on a bus from Sabra and Shatila to the Tel al-Zaatar refugee camp by Phalangist forces precipitated

5125-588: The United Nations Emergency Force to establish itself in the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip , precipitating the expulsion of all guerrilla or " fedayeen " forces there—including Arafat. Arafat originally attempted to obtain a visa to Canada and later Saudi Arabia , but was unsuccessful in both attempts. In 1957, he applied for a visa to Kuwait (at the time a British protectorate) and was approved, based on his work in civil engineering. There he encountered two Palestinian friends: Salah Khalaf ("Abu Iyad") and Khalil al-Wazir ("Abu Jihad"), both official members of

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5250-416: The University of King Fuad I . While a student, he embraced Arab nationalist and anti-Zionist ideas. Opposed to the 1948 creation of the State of Israel , he fought alongside the Muslim Brotherhood during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . Following the defeat of Arab forces, Arafat returned to Cairo and served as president of the General Union of Palestinian Students from 1952 to 1956. In the latter part of

5375-441: The "peace process" reached a deadlock. Following the Gaza–Jericho Agreement and prior to the first Palestinian Authority elections , Israel withdrew in 1994 from Jericho and from most of the Gaza Strip. In accordance with the Hebron Protocol , Israel withdrew from 80% of Hebron in January 1997. With stalled negotiations, further redeployments did not take place. By March 1998, none of the withdrawals had occurred. In October 1998,

5500-509: The 1948 Arab–Israeli War (present-day West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip). This caused discontent among several of the PLO factions; the PFLP, DFLP and other parties formed a breakaway organization, the Rejectionist Front . Israel and the US have alleged also that Arafat was involved in the 1973 Khartoum diplomatic assassinations , in which five diplomats and five others were killed. A 1973 United States Department of State document, declassified in 2006, concluded "The Khartoum operation

5625-530: The 1950s, Arafat co-founded Fatah, a paramilitary organization which sought Israel's replacement with a Palestinian state. Fatah operated within several Arab countries, from where it launched attacks on Israeli targets. In the latter part of the 1960s Arafat's profile grew; in 1967 he joined the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and in 1969 was elected chair of the Palestinian National Council (PNC). Fatah's growing presence in Jordan resulted in military clashes with King Hussein 's Jordanian government and in

5750-399: The 1980s, Arafat received financial assistance from Libya, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which allowed him to reconstruct the badly damaged PLO. This was particularly useful during the First Intifada in December 1987, which began as an uprising of Palestinians against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The word Intifada in Arabic is literally translated as "tremor"; however, it

5875-419: The Battle of Karameh, Fatah and other Palestinian militias began taking control of civil life in Jordan. They set up roadblocks, publicly humiliated Jordanian police forces, molested women and levied illegal taxes—all of which Arafat either condoned or ignored. King Hussein considered this a growing threat to his kingdom's sovereignty and security, and attempted to disarm the militias. However, in order to avoid

6000-435: The Civil Administration in the West Bank will be dissolved, and the Israeli military government shall be withdrawn...." Twenty years later, however, the withdrawal of Israeli troops did not take place, and the Civil Administration still has permanent military presence in more than 80% of the West Bank ( Area B and C ). Permanent status negotiations about remaining issues would start not later than May 1996 (two years after

6125-419: The Council." By excluding Jerusalem and the settlements from the areas to be transferred to the Palestinians, Israeli presence, including the military to protect them, would not change without a negotiated agreement. The Accords also preserve Israel's exclusive control of the borders, the airspace and the territorial Gaza waters. Oslo II, Article XII: In order to guarantee public order and internal security for

6250-419: The Declaration of Principles (DoP) discusses regional cooperation and implicitly calls for major international aid efforts to help the Palestinians, Jordan, Israel and the entire region. After the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, an international conference was held in Washington, D.C. to assure the economic solvency of the newly-established Palestinian National Authority. Key goals were economic development in

6375-401: The February 1969 meeting in Cairo, Yasser Arafat was appointed leader of the PLO. He continued to be PLO leader (sometimes called Chairman, sometimes President) until his death in 2004. In a November 1988 meeting in Algiers, the PNC approved the Palestinian Declaration of Independence by a vote of 253 in favour 46 against and 10 abstentions. After the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993,

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6500-429: The Islamic Liberation Front and several Syrian-backed groups, virtually crumbled after their sponsor governments' defeat. Barely a week after the defeat, Arafat crossed the Jordan River in disguise and entered the West Bank, where he set up recruitment centers in Hebron , the Jerusalem area and Nablus , and began attracting both fighters and financiers for his cause. At the same time, Nasser contacted Arafat through

6625-553: The Israeli army, Arafat fell into a coma and died. While the cause of Arafat's death has remained the subject of speculation, investigations by Russian and French teams determined no foul play was involved. Arafat remains a controversial figure. Palestinians generally view him as a martyr who symbolized the national aspirations of his people, while many Israelis regarded him as a terrorist. Palestinian rivals, including Islamists and several PLO radicals , frequently denounced him as corrupt or too submissive in his concessions to

6750-465: The Israeli government. Arafat was born in Cairo , Egypt, on 4 or 24 August 1929. His father, Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini, was a Palestinian from Gaza City , whose mother, Yasser's paternal grandmother, was Egyptian . Arafat's father battled in the Egyptian courts for 25 years to claim family land in Egypt as part of his inheritance but was unsuccessful. He worked as a textile merchant in Cairo's religiously mixed Sakakini District . Arafat

6875-492: The Israeli military government and its Civil Administration to the Palestinian Authority, hereby established , in accordance with Article V of this Agreement, except for the authority that Israel shall continue to exercise as specified in this Agreement. The PA temporarily executed some powers and responsibilities until the establishment of the Council . Article I.1–2 of the Oslo II Accord read: 1. Israel shall transfer powers and responsibilities as specified in this Agreement from

7000-428: The Israeli military government and its Civil Administration to the Council in accordance with this Agreement. Israel shall continue to exercise powers and responsibilities not so transferred. 2. Pending the inauguration of the Council, the powers and responsibilities transferred to the Council shall be exercised by the Palestinian Authority established in accordance with the Gaza-Jericho Agreement, which shall also have all

7125-416: The Israeli people after the historical handshake with Yasser Arafat , The Oslo Accords are based on the 1978 Camp David Accords and show therefore considerable similarity with those Accords. The Camp David's "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" envisioned autonomy for the local, and only for the local, (Palestinian) inhabitants of West Bank and Gaza. At the time, there lived some 7,400 settlers in

7250-412: The Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to Said Aburish , the government of Jordan and a number of Fatah commandos informed Arafat that large-scale Israeli military preparations for an attack on the town were underway, prompting fedayeen groups, such as George Habash's newly formed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Nayef Hawatmeh 's breakaway organization the Democratic Front for

7375-404: The Israelis to negotiation. In 1988, he acknowledged Israel's right to exist and sought a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . In 1994, he returned to Palestine, settling in Gaza City and promoting self-governance for the Palestinian territories . He engaged in a series of negotiations with the Israeli government to end the conflict between it and the PLO. These included

7500-411: The Jordanian Army agreed to back them if heavy fighting ensued. In response to persistent PLO raids against Israeli civilian targets, Israel attacked the town of Karameh , Jordan, the site of a major PLO camp. The goal of the invasion was to destroy Karameh camp and capture Yasser Arafat in reprisal for the attacks by the PLO against Israeli civilians, which culminated in an Israeli school bus hitting

7625-407: The Lebanese Civil War. Arafat was reluctant to respond with force, but many other Fatah and PLO members felt otherwise. For example, the DFLP carried out several attacks against the Lebanese Army . In 1976, an alliance of Christian militias with the backing of the Lebanese and Syrian armies besieged Tel al-Zaatar camp in east Beirut . The PLO and LNM retaliated by attacking the town of Damour ,

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7750-409: The Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), to withdraw their forces from the town. Though advised by a sympathetic Jordanian Army divisional commander to withdraw his men and headquarters to the nearby hills, Arafat refused, stating, "We want to convince the world that there are those in the Arab world who will not withdraw or flee." Aburish writes that it was on Arafat's orders that Fatah remained, and that

7875-440: The Liberation of Palestine . The PNC also filled vacancies in the PLO Executive Committee with loyalists to Palestinian president Mahmood Abbas . The PNC have met formally 23 times since inception, in addition to three extraordinary meetings. The table below summarizes the meetings: Oslo Accords The Oslo Accords are a pair of interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO):

8000-506: The Munich hostage-taking." The killings were internationally condemned. In 1973–74, Arafat closed Black September down, ordering the PLO to withdraw from acts of violence outside Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 1974, the PNC approved the Ten Point Program (drawn up by Arafat and his advisers), and proposed a compromise with the Israelis. It called for a Palestinian national authority over every part of "liberated" Palestinian territory, which refers to areas captured by Arab forces in

8125-474: The Oslo Accords remained. The interim Palestinian Authority became permanent, and a dominant factor of the PLO. The West Bank remained divided into Areas A, B and C . Area C, covering some 60% of the West Bank, is under exclusive Israeli military and civilian control. Less than 1% of area C is designated for use by Palestinians, who are also unable to build in their own existing villages in area C due to Israeli restrictions. The Israeli Civil Administration, part of

8250-407: The Oslo Accords were among other things, Palestinian interim Self-Government (not the Palestinian Authority (PA), but the Palestinian Legislative Council ) and a permanent settlement of unresolved issues within five years, based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. Although the agreements recognize the Palestinian "legitimate and political rights," they remain silent about their fate after

8375-455: The Oslo process ended after the failure of the Camp David Summit in 2000 and the outbreak of the Second Intifada . During the Second Intifada, the Roadmap for Peace was proposed by the Quartet on the Middle East , and explicitly aimed at a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The Roadmap, however, soon entered a cycle similar to the Oslo process, but without producing any agreement. Stated goals of

8500-461: The PA. Military intelligence coordination officially began in 1996. After the Western Wall Tunnel riots , the Palestinian leadership effectively ceased security coordination with Israel, but it was renewed after the signing of the Wye River Memorandum . During the second Intifada coordination was intermittent, and it did not function effectively in 2000–2006. The following years, the security coordination bore significant achievements, and has become

8625-431: The PLO and the recognition by Israel of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and as a partner in bilateral negotiations. Among the notable outcomes of the Oslo Accords was the creation of the Palestinian National Authority , which was tasked with the responsibility of conducting limited Palestinian self-governance over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ; and the international acknowledgement of

8750-421: The PLO as Israel's partner in permanent-status negotiations about any remaining issues revolving around the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . Bilateral dialogue stems from questions related to the international border between Israel and a future Palestinian state : negotiations for this subject are centered around Israeli settlements , the status of Jerusalem , Israel's maintenance of control over security following

8875-498: The PLO. Arafat was elected chairman on 4 February. He became Commander-in-Chief of the Palestinian Revolutionary Forces two years later, and in 1973, became the head of the PLO's political department. In the late 1960s, tensions between Palestinians and the Jordanian government increased greatly; heavily armed Palestinian elements had created a virtual "state within a state" in Jordan, eventually controlling several strategic positions in that country. After their proclaimed victory in

9000-407: The PLO. Arafat, bowing to pressure from Arab governments, publicly condemned the hijackings and suspended the PFLP from any guerrilla actions for a few weeks. He had taken the same action after the PFLP attacked Athens Airport . The Jordanian government moved to regain control over its territory, and the next day, King Hussein declared martial law . On the same day, Arafat became supreme commander of

9125-738: The PLO—guarded by a multinational force of eight hundred US Marines supported by the United States Navy —to exile in Tunis . During the war, Arafat took measures to protect the Lebanese Jewish community. He ordered the PLO fighters to guard the Maghen Abraham Synagogue of Beirut and deliver food to affected Jewish families. After Arafat left Lebanon, the synagogue's protection went in hands of Phalangists . Arafat returned to Lebanon

9250-670: The PNC met in Gaza in April 1996 and voted 504 to 54 to void those parts of the Palestinian National Covenant that denied Israel 's right to exist , but the charter itself has not been formally changed or re-drafted. One of its most prominent members, the Palestinian-American scholar and activist Edward Said , left the PNC because he believed that the Oslo Accords sold short the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in pre-1967 Israel and would not lead to

9375-523: The PNC must meet annually, and can hold special meetings if necessary. The PNC is responsible for formulating PLO's policies, and elects the PLO Executive Committee . Candidates for the PNC are nominated by a committee consisting of the PLO Executive Committee, the PNC chairman , and the commander in chief of the Palestine Liberation Army . After nomination, PNC candidates are elected by a majority of

9500-666: The PNC transferred its legislative powers to the PCC, including powers to elect the EC. Though not members of PLO, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members were invited to the PNC as observers in 2018, although they refused. As of 2012 the main office of the PNC is in Amman and a branch office is located in Ramallah . The first PNC, composed of 422 representatives, met in Jerusalem in May 1964 and adopted

9625-540: The Palestinian Authority ceased security coordination with Israel. In August 2020, the annexation process was put on hold following the Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement , and in November security cooperation was restored. Yasser Arafat Yasser Arafat (4 or 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), also popularly known by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian political leader. He

9750-592: The Palestinian territories. The majority of the aid (~72%) was provided by ten donors: the European Union (18.9%), the United States (14.2%), Saudi Arabia (9.9%), Germany (5.8%), the United Arab Emirates (5.2%), Norway (4.8%), United Kingdom (4.3%), the World Bank (3.2%), Japan (2.9%), and France (2.7%). The Transitional Period is commonly known as the interim period (Oslo I, Article V) or interim phase. Hence

9875-620: The Palestinians of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Council shall establish a strong police force as set out in Article XIV below. Israel shall continue to carry the responsibility for defense against external threats, including the responsibility for protecting the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, and for defense against external threats from the sea and from the air, as well as the responsibility for overall security of Israelis and Settlements, for

10000-477: The West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), and 500 in Gaza, with the number in the West Bank, however, rapidly growing. As Israel regarded the PLO a terrorist organisation, it refused to talk with the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Instead, Israel preferred to negotiate with Egypt and Jordan, and "elected representatives of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza". While the final goal in Camp David

10125-493: The West Bank and Gaza Strip . Although Nasser and his Arab allies had been defeated, Arafat and Fatah could claim a victory, in that the majority of Palestinians, who had up to that time tended to align and sympathize with individual Arab governments, now began to agree that a 'Palestinian' solution to their dilemma was indispensable. Many primarily Palestinian political parties, including George Habash 's Arab Nationalist Movement , Hajj Amin al-Husseini 's Arab Higher Committee ,

10250-554: The West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Middle East stability, introducing liberalized markets, sustaining democratic institutions, and protecting human rights. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, aid to Palestinians totaled over $ 40 billion between 1994 and 2020. The biggest amount of this assistance (35.4%) was for supporting the PA's budget, while the rest was distributed to various economic sectors and services in

10375-523: The ability for outside actors to influence such elections and thus undermine the emerging Palestinian resistance. On the other hand, the Palestinian factions were conscious of the value of having a Palestinian institution recognized by the Arab world. After the Six Day War in 1967, the PNC was reconstituted. From 1968 onwards, PNC membership was reallocated based on a quota system, allocating seats to Palestinian political parties and resistance groups based on

10500-457: The beginning of the third year of the interim period, between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian people's representatives. 3. It is understood that these negotiations shall cover remaining issues, including: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security arrangements, borders, relations and cooperation with other neighbors, and other issues of common interest. 4. The two parties agree that

10625-570: The border into Lebanon to join PLO forces in that country, where they set up their new headquarters. Because of Lebanon's weak central government, the PLO was able to operate virtually as an independent state. During this time in the 1970s, numerous leftist PLO groups took up arms against Israel, carrying out attacks against civilians as well as military targets within Israel and outside of it. Two major incidents occurred in 1972. The Fatah subgroup Black September Organization hijacked Sabena Flight 572 en route to Vienna and forced it to land at

10750-473: The ceasefire from both the PLO and the Jordanian Army, Arafat called for King Hussein to be toppled. Responding to the threat, in June 1971, Hussein ordered his forces to oust all remaining Palestinian fighters in northern Jordan, which they accomplished. Arafat and a number of his forces, including two high-ranking commanders, Abu Iyad and Abu Jihad , were forced into the northern corner of Jordan. They relocated near

10875-546: The claimed size of their membership. This mechanism was used, and continues to be used, by Fatah to ensure its monopoly over the Executive Committee, the decision-making body of the PLO. The PNC serves as the legislative body of the PLO. While the PNC has a number of PLC members, it is not an organ of the Palestinian National Authority . Rather it is the equivalent of PA's PLC. According to its charter,

11000-655: The conflict, Arafat and Fatah played an important role in the Lebanese Civil War . Succumbing to pressure from PLO sub-groups such as the PFLP, DFLP and the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), Arafat aligned the PLO with the Communist and Nasserist Lebanese National Movement (LNM). The LNM was led by Kamal Jumblatt , who had a friendly relationship with Arafat and other PLO leaders. Although originally aligned with Fatah, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad feared

11125-503: The details of his involvement are unclear. However, his allies–as well as Israeli intelligence –confirm that he urged his men throughout the battle to hold their ground and continue fighting. The battle was covered in detail by Time , and Arafat's face appeared on the cover of the 13 December 1968 issue, bringing his image to the world for the first time. Amid the post-war environment, the profiles of Arafat and Fatah were raised by this important turning point, and he came to be regarded as

11250-479: The early 1950s, Arafat adopted the name Yasser, and in the early years of Arafat's guerrilla career, he assumed the nom de guerre of Abu Ammar. Both names are related to Ammar ibn Yasir , one of Muhammad 's early companions . Although he dropped most of his inherited names, he retained Arafat due to its significance in Islam . Following the Suez Crisis in 1956, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser agreed to allow

11375-532: The early 1970s it relocated to Lebanon. There, Fatah assisted the Lebanese National Movement during the Lebanese Civil War and continued its attacks on Israel, resulting in the organization becoming a major target of Israeli invasions during the 1978 South Lebanon conflict and 1982 Lebanon War . From 1983 to 1993, Arafat based himself in Tunisia, and began to shift his approach from open conflict with

11500-410: The entire PNC membership. However, due to the impossibility of holding elections, PNC elections have never been held and most members are appointed by the executive committee. The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) serves as the intermediary body between the PNC and the EC. The PCC is chaired by the PNC chairman, and has increasingly eclipsed the PNC as the main decision-making body of the PLO. In 2018,

11625-463: The establishment of Palestinian autonomy, and the Palestinian right of return . The Oslo Accords did not create a definite Palestinian state. A large portion of the Palestinian population, including various Palestinian militant groups , staunchly opposed the Oslo Accords; Palestinian-American philosopher Edward Said described them as a "Palestinian Versailles ". The peace process was strained by

11750-519: The first Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), 98 represent the Palestinian population living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip , and 483 represent the Palestinian diaspora . For the first time in 22 years, since its last full meeting in 1996, the 700 member PNC met on 30 April 2018 in Ramallah to discuss recent developments, but many groups did not attend, including Hamas (the leading Palestinian political party), Islamic Jihad and Popular Front for

11875-460: The former's adviser Mohammed Heikal and Arafat was declared by Nasser to be the "leader of the Palestinians." In December 1967 Ahmad Shukeiri resigned his post as PLO Chairman . Yahya Hammuda took his place and invited Arafat to join the organization. Fatah was allocated 33 of 105 seats of the PLO Executive Committee while 57 seats were left for several other guerrilla factions. Throughout 1968, Fatah and other Palestinian armed groups were

12000-405: The further redeployment phases to be completed within 18 months from the date of the inauguration of the Council, powers and responsibilities relating to territory will be transferred gradually to Palestinian jurisdiction that will cover West Bank and Gaza Strip territory, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations. The first phase included the withdrawal from

12125-584: The groundwork for Fatah's future financial support, he enlisted contributions from the many wealthy Palestinians working in Kuwait and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf , such as Qatar (where he met Mahmoud Abbas in 1961). These businessmen and oil workers contributed generously to the Fatah organization. Arafat continued this process in other Arab countries, such as Libya and Syria. In 1962, Arafat and his closest companions migrated to Syria—a country sharing

12250-416: The interim period. The Oslo Accords neither define the nature of the post-Oslo Palestinian self-government and its powers and responsibilities, nor do they define the borders of the territory it eventually would govern. A core issue of the Oslo Accords was the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Palestinian territories. The plan was a withdrawal in phases and a simultaneous transfer of responsibilities to

12375-424: The marriage, and given the choice again would not repeat it. In mid-1995, Arafat's wife Suha gave birth in a Paris hospital to a daughter, named Zahwa after Arafat's mother. Arafat's full name was Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini. Mohammed Abdel Rahman was his first name, Abdel Raouf was his father's name and Arafat his grandfather's. Al-Qudwa was the name of his tribe and al-Husseini

12500-642: The name "Interim Agreement" for the Oslo II Accord and the term "Interim Self-Government Authority" (Oslo I, Article I). The interim period was designed to bridge the period between the establishment of the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council , and the end of the permanent status negotiations, "leading to a permanent settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338" (Oslo I, Article I). The permanent settlement

12625-427: The orders of Defense Minister Hafez al-Assad , a close friend of Urabi, Arafat was subsequently arrested, found guilty by a three-man jury and sentenced to death. However, he and his colleagues were pardoned by President Salah Jadid shortly after the verdict. The incident brought Assad and Arafat to unpleasant terms, which would surface later when Assad became President of Syria. On 13 November 1966, Israel launched

12750-552: The others gradually founded the group that became known as Fatah . The exact date for the establishment of Fatah is unknown. In 1959, the group's existence was attested to in the pages of a Palestinian nationalist magazine, Filastununa Nida al-Hayat (Our Palestine, The Call of Life), which was written and edited by Abu Jihad. FaTaH is a reverse acronym of the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini which translates into "The Palestinian National Liberation Movement". "Fatah"

12875-450: The outcome of the permanent status negotiations should not be prejudiced or preempted by agreements reached for the interim period. In May 1999, the five year interim period ended without reaching a comprehensive peace agreement. Both parties had agreed to: “establish a Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority...for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, for a transitional period not exceeding five years, leading to

13000-496: The parties signed the Wye River Memorandum , promising resumption of the redeployments, but only the first stage was implemented. While Netanyahu faced opposition within his cabinet, additional withdrawals were delayed. During the Second Intifada , in 2002, the Israeli military re-occupied many of the areas previously turned over to Palestinian control. The Oslo Accords brought on the security coordination between Israel and

13125-489: The purpose of safeguarding their internal security and public order, and will have all the powers to take the steps necessary to meet this responsibility. The first step was a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho and transfer of some powers and responsibilities on civil matters to the interim Palestinian Authority. All to agree upon within two months from October 1993 (Oslo I, Annex II). Then, Israeli troops were to withdraw from populated Palestinian areas to pave

13250-534: The ranks of the Palestinian fedayeen , Arafat fought alongside the Muslim Brotherhood , although he did not join the organization. He took part in combat in the Gaza area (which was the main battleground of Egyptian forces during the conflict). In early 1949, the war was winding down in Israel's favor, and Arafat returned to Cairo due to a lack of logistical support. After returning to the university, Arafat studied civil engineering and served as president of

13375-574: The regular military force of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which was created by the Arab League in 1964. On 31 December, a squad from al-Assifa , Fatah's armed wing, attempted to infiltrate Israel, but they were intercepted and detained by Lebanese security forces. Several other raids with Fatah's poorly trained and badly-equipped fighters followed this incident. Some were successful, others failed in their missions. Arafat often led these incursions personally. Arafat

13500-651: The rights, liabilities and obligations to be assumed by the Council in this regard. Accordingly, the term 'Council' throughout this Agreement shall, pending the inauguration of the Council, be construed as meaning the Palestinian Authority. The first elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) were on 20 January 1996. The governments elected by the PLC retained the name "Palestinian National Authority." The Oslo Accords contained substantial provisions on economic matters and international aid: Annex IV of

13625-622: The signing of the Gaza–Jericho Agreement ; Oslo I, Article V) and be concluded before May 1999 (end of 5 year interim period). A peace treaty would end the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . When the Oslo I Accord was signed in 1993, neither a government, nor a parliament existed for the Palestinian territories . The Palestinian Authority (PA or PNA) was created by the 1994 Gaza–Jericho Agreement . Article III.1 reads: Israel shall transfer authority as specified in this Agreement from

13750-564: The target of a major Israeli army operation in the Jordanian village of Karameh , where the Fatah headquarters—as well as a mid-sized Palestinian refugee camp —were located. The town's name is the Arabic word for 'dignity', which elevated its symbolism in the eyes of the Arab people , especially after the collective Arab defeat in 1967. The operation was in response to attacks, including rockets strikes from Fatah and other Palestinian militias, within

13875-445: The time, in contrast to other Palestinian factions, which often became satellites of nations such as Egypt, Iraq , Saudi Arabia, Syria and others. In accordance with his ideology, Arafat generally refused to accept donations to his organization from major Arab governments, in order to act independently of them. He did not want to alienate them, and sought their undivided support by avoiding ideological alliances. However, to establish

14000-476: The town of Jerash , near the border with Syria. With the help of Munib Masri , a pro-Palestinian Jordanian cabinet member, and Fahd al-Khomeimi, the Saudi ambassador to Jordan, Arafat managed to enter Syria with nearly two thousand of his fighters. However, due to the hostility of relations between Arafat and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad (who had since ousted President Salah Jadid ), the Palestinian fighters crossed

14125-500: The uprising, which lasted until 1992–93. Abu Jihad had previously been assigned the responsibility of the Palestinian territories within the PLO command and, according to biographer Said Aburish , had "impressive knowledge of local conditions" in the Israeli-occupied territories . On 16 April 1988, as the Intifada was raging, Abu Jihad was assassinated in his Tunis household by an Israeli hit squad. Arafat had considered Abu Jihad as

14250-529: The way for Palestinian elections to establish the council. The council would replace the PA, and the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank would be dissolved (Oslo II, Article I). Further redeployments of Israeli troops would follow upon the inauguration of the council, as detailed in the Protocol, Annex I of the Accord. Article I, 5. of Oslo II reads: "After the inauguration of the Council,

14375-636: Was chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 to 2004, President of the State of Palestine from 1989 to 2004 and President of the Palestinian Authority (PNA) from 1994 to 2004. Ideologically an Arab nationalist and a socialist , Arafat was a founding member of the Fatah political party, which he led from 1959 until 2004. Arafat was born to Palestinian parents in Cairo , Egypt, where he spent most of his youth. He studied at

14500-424: Was a "peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, taking into account the agreement reached in the final status of the West Bank and Gaza", the Oslo negotiations were directly between Israel and the PLO and aimed at a peace treaty directly between these groups. The Oslo Accords, like the 1978 Camp David Accords, merely aimed at an interim agreement that allowed first steps. This was intended to be followed by negotiation of

14625-551: Was agreed upon between the two sides, but Nasser died of a massive heart attack hours after the summit, and the conflict resumed shortly afterward. By 25 September, the Jordanian Army achieved dominance, and two days later Arafat and Hussein agreed to a ceasefire in Amman. The Jordanian Army inflicted heavy casualties on the Palestinians—including civilians—who suffered approximately 3,500 fatalities. After repeated violations of

14750-598: Was an Arab nationalist and began procuring weapons to be smuggled into Mandatory Palestine , for use by irregulars in the Arab Higher Committee and the Army of the Holy War militias. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , Arafat left the university and, along with other Arabs, sought to enter Palestine to join Arab forces fighting against Israeli troops and the creation of the state of Israel. However, instead of joining

14875-449: Was detained in Syria's Mezzeh Prison when a Palestinian Syrian Army officer, Yusef Urabi , was killed. Urabi had been chairing a meeting to ease tensions between Arafat and Palestinian Liberation Front leader Ahmed Jibril , but neither Arafat nor Jibril attended, delegating representatives to attend on their behalf. Urabi was killed during or after the meeting amid disputed circumstances. On

15000-540: Was heavily beaten by his father for going to the Jewish quarter in Cairo and attending religious services. When she asked Arafat why he would not stop going, he responded by saying that he wanted to study Jewish mentality. In 1944, Arafat enrolled in the University of King Fuad I and graduated in 1950. At university, he engaged Jews in discussion and read publications by Theodor Herzl and other prominent Zionists. By 1946, he

15125-536: Was not defined. The interim period ended on 4 May 1999, five years after the signing of the Gaza–Jericho Agreement . Article V of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (DOP or Oslo I) reads: Transitional Period and Permanent Status Negotiations 1. The five-year transitional period will begin upon the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho area. 2. Permanent status negotiations will commence as soon as possible, but not later than

15250-766: Was planned and carried out with the full knowledge and personal approval of Yasser Arafat." Arafat denied any involvement in the operation and insisted it was carried out independently by the Black September Organization. Israel claimed that Arafat was in ultimate control over these organizations and therefore had not abandoned terrorism. In addition, some circles within the US State Department viewed Arafat as an able diplomat and negotiator who could get support from many Arab governments at once. An example of that, we find in March 1973 that Arafat tried to arrange for

15375-416: Was soon besieged and bombarded by the IDF; Arafat declared the city to be the " Hanoi and Stalingrad of the Israeli army." The Civil War's first phase ended and Arafat—who was commanding Fatah forces at Tel al-Zaatar—narrowly escaped with assistance from Saudi and Kuwaiti diplomats. Towards the end of the siege, the US and European governments brokered an agreement guaranteeing safe passage for Arafat and

15500-488: Was that of the clan to which the al-Qudwas belonged. The al-Husseini clan was based in Gaza and is not related to the well-known al-Husayni clan of Jerusalem. Since Arafat was raised in Cairo, the tradition of dropping the Mohammed or Ahmad portion of one's first name was common; notable Egyptians such as Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak did so. However, Arafat dropped Abdel Rahman and Abdel Raouf from his name as well. During

15625-423: Was the second-youngest of seven children and was, along with his younger brother Fathi , the only offspring born in Cairo. Jerusalem was the family home of his mother, Zahwa Abul Saud, who died from a kidney ailment in 1933, when Arafat was four years of age. Arafat's first visit to Jerusalem came when his father, unable to raise seven children alone, sent Yasser and his brother Fathi to their mother's family in

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