P F Tinmore, et al,
One of the most remarkable things about the --- "Question and Status of Palestine"
(excluding the State of Israel) have been and continues to be even a common understanding of which organizations are responsible for the State of Palestine. If you talk to the followers of HAMAS, they are quick to remind you that they won the election. But if you talk to the
Permanent Observer, you find that the they have no doubt that "The Arab Summit in 1974 recognized the PLO as the “
sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people” and since then the
PLO has represented Palestine at the United Nations, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and in many other fora."
That would be correct. Looking at several reports Abbas is resigning from the PLO but will remain the president of the PA.
I don't see any instability because the PLO has done virtually nothing in decades.
There has been a push to register Palestinians from all over the world to have elections for the Palestinian National Council. This would mean new representation at the UN and new negotiators with Israel.
The Palestinians could use some fresh blood in their leadership.
(VERY KEY REFERENCES)
• 28 October 1974, Seventh Arab League Summit Conference, League of Arab States (LAS) ---
Resolution on Palestine
• 22 November 1974,
A/RES/3237 (XXIX), Observer status for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
• 9 December 1988,
A/43/928, Question of Palestine
• 15 December 1988,
A/RES/43/177, Question of Palestine
• 13 July 1998,
A/RES/52/250, Participation of Palestine in the work of the United Nations
• 26 November 2012,
A/67/L.28, Status of Palestine in the United Nations
• 4 December 2012,
A/RES/67/19, Status of Palestine in the United Nations
(COMMENT)
As you might glean from the reference chain, the LAS Summit conducted by their majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses, the Kings, Presidents and Amirs, decided that the PLO was to be "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in any Palestinian territory that is liberated." Up to that point, the Arab Higher Committee (AHC)
(controlled politically by the Palestine Arab Party), reconstituted by the LAS
(AKA: Arab League), it's parent organization in 1945, had acted as the representative of the Palestinian people. (It was the
AHC that actually rejected participation in the "
Step Preparatory to Independence.") The LAS decision was acknowledged by the UN in November, and announced by resolution that the PLO was invited to participate in the capacity of observer. After declaring
Independence in November 1988, the UN three things:
• It
Acknowledges the proclamation of the State of Palestine
They whewre a known abn by the Palestine National Council on 15 November 1988.
• It
acknowledged the intention of the PLO to form a Provisional Government for the State of Palestine.
• It
decided that the designation "Palestine" should be used in place of the designation "Palestine Liberation Organization" in the United Nations system.
A decade later (1998), the UN made it known that it was aware that "general democratic Palestinian elections were held on 20 January 1996 and that the Palestinian Authority was established on part of the occupied Palestinian territory." And in 2012, the UN, "
Taking into consideration that the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO-EC), in accordance with a decision by the Palestine National Council, is entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine," --- "
Decides to accord to Palestine non-member observer State status in the United Nations, without prejudice to the acquired rights, privileges and
role of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the United Nations as the representative of the Palestinian people." And again, that same month, the UN in consideration that the Palestine National Council entrusted the PLO-EC with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine, reiterates the this though in two essential documents.
It would seem that, at least until 2012, the PLO was a very key leadership organization in the Government of Palestine. Particularly since elections only happen once every decade or so. To the outside observer, the legacy if the 2006 Elections a decade later are virtually zero. The Palestinian people are no better off today then they were ten years ago.
Most Respectfully,
R