Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

• Introduction
• Background
• Structure

Introduction

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has been the embodiment of the Palestinian national movement. It is a broad national front, or an umbrella organization, comprised of numerous organizations of the resistance movement, political parties, popular organizations, and independent personalities and figures from all sectors of life. The Arab Summit in 1974 recognized the PLO as the "sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" and since then the PLO has represented Palestine at the United Nations, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and in many other fora. In addition to its broad national and political goals, the PLO has dealt with numerous tasks with regard to the life of the Palestinian people in their main communities and throughout the world through the establishment of several institutions in such realms as health, education and social services. As such, the PLO is more than a national liberation movement striving to achieve the national goals of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The PLO was established in 1964 with Arab support. At that time, the PLO was headed by Mr. Ahmed Al-Shukairy and, since then, has undergone significant changes in its composition, leading bodies, political orientation, and even the locales of its headquarters. The leading bodies of the PLO are the Palestine National Council (PNC), the Central Council, and the Executive Committee. Political pluralism has remained a defining feature of the organization, as have democratic internal dialogue and attempts to reach decisions by consensus in its bodies, recognizing the presence of many differing views and competing alliances throughout different periods. In 1968, the organization witnessed the beginning of the engagement of the Feda’iyeen organizations (armed struggle organizations), particularly Fateh. In 1969, Yasser Arafat, leader of Fateh, became the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO and, in 1971, he became the General Commander of the Palestine Forces. Over the decades, his name has been synonymous with the PLO and with the Palestinian national movement even till this day. Yasser Arafat died on 11 November 2004. Mahmoud Abbas then became the Chair of the PLO.

Since the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the convening of the first general elections in January 1996 in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, which were preceded by the return of most Palestinian leaders to their homeland, the Authority’s role and responsibilities continue to increase, in some ways at the expense of the PLO. In the Palestinian territory, as well as outside, Islamic groups remain outside the PLO, which traditionally has not mixed religion and politics.
In general, the current Palestinian situation is constantly changing and progressing towards the establishment of a state and the building of a Palestinian democracy. These changes will affect the PLO, but there is no doubt that, at least for some time, the PLO will continue its role as a very important Palestinian structure for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Territories, in the refugee camps, and throughout the world.

Background

· Prior to Al-Nakba of 1948, the Arab Higher Committee for Palestine, headed by Haj Amin Al-Husseini, decided to establish a government to fill the void at the end of the British Mandate of Palestine. In the autumn of 1948, the matter became urgent and on 23 September, the Government of All of Palestinewas established, headed by Mr. Ahmad Hilmi Abdelbaky. To support the new government, the Arab Higher Committee called for the convening of a Palestine National Council, which met in Gaza on 1 October 1948 and was attended by many Palestinian personalities. At the meeting of the Council, support was given to the government based on the Declaration of Independence of Palestine within its international boundaries. The government was accepted by the Arab states, with the exception of Jordan, which actively resisted it. The government was invited to, and attended, the October 30th meeting of the Council of the League of Arab States. After that, Palestine continued to be represented at the League by Mr. Abdelbaky.

· In September 1963, the Council of the League of Arab States decided that Mr. Ahmed Al-Shukairy would replace Mr. Abdelbaky after the death of the latter. The Council’s decision stated that "it is high time for the people of Palestine to take their cause into their own hands and it is the duty of the Arab states to provide them with the opportunity to exercise that right."

· In January 1964, Arab kings and presidents held their first summit in Cairo, Egypt. The summit decided, on 13 January, to work "to organize the Palestinian people and to enable them to take their role in the liberation of their homeland and self-determination." The summit mandated Mr. Ahmed Al-Shukairy to contact the Palestinian people and the Arab states with the aim of reaching the appropriate basis for the establishment of the Palestinian entity. The support of President Nasser of Egypt was crucial during this period.

· On 28 May 1964, the 1st Palestinian Conference was held in Jerusalem with the participation of 422 members. The conference was attended by King Hussein of Jordan, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Mr. Abdel-Khaliq Hassouna, and by high level Arab representatives from Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq, the United Arab Republic (Egypt), Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, and the Republic of Yemen. The participants in the conference represented the Palestinian communities in Jordan, the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Iraq, Egypt, Qatar, Libya, and Algeria. At a late stage during preparations for the conference, a decision was taken by the preparatory committee to include, as members, all Palestinian members of the Jordanian parliament and upper chamber (Al-A’yan), as well as of Jordanian ministries. In general, participation reflected a broad representation of Palestinians, with emphasis on independent figures (with no party affiliation) and on the participation of women’s organizations, trade unionists, and religious leaders as well.

· The conference established the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the Palestinian entity. It adopted both a declaration of the establishment of the organization and the Palestine National Charter (Al-Mithaq Al-Kawmee Al-Philisteeni*). The conference also decided to transform itself into the Palestine National Council (PNC). It adopted a "Fundamental Law" of the organization and elected Mr. Al-Shukairy as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO. The conference also established the Palestine National Fund and elected Mr. Abdel Maguid Shoman as the Chairman of the Board.

· The Palestine National Charter, adopted by the PNC, consisted of an introduction and 29 articles. The Charter defined Palestinians as those Arab citizens who were living in Palestine up to 1947, whether they remained or were expelled, as well as every child who was born to a Palestinian Arab father after this date. The Charter also considered Jews of Palestinian origin as Palestinians if they were willing to live peacefully and loyally in Palestine. It considered the partitioning of Palestine, which took place in 1947, and the establishment of Israel as illegal and null and void, regardless of the passage of time. The same position was also taken with regard to the Balfour Declaration and the Palestine Mandate System. The Charter also indicated that the organization did not exercise any territorial sovereignty over the West Bank in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Gaza Strip or the Himmah Area. Its activities were to be on the national popular level in the liberational, organizational, political and financial fields.

· Following the conference, the departments of the organization opened offices in Jerusalem and the organization opened representative offices in the Arab states. Consultations led to the establishment of Palestinian army units, in agreement with the Arab states and the Arab joint command. Three such brigades were established - one in Syria (Hiteen), a second in Gaza (Ein Jalut) and a third in Iraq (Al-Kadisiyah) - forming the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA).

· The 2nd session of the PNC was held in Cairo from 31 May to 4 June 1965. The 3rd session was held in Gaza from 20 to 24 May 1966. In the meantime, and especially after the 1967 war, Mr. Shukairy increasingly began to encounter disagreements from Pan-Arab parties, such as the Al-Baath parties in both Syria and Iraq and the Movement of Arab Nationalists, as well as from the Feda’iyeen organizations (armed struggle organizations), which represented a new emerging force, and from some other Arab sources.

· On 14 December 1967, seven members of the Executive Committee sent a memo to Mr. Shukairy, requesting his resignation and, on 24 December, he submitted his resignation "to the Palestinian people". The Executive Committee accepted the resignation on the same day and chose Mr. Yehya Hammoudeh as acting Chairman. Efforts intensified to reorganize the PNC, with the active participation of the Feda’iyeen organizations, especially Fateh, which adopted a position agreeing to work within the PLO. Contacts eventually led to an agreement on a 100-member PNC with the following membership composition: 38 for Fateh and its allies at the time, including the Vanguards of the Popular Liberation war (Al-Saika); 10 for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and its allies; 20 for the Palestine Liberation Army and the Popular Liberation Troops; 3 for popular organizations (namely students, workers, and women); and 29 independents.

· The 4th session of the PNC was held in Cairo from 10 to 17 July 1968, marking the beginning of what can be called the second stage in the history of the PLO. The Council elected Mr. Abdel Mohsen Qatan as Speaker. The Council adopted amendments to the Charter, effectively establishing a new one with a new name: "Palestine National Charter" (Al-Mithaq Al-Watanee Al-Philisteeni). In general, the new Charter stressed an independent national identity, as well as the exercise of armed struggle. Similar to the original Charter, the new Charter spoke of Arab unity, however it also focused more on the vanguard role of the Palestinian people in liberating their homeland. Further, it emphasized a distinct Palestinian identity and the leading role of the PLO in the struggle to liberate Palestine. The Charter also addressed the colonialist and expansionist nature of the Zionist movement.

· The session also changed the "Fundamental Law" to include the election of the entire Executive Committee by the PNC, instead of only that of the Chairman. It separated the post of the Speaker of the PNC from the Chairman of the Executive Committee and incorporated a text aimed at affirming the authority of the Executive Committee over the army. The session also decided to extend the mandate of the Executive Committee and its Chairman, Mr. Yehya Hammoudeh.

· The PNC held its 5th session in Cairo from 1 to 4 February 1969, where final steps were taken towards reforming the PLO. A new Executive Committee was elected, as well as a new Chairman, Mr. Yasser Arafat, head of the Fateh Movement.

· Many developments took place on the Palestinian scene after the 5th PNC session, especially with regard to the Feda’iyeen organizations. The Popular Democratic Liberation Front of Palestine (PDFLP) evolved after a split within the PFLP, following a similar split in late 1968 which had led to the creation of the PFLP-General Command. The Arab leadership of the Al-Baath party in Iraq formed the Arab Liberation Front, which was preceded by the establishment of Al-Sa’ika by the Al-Baath party in Syria. Finally, the Front for Popular Struggle opted out of Fateh.

· The 6th session of the PNC was held in Cairo from 1 to 6 September 1969, with the members of the Council increasing to 112. The session elected Mr. Yehya Hammoudeh as Speaker. The composition reflected an increase in the presence of Feda’iyeen organizations, each with their own quota for representation, as well as an increase in representation for popular organizations from 3 representatives to 11 representatives. It also reflected a sharp decrease in the representation of the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) after it became clear that the brigades of the army remained part of the command of their respective Arab armies. The session also entailed serious work aimed at strengthening the institutions of the PLO, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society, which is responsible for the health of the Palestinian people.

· The PLO faced a difficult and bitter period on the Arab front after the 6th PNC session with the U.S. initiative presented by William Rogers and the Palestinian-Jordanian conflict, which reached the level of military conflict in 1970-71. The 7th session of the PNC was convened from 30 May to 4 June 1970 and, immediately afterwards, due to political developments, an exceptional session of the PNC was held at Al-Wihdat refugee camp in Amman on 27 August 1970. Both sessions rejected the Rogers Initiative and emphasized Palestinian internal affairs.

· The PNC held its 8th session on 28 February 1971 in Cairo and decided to establish a Unified General Command of the forces of the Palestinian revolution. It appointed Yasser Arafat as the Commander of those forces. A few months later, the 9th PNC session was held on 7 to 13 July 1971 in Cairo and was composed of 155 members. The number reflected an increase in the number of representatives from popular organizations, as well as from organizations of the Palestinian resistance (the expression "Palestinian resistance" largely came to replace that of the "Feda’iyeen"). The Council elected Mr. Khaled Al-Fahoum as Speaker.

· The 10th session of the PNC was held as an exceptional session in Cairo from 6 to 10 April 1972, and was followed by a Popular Conference. Both sessions were held in response to and in the wake of the termination of the Palestinian military presence in northern Jordan and in the wake of the announcement of the project of the United Arab Kingdom by King Hussein of Jordan, which was rejected by the PNC.

· The PNC’s 11th session was held in Cairo from 1 to 12 January 1973. The most important decision taken was the establishment of the Central Council as an intermediary body between the PNC and the Executive Committee, which would meet every three months.
· In the wake of the October War in 1973 and the increased Arab efforts towards a peaceful settlement, political polarization took place on the Palestinian scene between the forces in favor and against Palestinian engagement in those efforts. In February 1974, a group of organizations of the Palestinian resistance formed the "Front of the Palestinian Forces Rejecting Solutions of Surrender" (or Rejectionist Front), which was supported by Iraq. Nonetheless, the two sides intensified their dialogue with the aim of reaching a common political position and maintaining national unity. This period also witnessed an increased in the presence of the PLO in Lebanon.

The PLO attains full membership in the OIC on 22 February 1974.
· The 12th session of the PNC was held from 1 to 8 June 1974. In what can be considered a major change, it adopted a political program that came to be known as the "10-Point Program", calling for the establishment of the Palestinian Authority on any liberated part of Palestine. The council elected the Executive Committee, including three representatives from the Palestinian National Front, which functions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. (In October 1974, the Arab Summit decided to recognize the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the people of Palestine.)

· In 13 November 1974, Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the PLO becomes the first representative of a liberation movement, not a member state, to address the United Nations General Assembly plenary. Later, on 22 November 1974, resolution 3236 is adopted, reaffirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination. On that same day, the PLO is granted observer status at the U.N. by resolution 3237 (XXIX).
· After becoming an observer in 1970, the PLO attains full membership in NAM in 1976.

· The 13th PNC session was held in Cairo from 12 to 22 March 1977. Its main political feature of was reconciliation with Syria after the events that took place following the Syrian intervention in Lebanon in 1976.

· The 14th session of the PNC was held from 15 to 22 January 1979 in Damascus, Syria, during an exceptional and short period of reconciliation between Iraq and Syria. The session ended in an unruly way and Arafat, sensing outside pressure, abruptly left along with many other members, practically ending the session. The 15th session was also held in Damascus, Syria in April 1981.

· The 16th session of the PNC was convened in Algeria in February 1983 in the aftermath of the departure of PLO forces from Beirut, the distribution of those forces to several Arab countries, and the establishment of the PLO headquarters in Tunis. The atmosphere reflected the new situation on the Palestinian scene and the numerous developments that took place after the 1982. Among the most serious was a revolt within Fateh, which manifested itself on the ground in the Bekka valley and in the north of Lebanon. A military conflict took place between Fateh forces in Tripoli and the revolting forces, supported by the Syrian army, which led to the departure of the Fateh forces. At the same time, four Palestinian organizations established a democratic coalition which tried to negotiate between the leadership of Fateh and the PLO, on the one hand, and the Fateh split and Syria on the other.

· As a result of those developments, Fateh decided to call for a meeting of the PNC and the 17th session of the PNC was convened in Amman from 22 to 29 November 1984. Sheikh Abdelhamid Al-Sayeh was elected Speaker. The session was boycotted by most organizations of the Palestinian resistance, with the exception of the Palestine Liberation Front and the Communist party. Achieving the necessary quorum for the session was a remarkable success for the leadership. The session protected Palestinian legitimacy and paved the way for further cooperation between the Palestinian and Jordanian sides.

· The 18th session of the PNC was held in Algiers from 20 to 25 April 1987. It added 40 members to the Council, bringing the overall membership, which had been gradually increasing during its previous sessions, to 451. The session adopted some amendments to the decision establishing the Central Council, including the enlargement of the Council.

· Another major development in PLO history took place in 1988, almost one year after the beginning of the Palestinian Intifada (uprising), with the convening of the 19th session of the PNC in Algiers in November 1988. The session adopted, on 15 November 1988, the Declaration of Independence of Palestine, as well a political communiqué. The Declaration accepted General Assembly resolution 181(II) of 1947 and the communiqué accepted Security Council resolution 242 of 1967.

· The PNC convened its 20th Session in Algeria in 1991. The session approved the Palestinian participation in the Madrid Peace Conference based on the principle of land for peace and Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. The Council authorized the Central Council of the PLO to deal with the matter.

· The Central Council met in Tunisia from 10 to 12 October 1993 to consider the Declaration of Principles (DOP). By a large majority, the Council accepted the agreement through endorsement of the decision of the Executive Committee in this regard. The Council also authorized the Executive Committee to form the Council of the Palestinian National Authority for the transitional period. The Council chose Mr. Yasser Arafat as President of the Council of the National Authority.

· The PNC held its 21st session on 21 April in Gaza City in Palestine for the first time since 1966. Mr. Saleem Zanoun was elected as Speaker. The session voted, by majority, to "abrogate the provisions of the PLO Charter that are contrary to the exchanged letters between the PLO and the Government of Israel of 9 and 10 September 1993."
* "Al-Kawmee" has no exact equivalent in English, but reflects the notion of Pan-Arabism.

Structure

Palestine National Council

The PNC, which is the highest decision-making body of the PLO, is considered to be the parliament of all Palestinians inside and outside of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. The PNC normally sets PLO policies, elects the Executive Committee and makes the necessary changes in its own membership, as well as changes to the Palestine National Charter (a special meeting is required) and to the Fundamental Law of the organization. The PNC also elects a speaker, two deputies and a secretary, who make up the Bureau of the Council. The Council has its own standing committees for various aspects of its work, such as its legal and political committees. The composition of the PNC represents all sectors of the Palestinian community worldwide and includes numerous organizations of the resistance movement, political parties, popular organizations (each of the above is represented by specific quotas) and independent personalities and figures from all sectors of life, including intellectuals, religious leaders and businessmen. The current membership of the PNC stands at X, including all of the 88 elected members of the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC).

The following are outlines of the organizations, political parties and popular organizations in the PNC. The information provided is intended to assist the reader and does not represent any judgement on the part of the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the U.N.

Organizations of the Resistance Movement & Political Parties

Palestine National Liberation Movement (Fateh)
· Established in 1957.
· Its military wing, Al-Assifa, began the armed struggle on 1 January 1965, in what represented the beginning of the Palestinian revolution.
· In 1968, it took on a more public role, announcing that its leader was Yasser Arafat..
· Many of Fateh’s leaders and cadres came from different party backgrounds but believe in a Palestinian national identity, in the need for independent decision making, in the goal of liberating Palestine, and in the necessity of armed struggle to achieve that goal.
· Fateh led the change in the PLO in 1968 and 1969 and adopted the principle of political pluralism within the PLO. Since that time, Fateh has constituted the backbone of the PLO and has effectively led the political movement until this day.
· In 1968, it promoted the goal of establishing a democratic, secular state in Palestine and, since the mid-1970s has led the pragmatic transition towards the engagement in the political settlement.
· Played a central role in the Intifada (uprising) of the Palestinian people, which began in 1987, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
· Several members of its leading body, the Central Committee, died throughout the years of fighting, including those assassinated by Israel. They include Abu Ali Iyad, Abu Youssef Al-Najjar, Kamal Edwan, Majid Abu Sharar, Saed Sayil, Salah Khalaf (Abu Iyad), Hayel Abdel Hamid (Abul’ Hol) and Khalil Al-Wazir (Abu Jihad).
· Represented in the Executive Committee by two members in addition to Mahmoud Abbas.
· Among its remaining historic leaders are Farouk Kaddoumi, Mahmoud Abbas, Mohammad Ighneim and Salim Za’noun.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

· Established in the 2nd half of 1967 by the Movement of Arab Nationalists.
· Following its conference in February 1969, the Front began a transformation towards a Marxist-Leninist ideology.
· The PFLP generally adopted a hard-line position, particularly with regard to the peace settlement and it played an important role in the Palestinian political movement.
· During several phases, the Front chose to boycott meetings of the PNC and the Executive Committee, but has always remained faithful to the principle of national unity and to the maintenance of the PLO.
· In its early days, the Front practiced and sanctioned the hijacking of airplanes, which was later prohibited by one of its conferences in the mid-1970s.
· The leader of the Front is Mr. George Habash, a famous and charismatic Palestinian leader.
· Ghassan Kanafani, one of its most famous leaders, was assassinated in Beirut in on 8 July 1972, by assassins widely believed to be Israeli agents.
· The PFLP is represented in the Executive Committee by Mr. Abdel Rahim Malouh, although he does not actively participate.

Al-Saika (Vanguard of the Popular Liberation War)

· Established in February 1968 at the initiative of the Arab leadership of Al-Baath party in Syria.
· The organization possesses important resources as a result of Syrian support but has no serious presence outside of Syria and Lebanon.
· Mr. Zohair Mohsen, its well-known leader, was assassinated in Cannes, France on 26 July 1979 by assassins widely suspected to be Israeli agents.
· Not represented in the Executive Committee at the present time.
PFLP-General Command
· The PFLP-GC was established towards the end of 1968 as a result of a disagreement within the PFLP.
· Led by Mr. Ahmad Jibril, an officer well known for his military skills.
· The organization conducted several known military operations and was responsible for some prisoner exchanges with Israel.
· Lacks broad popular presence and is not represented in the Executive Committee at the present time.
Arab Liberation Front
· Established in 1968 at the initiative of the Arab leadership of Al-Baath party in Iraq.
· Played an important role during the period of the Rejectionist Front.
· Its popular presence was weakened recently, possibly due to the situation in Iraq
· Currently represented in the Executive Committee by Mr. Mahmoud Ismael.
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)
· Established in 1969 as a split from the PFLP by members who wanted a more rapid transformation to Marxism.
· Originally known as the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
· The DFLP has generally adopted pragmatic positions and has supported engagement in the political settlement, and in most phases, has kept up positive relations with Fateh.
· Has played an important role in the march the PLO.
· The leader of the Front is the effective and pragmatic Nayef Hawatmeh.
· Although it does not actively participate, is represented in the Executive Committee by Mr. Taysir Khalid.
Palestinian Liberation Front
· Established in 1976 as a split from PFLP-GC in response to the leadership’s refusal to join the Palestinian side during the confrontation with the Syrian forces in Lebanon.
· It adopted radical positions while maintaining an alliance with Fateh and the PLO leadership.
· Led by Mohammad Abbass.
· Currently represented at in the Executive Committee by Mr. Ali Ishak after the departure of Mr. Abbas from the Committee.
Popular Struggle Front
· An old but relatively small organization, it was established on 15 July 1967 and had unified relations with Fateh for a short period.
· Presently led by Dr. Samir Ghoseh, who also represents the organization in the Executive Committee.
· A group in Damascus claims to represent the organization.
Hizb Al-Sha’ab (People’s Party)
· Formerly the Palestinian Communist party. The change took place in 1991.
· Historically, its presence was based in the occupied territories where the party played an important role in the national front there, contrary to their relatively limited role in the PLO.
· Represented in the Executive Committee by Mr. Suleiman Al-Najjab.
Democratic Union (FIDA)
· Established in March 1990 as a split faction of the DFLP.
· Led by Mr. Yasser Abed Rabbo, who also represents the party in the Executive Committee.
· The Secretary-General of the party is Mr. Saleh Ra’fat.
All of the above-mentioned organizations and parties are part of the PLO. There are other minor organizations outside the PLO, but they lack a serious presence on the ground, including some members of the so-called Alliance of 10 Organizations based in Damascus. The other existing organizations are the radical Islamic organizations like the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad. These are outside of the PLO, in spite of efforts even prior to the peace process, to bring them into the PNC. The two are also part of the above-mentioned Alliance.

Popular Organizations
The Palestinian popular organizations are well established and some of them, such as the General Union of Palestinian Students, are older than the PLO itself. These organizations represent important sectors of Palestinian society worldwide and many of them have played an essential role in the Palestinian political movement and in the PLO. All of these organizations function on a democratic basis, holding conferences at which the leadership bodies are elected in accordance with the constitutions and bylaws of the respective organization. Their representatives to the PNC are elected by their respective leading bodies and represent an important part of the PNC. Most of these organizations have branches organizing their respective sectors in the Palestinian communities worldwide. For the most part, the main presence of these organizations is moving to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
These popular organizations are as follows:
General Union of Palestine Students
General Union of Palestinian Workers
General Union of Palestinian Women
General Union of Palestinian Teachers
General Union of Palestinian Writers & Journalists
General Union of Palestinian Jurists
General Union of Palestinian Engineers
General Union of Palestinian Doctors
General Union of Palestinian Artists
General Union of Palestinian Artistic Performers
General Union of Palestinian Farmers
General Union of Palestinian Economists
Higher Council of Palestinian Youth & Sports

II. Central Council
The Central Council, which was established by the PNC in 1973, is the second leading body of the PLO. The Council functions as an intermediary body between the PNC and the Executive Committee. At present, the membership stands at 124, including 15 representatives of the PLC. The last meeting of the Central Council took place in Gaza on 10 December 1998.

III. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is the daily leading body of the PLO and it represents the organization at the international level. The Committee is elected by the members of PNC and it is responsible to the PNC. Its main function is to execute the policies and decisions set out by the PNC and the Central Council. The Committee is also responsible for adopting a budget and for overseeing the functioning of the departments of the PLO, the responsibilities of which are distributed among its members. Decisions of the Committee are taken by a simple majority. Its membership stands at 18, including its Chairman.

IV. Palestine National Fund
The Fund is managed by a board of directors and by a chairman who is elected by the PNC and who automatically serves on the Executive Committee. The other members of the board are appointed by the Executive Committee, with a maximum of 11 members. Revenues for the fund come from two sources - a fixed tax on the wages earned by all Palestinians living in Arab countries and collected by those respective governments and from financial contributions by Arab governments and peoples, an amount that in the past was substantial.

V. Palestine Liberation Army
The Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) was established as the official military branch of the PLO in 1964, in accordance with the resolutions of the 1st Palestinian Conference (the 1st PNC). At that time, three brigades were established: Ein Jalut in Gaza and Egypt, Kadissiyah in Iraq, and Hiteen in Syria. In practice, those brigades were dominated by the general command of the armed forces of their respective host countries. Over time, however, changes were made to the PLA’s structure, including, for instance, the establishment in 1968 of commando units in Gaza to fight against the Israeli occupation, known as Kuwat al-Tahrir Al-Sha’biya (Popular Liberation Troops). Recently, with the establishment of the Palestine National Authority (PNA), important parts of those brigades in Egypt and Jordan were absorbed into the PNA security forces.

VI. Departments
The Organization has established departments that are responsible for several important spheres of work, each headed by a member of the Executive Committee. The departments include the Political Department, the Department of Returnees, the Department of Culture and Information, and the Department of Popular Organizations. Of these, the Political Department is the largest. It directs and supervises the work of Palestinian representation abroad, including Palestinian embassies, missions and offices. The Political Department also represents the PLO and the State of Palestine at international conferences, such as those of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). (For the addresses of all embassies look under the Directory of Palestinian Embassies & Missions for the addresses of all embassies).
VII. Palestinian Institutions
The institutions of the PLO have achieved significant accomplishments through the myriad of social, economic and health services that they provide to Palestinian communities. Among the most important of these institutions are the following:
· Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS): Established in 1968 in Jordan, the PRCS provides medical and health care to the Palestinian people. The PRCS started out with only several small clinics and grew into a substantial medical network with hospitals and medical centers throughout the region.
· Palestinian Martyrs Works Society (SAMED): SAMED provided, throughout an important period, the economic infrastructure of the Palestinian community. It had been established in 1970 originally to provide vocational training to the children of Palestinian martyrs.
· Sons of Martyrs: This organization owns several important facilities in the region that take care of the children of Palestinian martyrs