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Burns, John F. “Mideast Tensions; Iraqi President Renews controlled by Egypt. The dynamics of the organization
Threat to Attack Israel.” New York Times, October 10, changed after the resounding Arab defeat in 1967
1990, A11. Six-Day War. Shuqairi came under attack for opposing
Cockburn, Patrick. “Leader of ‘Achille Lauro’ Hijack Turns the commando raids that groups such as Arafat’s Fatah
to the Ballot-Box.” The Independent (London), May 27, were carrying out against Israel. Shuqairi was forced to
1998. resign in December 1967, amid the growing popularity
Dudkevitch, Margot. “Iraq-Backed Terror Cell Nabbed in and power of these guerrilla factions. Yahya Hamuda
West Bank.” Jerusalem Post, November 26, 2001, 3.
International Policy Institute for Counter Terrorism. “Pale- replaced him as the PLO’s acting chairman until the
stine Liberation Front.” http://www.ict.org.il/inter_ter/ July 1968 Palestine National Council session brought
orgdet.cfm?orgid=29. large political gains to Al Fatah and the group Popular
Sennott, Charles M. “Achille Lauro Plotter Recast as Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Arafat
Proponent of Mideast Peace.” Boston Globe, June 26, was elected to replace Hamuda less than a year later,
1998, A1. during the fifth meeting of the Palestine National
U.S. State Department. “Appendix B: Background Congress, the group’s parliamentary body.
Information on Terrorist Groups.” Patterns of Global The PLO made Jordan its base during its early
Terrorism—2000. Released by the Office of the years, setting up outposts in the Palestinian refugee
Coordinator for Counterterrorism, April 30, 2001. http:// camps and crossing the border to raid Israeli settle-
www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2000/2450.htm. ments. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, many
Vulliamy, Ed. “A Threat From the Angry Outsider: Abu of the Palestinian groups also engaged in terrorist
Abbas, the Leader of the Palestine Liberation Front
Wanted in the West for Murder, Is Promising to Wreak attacks in other countries to gain international atten-
Worldwide Vengeance on the U.S. If It Dares to Wage tion for the cause. The PFLP, led by George Habash,
War on His Iraqi Benefactor.” The Guardian (London), became notorious for airline hijackings. These
December 18, 1990. attacks caused problems between King Hussein of
Jordan and the PLO—the king felt the groups were
undermining his authority. In September 1970, the
PFLP hijacked four planes in a single day, forcing
PALESTINE LIBERATION them to land outside of Amman, the capital of Jordan.
ORGANIZATION After all the hostages were released, the king ordered
his army to attack Palestinian guerrillas and camps in
Jordan. After 10 days of fighting, the Palestinians
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is
were defeated. This setback, which came to be known
basically an umbrella organization that coordinates
as Black September, left Lebanon as the sole base
various Palestinian terrorist groups, professional
from which the PLO could launch raids and attacks
unions and syndicates, and civilian groups. During the
on Israel.
past half-century, the PLO has built a network of
Infamously, Black September, an extremist splinter
embassies across the world and claims to be the sole
group of Al Fatah named after this event, killed 11
representative of the Palestinian people. When PLO
Israeli team members during the 1972 Olympic Games
chairman Yasir Arafat signed the Oslo Peace Accords
in Munich, Germany.
in 1993, the organization returned from exile in
Tunisia to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Throughout
PLO history, cohesion has been fragile, and many of GAINING GROUND
its various terrorist groups have quarreled with and
Even after being expelled from Jordan, the PLO
split from the organization, some later returning and
continued to grow, establishing social and charity
some remaining outside.
networks and creating the Palestinian Red Crescent
Society, a health program. Many Arab states supplied
the PLO with funds and diplomatic backing, and at an
EARLY YEARS
Arab League summit in Rabat, Morocco, in October
When the PLO was formed under the chairmanship of 1974, the 20 Arab League heads of state unanimously
Ahmad Shuqairi at an Arab summit meeting in Cairo recognized the PLO as the “sole legitimate represen-
in 1964, it was said to be largely a token organization tative of the Palestinian people.”