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In the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Arab states launched
a surprise attack against Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish
calendar. Once again they tried to eliminate Israel, further
motivated this time by the desire to redeem their honor after
their major defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War. Though Israel was
initially caught off guard, it then regrouped and repelled the
Arab attack, but not before incurring heavy casualties. The
war convinced the Arabs that they would not be able to destroy
Israel militarily within its post-1967 boundaries. Thus they
embarked upon a new three-stage strategy for Israel's destruction,
embodied in the PLO's 1974 decision commonly known as the Phased
Plan (the text of which is below).
Through the "armed struggle"
(i.e., terrorism), to establish an "independent combatant national
authority" over any territory that is "liberated" from Israeli
rule. (Article 2)
To continue the struggle against
Israel, using the territory of the national authority as a base
of operations. (Article 4)
To provoke an all-out war
in which Israel's Arab neighbors destroy it entirely ("liberate
all Palestinian territory"). (Article 8).
Today, the Phased Plan remains relevant. Speaking just after
the 1993 revelation of the Israel-PLO accord, PLO Chairman Yasser
Arafat announced that the historic agreement "will be a basis
for an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the
Palestine National Council resolution issued in 1974.... The
PNC resolution issued in 1974 calls for the establishment of
a national authority on any part of Palestinian soil from which
Israel withdraws or which is liberated." (Radio Monte Carlo,
1 September 1993) It is worth noting that the PLO's term for
the self-rule council now in place in Gaza and the West Bank
is the "Palestinian National Authority," echoing the language
of the Phased Plan. Also note that Articles 5-6 call for a revolution
in Jordan to establish a new Jordanian regime which will ally
itself with the Palestinian National Authority. Historically,
Jordan comprised the bulk of the Palestine territory, and a
majority of its residents are of Palestinian origin. The PLO
has never recognized the legitimacy of Kingdom of Jordan as
a state independent of Palestine.
THE PLO'S PHASED PLAN
Political Programme
Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestinian National Council
Cairo, June 9, 1974
The Palestinian National Council: On the basis of the Palestinian
National Charter and the Political Programme drawn up at the
eleventh session, held from January 6-12, 1973; and from its
belief that it is impossible for a permanent and just peace
to be established in the area unless our Palestinian people
recover all their national rights and, first and foremost, their
rights to return and to self-determination on the whole of the
soil of their homeland; and in the light of a study of the new
political circumstances that have come into existence in the
period between the Council's last and present sessions, resolves
the following:
1. To reaffirm the Palestine Liberation Organization's
previous attitude to Resolution 242, which obliterates the national
right of our people and deals with the cause of our people as
a problem of refugees. The Council therefore refuses to have
anything to do with this resolution at any level, Arab or international,
including the Geneva Conference.
2. The Liberation Organization will employ
all means, and first and foremost armed struggle, to liberate
Palestinian territory and to establish the independent combatant
national authority for the people over every part of Palestinian
territory that is liberated. This will require further changes
being effected in the balance of power in favour of our people
and their struggle. 3. The Liberation Organization
will struggle against any proposal for a Palestinian entity
the price of which is recognition, peace, secure frontiers,
renunciation of national rights and the deprival of our people
of their right to return and their right to self-determination
on the soil of their homeland. 4. Any step
taken towards liberation is a step towards the realization of
the Liberation Organization's strategy of establishing the democratic
Palestinian state specified in the resolutions of previous Palestinian
National Councils. 5. Struggle along with the
Jordanian national forces to establish a Jordanian-Palestinian
national front whose aim will be to set up in Jordan a democratic
national authority in close contact with the Palestinian entity
that is established through the struggle.
6. The Liberation Organization will struggle
to establish unity in struggle between the two peoples and between
all the forces of the Arab liberation movement that are in agreement
on this programme.
7. In the light of this programme, the Liberation
Organization will struggle to strengthen national unity and
to raise it to the level where it will be able to perform its
national duties and tasks.
8. Once it is established, the Palestinian
national authority will strive to achieve a union of the confrontation
countries, with the aim of completing the liberation of all
Palestinian territory, and as a step along the road to comprehensive
Arab unity.
9. The Liberation Organization will strive
to strengthen its solidarity with the socialist countries, and
with forces of liberation and progress throughout the world,
with the aim of frustration all the schemes of Zionism, reaction
and imperialism.
10. In light of this programme, the leadership
of the revolution will determine the tactics which will serve
and make possible the realization of these objectives. The Executive
Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization will make
every effort to implement this programme, and should a situation
arise affecting the destiny and the future of the Palestinian
people, the National Assembly will be convened in extraordinary
session. |
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