PLO's Ten Point Program: Difference between revisions

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'''PLO's Ten Point Program''' (in [[Arabic]]: برنامج النقاط العشر) (by Israel called the '''PLO's Phased Plan''') is the plan accepted by the [[Palestinian National Council]] (PNC), the legislative body of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO), at its 12th meeting held in Cairo on 8 June 1974.
 
The Program called for the establishment of a national authority "over every part of Palestinian territory that is liberated" with the aim of "completing the liberation of all Palestinian territory". The program implied that the liberation of Palestine may be partial (at least, at some stage), and though it emphasized armed struggle, it did not exclude other means. This allowed the PLO to engage in diplomatic channels, and provided validation for future compromises made by the Palestinian leadership. The program introduced the concept of a [[two-state solution]] in the PLO.
 
TheBecause the Program introduced the concept of a [[two-state solution]] in the PLO, it was rejected by the more radical hardlinehard-line factions, which continuedvowed to continue to fight to eliminate [[Israel]], and formed the [[Rejectionist Front]], which was strongly backed by [[Iraq]].
 
== OverviewBackground ==
Following the failure of the armies of [[Egypt]] and [[Syria]] to defeat Israel in 1973 in the [[Yom Kippur War]], the Palestinian leadership began formulating a strategic alternative.
 
==Specifics of the Program==
The PLO's Phased Plan did not stipulate clear operational measures and only repeated the principles of the policies which the Palestinian National Council had accepted in the past:
 
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* the establishment of an Arab-Palestinian state in the entire region of Palestine within the pre-1948 borders.
 
The innovation of PLO's Phased Plan was in the assertion that each step which would lead to the fulfillment of these goals would be a worthy step. It also stated that any territory, from the region of Palestine, which would be transferred to an Arab rule should be transferred to Palestinian control, also if the takeover of other territories would be delayed as a result. Some interpreted these series of decisions, as a realization by the PNC that it can not fulfill all its goals at once, but rather it would be able to do so in gradual small steps, and as a recognition of the council in the possibility of initiating political and diplomatic measures and not just an "[[Palestinian political violence|armed struggle]]" (although PLO's Phased Plan does not consist of a denial of the use of an armed struggle).{{cn}}
 
* Section 82 of the Plan states:
The following quotes are taken from three sections of PLO's Phased Plan which the above section refers to:
<blockquote>: The Palestine 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 favor of our people and their struggle.
 
* Section 24 of the Plan states:
<blockquote>: 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 the previous Palestinian National Councils.</blockquote>
<blockquote>The Palestine 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 favor of our people and their struggle.
</blockquote>
 
* Section 48 of the Plan states:
<blockquote>: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.</blockquote>
<blockquote>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 the previous Palestinian National Councils.</blockquote>
 
== Palestinian reaction to PLO's Ten Point Program ==
* Section 8 states:
The Ten Point Program was rejected by the more radical hardlinehard-line factions, such asof the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] (PFLP)PLO, which foughtwere tomainly eliminateconcerned Israel.that Asthe aProgram result,could thepotentially Tenturn Pointinto Programa ledpeace toagreement severalwith radicalIsrael. PLOThey factions (such asformed the PFLP, [[PFLP-GCRejectionist Front]] and others)vowed breakingto awaycontinue to formfight theto eliminate [[Rejectionist FrontIsrael]],. whichThe wouldfactions actthat independentlyjoined ofthe PLORejectionist overFront included the following[[Popular years.Front Thefor Rejectionistthe FrontLiberation wasof mainlyPalestine]] worried(PFLP), that[[PFLP-GC]], thebesides Tenothers. PointThese Programwould couldact potentiallyindependently turnof intoPLO aover peacethe agreementfollowing with Israelyears. Suspicion between the Arafat-led mainstream and more hard-line factions, inside and outside the PLO, have continued to dominate the inner workings of the organization ever since, often resulting in paralysis or conflicting courses of action.{{cn}} A temporary closing of ranks came in 1977, as Palestinian factions joined with hard-line Arab governments in the [[Steadfastness and Confrontation Front]] to condemn Egyptian attempts to reach a separate peace with Israel, which (eventually resulting in the 1979 [[Camp David Accords]]).
<blockquote>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.</blockquote>
 
== Israel's reaction to PLO's Ten Point Program ==
== Palestinian reaction to PLO's Ten Point Program ==
Israel perceivedcalled the TenProgram Pointthe ''"PLO's Step/stage Program"'' or ''"PLO's Phased Plan"'' (''Tokhnit HaSHlavim'' or ''Torat HaSHlavim''), which it regarded as a dangerous policy, mainly because it implied that any future compromise agreement between Israel and the Palestinian leadershipPalestinians would not be honored by the PLO. It raised the fear among Israelis that the PalestinianPalestinians leadershipmay might be under the intention of exploitingexploit future Israeli territorial compromises in order to "improve positions" for attacking Israel. This program is coined the ''"PLO's Step/stage Program"'' or ''"PLO's Phased Plan"'' (''Tokhnit HaSHlavim'' or ''Torat HaSHlavim'').
The Ten Point Program was rejected by more radical hardline factions, such as the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] (PFLP), which fought to eliminate Israel. As a result, the Ten Point Program led to several radical PLO factions (such as the PFLP, [[PFLP-GC]] and others) breaking away to form the [[Rejectionist Front]], which would act independently of PLO over the following years. The Rejectionist Front was mainly worried that the Ten Point Program could potentially turn into a peace agreement with Israel. Suspicion between the Arafat-led mainstream and more hard-line factions, inside and outside the PLO, have continued to dominate the inner workings of the organization ever since, often resulting in paralysis or conflicting courses of action. A temporary closing of ranks came in 1977, as Palestinian factions joined with hard-line Arab governments in the [[Steadfastness and Confrontation Front]] to condemn Egyptian attempts to reach a separate peace with Israel (eventually resulting in the 1979 [[Camp David Accords]]).
 
Over the years, negotiations took place between Israel and the PLO as well asand other Palestinian leaders, all while there was still a strong concern among large parts of the Israeli public and the Israeli leadership that the negotiations were not sincere, and that the Palestinians' willingness to compromise iswas just a smoke-screen for implementing the Ten Point Program.
== Israel's reaction to PLO's Ten Point Program ==
Israel perceived the Ten Point Program as a dangerous policy, mainly because it implied that any future compromise agreement between Israel and the Palestinian leadership would not be honored by the PLO. It raised the fear among Israelis that the Palestinian leadership might be under the intention of exploiting future Israeli territorial compromises in order to "improve positions" for attacking Israel. This program is coined the ''"PLO's Step/stage Program"'' or ''"PLO's Phased Plan"'' (''Tokhnit HaSHlavim'' or ''Torat HaSHlavim'').
 
When the [[Oslo Accords]] were signed, many Israeli right-wing politicians openly claimed that this iswas part of the ploy to implement the Ten Point Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfc.co.il/archive/003-D-6200-00.html?tag=23-15-32 |title=News1 &#124; מבט פלשתיני לפתרון הסכסוך |website=Nfc.co.il |date=2012-10-30 |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref><!-- Date, Hebrew title, and translated title would be very useful on this reference.--> Some of them based this claim on the fact that only 12 days before the signing of the Oslo Accords (September 13, 1993), a pre-recorded speech directed towards the Palestinian people by Arafat himself was broadcast on the Jordanian radio, in which Arafat made the following statement about the Oslo agreement:
Over the years, negotiations took place between Israel and the PLO as well as other Palestinian leaders, all while there was still a strong concern among large parts of the Israeli public and the Israeli leadership that the negotiations were not sincere, and that the Palestinians' willingness to compromise is just a smoke-screen for implementing the Ten Point Program.
 
{{quote|[the agreement] will be a basis for an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the Palestinian 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.<ref name=autogenerated1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070622142512/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Archive/Peace+Process/1996/INCITEMENT%20TO%20VIOLENCE%20AGAINST%20ISRAEL%20BY%20LEADERSHI] </ref>}}
When the [[Oslo Accords]] were signed, many Israeli right-wing politicians openly claimed that this is part of the ploy to implement the Ten Point Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfc.co.il/archive/003-D-6200-00.html?tag=23-15-32 |title=News1 &#124; מבט פלשתיני לפתרון הסכסוך |website=Nfc.co.il |date=2012-10-30 |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref><!-- Date, Hebrew title, and translated title would be very useful on this reference.--> Some of them based this claim on the fact that only 12 days before the signing of the Oslo Accords (September 13, 1993), a pre-recorded speech directed towards the Palestinian people by Arafat himself was broadcast on the Jordanian radio, in which Arafat made the following statement about the Oslo agreement:
 
The [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] has regarded that the Palestinian leadership asserted that the Oslo Accord is part of the PLO's 1974 phasedPhased planPlan for Israel's destruction.<ref name=autogenerated1 />
{{quote|[the agreement] will be a basis for an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the Palestinian 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.<ref name=autogenerated1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070622142512/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Archive/Peace+Process/1996/INCITEMENT%20TO%20VIOLENCE%20AGAINST%20ISRAEL%20BY%20LEADERSHI]
</ref>}}
 
The validitystatus of PLO's Phased Plan nowadays is unclear. PLO's PhasedThe Plan was never officially canceled, but in general, the Palestinian leadership has stopped referring to it since the late 1980s. Recently, however, several statements made by PLO officials on the subject indicate that the Phased Plan has not been abandoned – most notably the statement of the PLO ambassador to Lebanon which stated in an interview that the "two-state solution will lead to the collapse of Israel".<ref>{{cite web |author=www.memri.org |url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3297.htm |title=Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Abbas Zaki: Two-State Solution Will Lead to the Collapse of Israel |website=Memri.org |date= |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref>
The [[Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel|Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] has regarded that the Palestinian leadership asserted that the Oslo Accord is part of the PLO's 1974 phased plan for Israel's destruction.<ref name=autogenerated1 />
 
Nowadays there is a debate within the Israeli public and leadershipIsrael on whether the PLO's Phased Plan still representrepresents the thinking patterns and official policy of certain factions within the Palestinian leadership and of the Palestinian people and whether the Palestinian public and leadership still aim to ultimately take control over the entire region of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] or dowhether Palestinian territorial claims apply only to the [[West Bank]] (including [[East Jerusalem]]) and the [[Gaza Strip]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3344810,00.html |title=ynet מה עושים כשהמודיעין סותר את עצמו? - חדשות |website=Ynet.co.il |date=2014-09-17 |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://reut-institute.org/he/Publication.aspx?PublicationId=113 |title=תוכנית השלבים |language=he |trans-title=Phased Plan |access-date=2016-11-20}}</ref>
The validity of PLO's Phased Plan nowadays is unclear. PLO's Phased Plan was never officially canceled, but in general, the Palestinian leadership has stopped referring to it since the late 1980s. Recently, however, several statements made by PLO officials on the subject indicate that the Phased Plan has not been abandoned – most notably the statement of the PLO ambassador to Lebanon which stated in an interview that the "two-state solution will lead to the collapse of Israel".<ref>{{cite web|author=www.memri.org |url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3297.htm |title=Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Abbas Zaki: Two-State Solution Will Lead to the Collapse of Israel |website=Memri.org |date= |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref>
 
Nowadays there is a debate within the Israeli public and leadership on whether the PLO's Phased Plan still represent the thinking patterns and official policy of certain factions within the Palestinian leadership and of the Palestinian people and whether the Palestinian public and leadership still aim to ultimately take control over the entire region of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] or do Palestinian territorial claims apply only to the [[West Bank]] (including [[East Jerusalem]]) and the [[Gaza Strip]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3344810,00.html |title=ynet מה עושים כשהמודיעין סותר את עצמו? - חדשות |website=Ynet.co.il |date=2014-09-17 |accessdate=2016-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://reut-institute.org/he/Publication.aspx?PublicationId=113 |title=תוכנית השלבים |language=he |trans-title=Phased Plan |access-date=2016-11-20}}</ref>
 
==See also==
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==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
 
== External links ==