The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

    The PNA has historically been associated with the PLO as its late chairman Arafat was also head of the PLO and members of the PLO have manned almost all the posts in the PNA.

    The PLO is the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. Founded in May 1964 in Jerusalem, the PLO has played so far a leading and important role in fighting for an independent Palestinian state.

    As an umbrella bloc, the PLO groups eight Palestinian organizations including the mainstream Fatah movement, as-Saiqa, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), the Arab Liberation Front (ALF), the Popular Struggle Front (PSF) and the Palestine Democratic Union (PDU).

    The Fatah movement, founded by the veteran Palestinian leader Arafat, is the largest and most powerful organization in the bloc and has played the leading role.

    The PLO is made up of three bodies- the Executive Committee, which exercises central control; the Central Committee, which acts as the counselor and supervisor of the PLO's decision making and implementation, and the Palestine National Council, which stands as the Palestinian parliament. Enditem