PLO ideology can be found in its constitution, the Palestinian National Covenant, which was created in 1964. This covenant was amended in 1968; this version is made up of 33 articles. The original intention of the PLO was to destroy the state of Israel, which was called for in the Palestinian National Covenant. In September 9 1993, Yassir Arafat released an English language press release stating "the PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security.... those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel's right to exist ... are now inappropriate and no longer valid". This statement, however, was not voted on or approved by the PNC. The Arabic version of this press release denies that the covenant is no longer valid. Internal PLO documents still reject Israel's existence. The PNC notes that until the Palestinian National Covenant is officially modified, the old version is still current and valid. Nonetheless, factions within of the PLO and the PA seek peaceful co-existence with Israel, and seek to create a Palestinian state within the West Bank and Gaza. |
PLO ideology can be found in its constitution, the Palestinian National Covenant, which was created in 1964. This covenant was amended in 1968; this version is made up of 33 articles. The original intention of the PLO was to destroy the state of Israel, which was called for in the Palestinian National Covenant. |
The Israeli government officially accepts that the PNC has been amended to remove anti-Israel clauses: (Binyamin Netanyahu is not a good source for this. Since he issued that statement, Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that the PNC and the PA had hoaxed the Israelis, and that they did NOT change their covenant.) |
In September 9 1993, Yassir Arafat released an English language press release stating "the PLO recognizes the right of the State of Israel to exist in peace and security.... those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel's right to exist ... are now inappropriate and no longer valid". This statement, however, was not voted on or approved by the PNC. The Arabic version of this press release denies that the covenant is no longer valid. Internal PLO documents still reject Israel's existence. The PNC notes that until the Palestinian National Covenant is officially modified, the old version is still current and valid. Nonetheless, factions within of the PLO and the PA seek peaceful co-existence with Israel, and seek to create a Palestinian state within the West Bank and Gaza. |
(Source: [1]). |
In 1993 Israeli leaders, such as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, tenatively accepted that the PNC has been amended to remove anti-Israel clauses. However, since them PM Netanyahu and others have repudiated this position; they point out that the PNC and the PA never changed the covenant; they charge that the movement to make any changes was a hoax. As of this writing (2001) the PNC still has not undergone any changes; the unmodified version calling for the total destruction of the State of Israel is still used in the PA and is taught in PA schools. [1993 Statement by Israelis] |