 In the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Arab states launched a surprise
attack against Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Once again they
tried to eliminate Israel, further motivated this time by the desire to redeem
their honor after their major defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War. Though Israel was
initially caught off guard, it then regrouped and repelled the Arab attack, but
not before incurring heavy casualties.
The war convinced the Arabs that they would not be able to destroy Israel
militarily within its post-1967 boundaries. Thus they embarked upon a new
three-stage strategy for Israel's destruction, embodied in the PLO's 1974
decision commonly known as the Phased Plan (the text of which is below).
The plan in brief:
- Through the "armed struggle" (i.e., terrorism), to establish an
"independent combatant national authority" over any territory that is
"liberated" from Israeli rule. (Article 2)
- To continue the struggle against Israel, using the territory of the
national authority as a base of operations. (Article 4)
- To provoke an all-out war in which Israel's Arab neighbors destroy it
entirely ("liberate all Palestinian territory"). (Article 8)
Today, the Phased Plan remains relevant. Speaking just after the 1993
revelation of the Israel-PLO accord, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat announced that
the historic agreement "will be a basis for an independent Palestinian state in
accordance with the Palestine 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." (Radio Monte Carlo, 1 September 1993)
It is worth noting that the PLO's term for the self-rule council now in
place in Gaza and the West Bank is the "Palestinian National Authority," echoing
the language of the Phased Plan.
Also note that Articles 5-6 call for a revolution in Jordan to establish a
new Jordanian regime which will ally itself with the Palestinian National
Authority. Historically, Jordan comprised the bulk of the Palestine territory,
and a majority of its residents are of Palestinian origin. The PLO has never
recognized the legitimacy of Kingdom of Jordan as a state independent of
Palestine.
THE PLO'S PHASED PLAN
Political Programme
Adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestinian National
Council
Cairo, June 9, 1974
Text of the Phased Plan resolution: The Palestinian National Council:
On the basis of the Palestinian National Charter and the Political Programme
drawn up at the eleventh session, held from January 6-12, 1973; and from its
belief that it is impossible for a permanent and just peace to be established in
the area unless our Palestinian people recover all their national rights and,
first and foremost, their rights to return and to self-determination on the
whole of the soil of their homeland; and in the light of a study of the new
political circumstances that have come into existence in the period between the
Council's last and present sessions, resolves the following:
- To reaffirm the Palestine Liberation Organization's previous attitude to
Resolution 242, which obliterates the national right of our people and deals
with the cause of our people as a problem of refugees. The Council therefore
refuses to have anything to do with this resolution at any level, Arab or
international, including the Geneva Conference.
- The 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 favour of our people and their
struggle.
- The Liberation Organization will struggle against any proposal for a
Palestinian entity the price of which is recognition, peace, secure frontiers,
renunciation of national rights and the deprival of our people of their right
to return and their right to self-determination on the soil of their homeland.
- 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 previous Palestinian National Councils.
- Struggle along with the Jordanian national forces to establish a
Jordanian-Palestinian national front whose aim will be to set up in Jordan a
democratic national authority in close contact with the Palestinian entity
that is established through the struggle.
- The Liberation Organization will struggle to establish unity in struggle
between the two peoples and between all the forces of the Arab liberation
movement that are in agreement on this programme.
- In the light of this programme, the Liberation Organization will struggle
to strengthen national unity and to raise it to the level where it will be
able to perform its national duties and tasks.
- Once it is estabished, 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.
- The Liberation Organization will strive to strengthen its solidarity with
the socialist countries, and with forces of liberation and progress throughout
the world, with the aim of frustration all the schemes of Zionism, reaction
and imperialism.
- In light of this programme, the leadership of the revolution will
determine the tactics which will serve and make possible the realization of
these objectives.
The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization will make
every effort to implement this programme, and should a situation arise affecting
the destiny and the future of the Palestinian people, the National Assembly will
be convened in extraordinary session.
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