Palestine Liberation Organization

The UK Peel Commission Report in 1937 publicly acknowledged the irreconcilable terms of the conflict in Palestine and recommended the partition of the region.

In 1939, the UK issued the White Paper which imposed restrictions on Jewish immigration to Palestine, further fueling tensions in the region.

In 1942, US Zionists gathered in New York and adopted the Biltmore Programme, advocating for the establishment of Palestine as a Jewish Commonwealth and promoting unlimited Jewish immigration.

In February 1947, the UK suggested giving up its mandatory role in Palestine, leading to further discussions on the future of the region.

In September 1947, the UN Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) presented a report to the General Assembly outlining proposals for either partitioning Palestine or establishing a federal state.

In November 1947, the UN General Assembly passed resolution 181(II) which recommended the division of Palestine into a Jewish State and an Arab State, with Jerusalem under UN trusteeship.

The Arab Nationalists Movement (ANM) was founded in 1951 in Beirut and became committed to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser's version of pan-Arab nationalism, with a focus on liberating Palestine.

Fatah was officially founded in 1959, rejecting Arab states' tutelage and building on military cells operating from Egyptian-ruled Gaza since the early 1950s. It later took command of the PLO in 1969.

A draft Constitution was written in 1963 to govern the PLO until free general elections could be held among all Palestinians residing in different countries. The Constitution was revised in 1968.

The PLO was established on June 2, 1964, following a summit meeting in Cairo initiated by the Arab League to create an organization representing the Palestinian people. Its main goals were Arab unity and the liberation of Palestine.

In January 1965, the PLO initiated its militant campaign with an attack on Israel's National Water Carrier, using guerrilla tactics from bases in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria.

After the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in 1967, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Fatah group, took over the PLO and became its Chairman, leading the organization until his death in 2004.

Yasser Arafat, leader of Fatah, was appointed as the Chairman of the PLO in 1969, leading the organization through a period of increased recognition and autonomy in the Palestinian struggle against Israel.

On February 4, 1969, Yasser Arafat was elected Chairman of the PLO in Cairo, solidifying Fatah's dominant position within the organization.

A photo enlargement shows Palestinians marching in West Berlin on 15 November 1969.

Jordanian assault on Palestinian armed groups, leading to their expulsion from Jordan in events known as Black September in 1970.

Jordan expelled the PLO to Lebanon in July 1971 after a conflict culminating in the expulsion of Palestinian groups from Jordan.

Black September Organization carried out the Munich massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes in 1972.

The Palestinian Central Council (CC or PCC) was established by the Palestinian National Council (PNC) in 1973. It is the second leading body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and consists of 124 members from various Palestinian organizations.

The PLO Political Program was adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestine National Council in Cairo on 8 June 1974, published by the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations.

In October 1974, the Arab League officially recognized the PLO as the 'sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,' granting it full membership and global acceptance.

Yassir Arafat, the chairman of the PLO, addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, marking a significant milestone in the PLO's quest for UN recognition and access. This event highlighted the international recognition of the PLO as the sole representative of the Palestinian people.

On 22 November 1974, the United Nations General Assembly granted the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) observer status, recognizing it as the representative of the Palestinian people. This status allowed the PLO to participate in UN debates.

In 1975, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) was established by Resolution 3376 of the UNGA to address the rights of Palestinians.

The PLO took part in the Damour massacre in retaliation to the Karantina massacre, attacking the Christian town of Damour, killing 684 civilians and forcing the remainder of the town's population to flee.

Since 1977, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been observed annually on 29 November, as per UNGA Resolution 32/40 B.

Fatah carried out the Coastal Road massacre in 1978, killing 37 Israelis and wounding 76.

In 1979, the UNGA renamed the Special Unit on Palestinian Rights to the Division for Palestinian Rights through Resolution 34/65 D.

In the Venice Declaration of 1980, the European Economic Community called for the recognition of the Palestinian right of self-determination by Israel, which was opposed by Abu Nidal, a sworn enemy of the PLO.

In July 1981, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) fired rockets into northern Israel, resulting in casualties. Three Israelis were killed in Nahariyah, including individuals in a maternity ward, and 17 were wounded in Kiryat Shmona.

Three days after the PLO rocket attacks on northern Israel, Israel bombed the headquarters of the PLO and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) in Beirut, resulting in the death of more than 100 people.

Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia made a peace proposal on 7 August, advocating for a diplomatic resolution to the hostilities in the region.

In 1982, the PLO relocated to Tunis, Tunisia after being driven out of Lebanon by Israel during the 1982 Lebanon War.

A meeting took place between Comrade Hermann Axen and Salah Khalaf (Abu Iyad) of the PLO, providing insights into the interactions and discussions between the PLO representative and a key figure.

On August 8, 1985, the US Congress enacted a policy that banned any negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

On 1 October 1985, Israeli Air Force F-15s bombed the PLO's Tunis headquarters in Operation Wooden Leg, resulting in the death of more than 60 people.

The first Palestinian uprising was triggered on December 9, 1987, when an Israeli military truck struck and killed Palestinian day laborers.

On December 27, 1987, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was officially designated as a terrorist organization according to the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The Declaration of the Palestine National Council in November 1988 marked a crucial moment in the Palestinian quest for statehood and international recognition.

In December 1988, PLO Chair Yasser Arafat speaks at the United Nations in Geneva, announcing that the Palestine National Council accepts UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

The Foreign Relations Authorization Act passed on February 16, 1990, prohibited the allocation of US funds to the United Nations or its agencies that granted the PLO the same status as a member state.

The Immigration Act of 1990, implemented on November 29, 1990, considered officials and spokespersons of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as engaged in terrorism, making them ineligible for entry into the United States.

The Oslo Accords, secretly negotiated in 1993 between the PLO and Israel, granted Palestinians the right to self-government in the Gaza Strip and Jericho in the West Bank through the creation of the Palestinian Authority.

On September 9, 1993, Yasser Arafat, as the Chairman of the PLO, made a formal commitment to Israeli Prime Minister Rabin and Norwegian Foreign Minister Holst to halt all violent and terrorist activities by the PLO. This pledge marked a crucial step towards peace efforts in the region.

On September 13, 1993, the Declaration of Principles was signed in Washington, DC, between the Israelis and Palestinians, marking a significant step towards peace negotiations.

The Middle East Peace Facilitation Act (MEPFA) passed on October 28, 1993, allowed the president to suspend restrictions that prevented the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from operating in the United States, although this provision expired in 1997.

The Foreign Relations Authorization Act of April 30, 1994, prohibited US funds for the United Nations or its affiliated organizations that granted membership to groups lacking the internationally recognized attributes of statehood, impacting the PLO.

The Jerusalem Embassy Act, introduced on November 8, 1995, advocated for moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by 1999.

In 1996, the Palestine Liberation Organization nullified parts of the PLO's Charter that called for the destruction of Israel and armed resistance, signaling a shift in their approach.

In 1997, the U.S. State Department labeled certain PLO factions and other Palestinian groups as foreign terrorists.

Arafat established a Constitutional Committee in 1999, which formulated the draft Constitution containing provisions that endorse Islam as the official religion in Palestine and the principles of Islamic sharia as a principal source of legislation. The draft Constitution was later endorsed by the PLO.

In 2002, Yasser Arafat held multiple key positions within the Palestinian leadership, including Chairman of the PLO/Executive Committee, Chairman of Fatah, and President of the Palestinian National Authority, consolidating power in his hands.

Under President Arafat, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority adopted the 2003 Amended Basic Law, which declares Islam as the sole official religion in Palestine and the principles of Islamic sharia as a principal source of legislation.

After the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004, Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, succeeded him in leading the PLO Executive Committee.

In 2006, the Sunni Islamist militant group Hamas won the majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, leading to conflict with the ruling Fatah faction.

In 2007, after Hamas took over Gaza, Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree suspending the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and some sections of the Palestinian Basic Law, appointing Salam Fayyad as prime minister.

On July 20, 2010, the United States Department of State agreed to elevate the status of the PLO Mission in Washington D.C to 'General Delegation of the PLO'. This move signified a shift in diplomatic representation.

In September 2011, President Mahmoud Abbas submitted an application for UN state membership on behalf of Palestine. Palestinian legal experts expressed concerns about potential negative implications on the legal position of the Palestinian people due to the change in status.

On November 29, 2012, Resolution 67/19 was passed, granting Palestine non-member observer State status in the United Nations. This upgrade in status was a significant diplomatic achievement for Palestine.

In August 2015, Mahmoud Abbas announced his resignation as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO along with nine other members. This move was perceived by many Palestinians as an attempt to reshuffle the executive committee or to pressure the PNC to decide on their resignations.

On February 22, 2018, the case of Sokolow v. PLO/PA, which involved liability for terrorism in Israel, was brought before the U.S. Supreme Court.

On April 2, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Sokolow v. PA/PLO, upholding the appellate court's decision that there was no basis for personal jurisdiction over the entities.

On September 10, 2018, National Security Advisor John Bolton announced the closure of the PLO Mission in the United States. This decision was made in response to Palestine's efforts to involve the International Criminal Court in investigating Israel for possible war crimes.

On October 29, 2018, the PLO Central Council suspended the Palestinian recognition of Israel and halted security and economic cooperation with Israeli authorities until Israel recognizes a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders.

On December 26, 2018, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah officially notifies the Palestinian Authority's decision to no longer accept financial aid from the United States.

Yezid Sayigh, a former Palestinian diplomat and advisor to the Palestinian delegation to ACRS, was interviewed, shedding light on his experiences and insights as a key figure in Palestinian diplomacy.

Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian professor and member of the Palestinian delegation to the Arms Control and Regional Security talks, was interviewed. His role in academia and diplomacy provided valuable perspectives on Palestinian issues.