Revival of the PLO: Society

The revival of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) could provide a way to restore the representation of the Palestinian people in and outside of colonized Palestine, and support them in their ongoing struggle against the Israeli regime’s settler-colonial and apartheid occupation. It would first need to adopt several prerequisites.  

Prerequisites for Reviving the PLO

The structures of a revived PLO must be based on inclusive representation, credibility, and national legitimacy to politically represent Palestinians wherever they may be. It must be rebuilt through a democratic process that enables it to represent the entire spectrum of Palestinians, and a mechanism must be implemented to ensure that all representatives of Palestinian communities participate in renewed PLO institutions. This would ensure accountability for national representatives, including in division of power, as well as freedom of expression and association. The Palestinian National Council (PNC) would be held accountable through regular elections or other forms of democratic selection. Further, the PLO’s Executive Committee would be accountable before the new PNC, including in sources of funding. The forms and means of such accountability would need to be spelled out clearly in the PLO’s statute.

Furthermore, a revived PLO should be built on the legacy of secular Palestinian civil resistance movements, honoring the separation between political and religious institutions, and prioritizing pluralism. A commitment to preserving the secular, civic, and pluralistic character of the PLO should be stipulated in its National Charter. 

Social Implications of a Revived PLO 

Provided these steps are taken as part of the revival process, the PLO could play an active role in combating the distortive and fragmentary rhetoric surrounding Palestinian history, geography, national identity, heritage, and struggle for liberation, and promote unifying counternarratives. It may also support Palestinians everywhere in their efforts to do the same.

An effectively revived PLO could additionally promote the formation of trade unions, professional associations, and federations of women and youth, foster interdependence between them, and encourage their participation in national deliberations, specifically on strategies to resist settler colonialism, military occupation, poverty, siege, and racial discrimination. In this framework, the PLO would work to ensure the rights of each Palestinian community to adopt the resistance strategy they choose, so long as the strategy represents the community through consensus, and does not conflict with the PLO’s charter, the collective struggle for liberation, or the values of freedom, equality, justice, and human rights. 

Should the Palestinian Authority (PA) remain, the PLO must ensure that its institutions provide basic services (education, health, water and electricity, and infrastructure) in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. This endeavor would require the reconfiguration of PA tasks in accordance with a new vision that makes it accountable to the PLO, and that prevents it from overtaking or marginalizing revived PLO institutions. Likewise, the PLO must prevent bureaucratic inflation across its institutions, thwart clientelism and rentierism, and reject the quota formulas in the formation of its leadership bodies, unions, and professional associations.

Conclusion

To successfully revive the PLO, the process must be democratic, representative, participatory, transparent, and inclusive. A revived PLO has the potential to foster self-determination and interdependence among the different subgroups of the Palestinian community. It could likewise promote secular resistance and honor each subgroups’ strategy for securing liberation, so long as the strategies align with the organization’s unifying vision. Provided that the aforementioned prerequisites are adopted, a revived PLO may pave the way for a more prosperous, equitable, and unified Palestinian society. 

Jamil Hilal is an independent Palestinian sociologist and writer, and has published many books and numerous articles on Palestinian society, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and Middle...
The PLO could play an active role in combating the distortive and fragmentary rhetoric surrounding Palestinian history, geography, national identity, heritage, and struggle for liberation, and promote unifying counternarratives.

Latest Analysis

 Politics
On November 5, 2024, the US electorate voted Donald J. Trump for a second term in the 60th presidential election. While many aspects of the incoming administration's foreign policy plans remain uncertain, they will undoubtedly continue to have devastating consequences for the Palestinian people. In this roundtable, Al-Shabaka analysts Tariq Kenney-Shawa, Abdullah Al-Arian, Andrew Kadi, and Hanna Alshaikh offer insights into how Trump will compare to his predecessor, what his presidency will mean for US policy across the Arab region, what lies ahead for Palestine solidarity organizing in the US, and the material impact will be on the ground in Palestine.
 Politics, Civil Society
In this policy lab, Yara Asi and Layth Hanbali join host Tariq Kenney-Shawa to discuss Israel’s systematic assault on civilian infrastructure across Gaza and efforts to survive and rebuild against all odds.
Al-Shabaka Yara Asi
Al-Shabaka Layth Hanbali
Yara Asi,Layth Hanbali· Oct 29, 2024
 Politics
After a year of enduring relentless violence and devastation, Palestinians stand at a pivotal moment. In this commentary, Yara Hawari reflects on the immense losses for the Palestinian people since October 2023 and the emerging opportunities to work towards a future free of settler colonial oppression. Hawari argues that now is the time for the movement to shift from a reactive stance to one that defines its own priorities. As part of this transition, she outlines three necessary steps: moving beyond a reliance on international law, deepening connections in the Global South, and dedicating resources to exploring radical visions of a liberated future.
Al-Shabaka Yara Hawari
Yara Hawari· Oct 22, 2024
Skip to content