Palestinian Liberation Organization Founded at Arab Summit
Arab League establishes PLO in Jerusalem to represent Palestinian people and coordinate resistance against Israel.
JERUSALEM - The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formally established today at the conclusion of the first Palestinian National Congress, marking a new phase in Palestinian efforts to reclaim their homeland.
The congress, attended by 422 Palestinian representatives from across the Arab world, convened in East Jerusalem’s Intercontinental Hotel under Jordanian auspices. Delegates elected Ahmad Shukeiri, a former Saudi Arabian UN ambassador, as the organization’s first chairman.
“This is the rebirth of the Palestinian entity,” Shukeiri declared to thunderous applause. “The Palestinian people will accept nothing less than the complete liberation of their homeland.”
The PLO’s founding documents include the Palestinian National Covenant, which calls for the “liberation of Palestine” through armed struggle and rejects the legitimacy of Israel’s establishment. The covenant defines Palestine as an “indivisible territorial unit” within its British Mandate borders.
Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who backed the PLO’s creation, pledged support while maintaining control over Palestinian actions. “The Palestinian cause is the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict,” Nasser stated.
King Hussein of Jordan, wary of challenges to his rule over the West Bank’s Palestinian population, insisted the PLO operate under existing Arab governments’ authority. This tension between Palestinian autonomy and Arab state control appears built into the organization’s structure.
Israel dismissed the PLO’s establishment, with Foreign Minister Golda Meir stating: “There is no such thing as a Palestinian people. It is not as if we came and threw them out and took their country.”
The PLO’s creation reflects growing Palestinian frustration after 16 years in refugee camps. Younger Palestinians increasingly demand direct action rather than waiting for Arab armies to deliver liberation.
While the PLO currently lacks military capabilities and depends on Arab state support, its establishment provides Palestinians with an institutional framework for their national movement, potentially transforming the conflict’s dynamics.