The PLO, Palestinian Nationalism, and the Wars in Lebanon

The Palestine Liberation Organization, or PLO, was founded in 1964 under the auspices of the Arab League as an umbrella body bringing together Palestinian political and military factions with differing ideological orientations. Yasser Arafat, leader of the Fatah faction, assumed leadership of the PLO in 1969 and consolidated his influence within the movement, whose original objective included the liberation of the whole of historic Palestine through armed struggle. The organization developed both military capabilities, including cross-border and international attacks, and parallel political and social structures among Palestinians.