JMCC / Politics in Palestine

The Palestinian Liberation Organization - PLO

In May 1964, 422 Palestinian national figures meeting in Jerusalem under the chairmanship of Ahmad Shuqeiri and following an Arab League decision, founded the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and laid down the structure of the Palestine National Council (PNC), the PLO Executive Committee, the National Fund and the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) as well as approving a Palestinian national covenant and basic law; since then the PLO has been an umbrella organization for various Palestinian factions and resistance groups; became independent when taken over by Fatah with Arafat as chairman in 1969 and then acquired a more central role in mobilizing Palestinians as well as international support; created a number of organizations to provide education, health etc. and to relieve the conditions of the Palestinian people and formed a quasi-governmental structure performing tasks in the areas of internal security, military operations, finances, information, foreign relations etc..

Early ideology followed-pan-Arabism; highest executive body is the Executive Committee consisting of 12 member elected by the PNC and which has full operational authority over all PLO-organizations and prepares the budget; gaining a more independent identity under Arafat's guidance, the focus was on primacy of Palestinian interests and the role of the national (rather than the united) struggle which is considered a root of Palestinian nationalism; recognized by the UN General Assembly as the representative of the Palestinian people (Resolution 3210) on October 14th 1974, and gained the status of observer ship; in 1965 granted access to the Security Council; declared Palestinian independence on November 15th 1988; announced in Geneva in December 1988, the recognition of Israel's right to exist and its renunciation of terrorism; headquarters was Lebanon Until PLO's evacuation in the course of the 1982 war; reestablished its headquarters in Tunis where it stayed until it moved to the Palestinian autonomous areas (Gaza and Jericho) following the Declaration of Principles of September 13th 1993 and Cairo Agreement of May 4th 1994 in July 1994; now: Palestinian Authority (PA).

Palestinian National Council (PNC):
Legislative body of the PLO; ultimate decision-making authority of the Palestinians; formulates policies, issues guidelines to the executive Committee, and nominates its members; in effect the Palestinian parliament in-exile with representatives of al sections of the Palestinian community such as resistance groups, trade unions and professional organizations; declared Palestinian independence on November 15th 1988; Current membership is 483, selected either by appointment or election, depending on local conditions in the countries where Palestinians live; 84 seats for representatives from the OPT are left vacant.

PLO Executive Committee (EC):
Highest executive body; consisting of 18 members elected by the PNC; full operational authority over all PLO organizations and budget; directs the activities of the PLO in accordance with the Covenant and the Basic Law; members have ministerial positions in the various PLO departments responsible for foreign affairs, higher education, military, the OPT, national relations (with Arab states), popular organizations, information and culture, administration, social affairs, economics, planning, health and finance (PNF).

Palestine Central Council (PCC):
Established in 1973 as consultative body to the EC; became a consultative and legislative body at the 20th PNC in 1991; membership is now elected form among members of the PNC (present: 95 members); meets regularly every six months and plays the role of the PNC when PNC is not in session.

Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA):
Formed in 1964 as military component of the PLO; until 1967 centered in Gaza with links to Egypt; under Arafat's early PLO leadership followed the strategy of guerilla warfare; most of the forces were deployed in Syria and Lebanon with headquarters in Damascus; some units deployed in the OPT following the DOP of 13 September 1993 and Cairo Agreement of 4 May 1994.

MEMBERS

I. Members of the PLO Executive Committee (18):
1.Yasser Arafat (Chairman, PLO executive Committee; Pres., PA)
2.Mahmoud Abbas (Sec.- Gen.)
3.Farouq Qaddoumi (Head, political Dept.)
4.Mohammaed Zuhdi An-Nashashibi (Chairman, PNF).
5.Yasser Abed Rabbo.
6.Sulaiman An-Najjab
7.Abdel Rahim Mallouh.
8.Mahamoud Odeh (Taysir Khalid).
9.Ali Is’haq
10.Samie Ghosheh.
11.Mahmoud Ismail.
12.Yasser Amr.
13.Faisal Al-Husseini.
14.Asa’ad Abdel Rahman.
15.Emile Jarjoul’
16.Ghassan Ash-Shakaa’
17.Zakaria AlAgah..
18.Riya Al-Khudri

II.Members –PNC Bureu:
19.Salim Dib Salim Az-Za’noun (speaker).
20.Elia Khoury.
21.Taysi Quba’a..
22.Mohammed Sbeih

III.Members of Popular organization (13):
23.Fawwaz Yassin Hussein (Farmers).
24.Nabhan Abdel Rahman Othman (Economists)
25.Ibrahim Khoreshy (Students).
26.Fat’hi Arafat (Doctors).
27.Arafat Al-Matari (Artists).
28.Abdel Rahman Al-Mezayyen (Artists).
29.Ahmad Abdel Rahman(Writers and Journalists).
30.Najla’a Yassin (Women).
31.Jamil Mohammad Shehada (Teachers).
32.Haidar Qubbaha (Workers).
33.Zuhair Al-Khatib (Jurists).
34.Ahmad Al-Qidwa (Higher Council for Youth & Sports).
35.Marwan Abdel Hamid (Engineers).

IV.Chairman of Standing Committee (8)
36.Khayree Hasan (Legal Com.)
37.Othman ABU Gharbieh (Parliamentary & External Affairs).
38.Hana Nasser (Education Com.)
39.Ahmad Sidqi Ad-Dajani (Culture, Science & Literature).
40.Ibrahim Quba’a (Auditing & Accounting).
41.Salah Al-Barghouti (Fact Finding Com..)
42.Nbil Sha’ath (Political Com.)
43.Salah Salah (Returnees).

V.Representative of Resistance Movements and Parties:

A.Fateh (6):
44.Hani Al-Hasan.
45.Tyeb Abdel Rahim.
46.Abdallah Al-Ifrinli
47.Nasr Yousef
48.Hakam Bal’awi.
49.Yehya Ashour/Hamdan.

B.PFLP (2):
50.Mustafa Al-Zubri (Abu Ali)
51.Jamil Al-Mjdalawi

C.DPLP (2)
52.Charli Sawwan
53.Farid Sarrou’

D.Arab Liberation Front (2):
54.Rakad Salem.
55.Hussein Rahhal

E.Palestine Liberation Front (2):
56.Wasel Abu Yousef
57.Omar Shebli.

F.Popular Struggle Front (2):
58.Ahmad Majdalani
59.Nabil Moh’d Al-Qiblani.

G.Democratic Union –FIDA (2):
60.Saleh Saleh
61.Ali Amer.

H.Hizb Ash-Sha’ab-People’s Party (2):
62.Fu’ad Hana Rizeq
63.Abdel Rahman Awad Alah.

I.Popular Front- GC (2):
64.Reserved
65.Reserved

J. As-Sai’qa Movment (2):
66.Reserved
67.Reserved

K. Islamic Jihad (2):

68.Ma’moun Asad At-Tamimi.
69.Ibrahim kamel Al-Itr

L. Palestinian Arab Liberation Front (2):

70.Jamil Shehada.
71.Salm Al-Bardini

M. Military Council (3):

72.Gen. Abdel Razeq Al-Majai’deh
73.Ismail Jaber
74.Ghazi Al-Jabali.

VI. Independents (35)

75.Nabil Mahmoud Amr
76.Samira AbuGhazaleh
77.Abdel Latif Abu Hajileh
78.Rifa’at An-Nimr
79.Hasib Jeries AS-Sabbag
80.Dr. Subhi Ghosheh
81.Intisar Al-Wazir
82.Qostantine Qormosh
83.Abdel Razzaq Al-Yah’I
84.Mohammed Milhem
85.Musa Abu Hamaid
86.Ibrahim Abu Ayyash
87.Abdel Jawad Saleh
88.Fa’ek Worad
89.Is’haq Al-Khatib
90.Widad Ahmad
91.Father Ibrahim Ayyad
92.Daoud Az-Zeer.
93.Fatma Abdel Hadi
94.Abdel Aziz Ahmad
95.Ismail Al-Akhrass
96.Abdel Aziz Saqr
97.Elias Sanbar
98.Hanna Safieh
99.Nsser Arouri
100.Munib Al-Masri
101.Basel Aqel
102.Zuhdi At-Terzi
103.Fayez Al-Aswad
104.Ya’qoub Qirsh
105.Nasser Al-Qidwa
106.Sa’eb Erekat
107.Marwan Al-Barghouti
108.Ahmad Heles
109.Ahmad Mafraj

PLC Members (20) Palestinian legislative Council

110.Ahmad Qrei’a (Abu Ala’)
111.Ibrahim Abu An-Naja
112.Rawhi Fattouh
113.Ghazi Hanania
114.Ahmad Hashim Zughayar
115.Salah At-Ta’mari
116.Abbas Zaki
117.Jamal Ash-Shobaki
118.Abdel karim Abu Salah
119.Jamal Ash-Shati
120.Kamal Ash-harafi
121.Azmi Ash-Shuaibi
122.Ziad Abu amr
123.Fakhri Shaqura
124.Musa Az-Za’but.