Palestine Analysis: The PLO and the Crisis of Representation (Masri)

Today, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is experiencing an internal dilemma.  Long viewed as the “legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian People”, many years of failed negotiations with the Israeli government, a growing democratic deficit and alienation of its grassroots base have inexorably lead to a crisis of legitimacy for the organization.  As the Israeli government continues its refusal to extend a limited freeze on settlement building, calls for the PLO to abandon negotiations by Palestinian leaders inside and outside the Occupied Territories place the organization in a precarious position and highlight a growing sense of disillusionment with the PLO’s ability to act credibly on behalf of Palestinian interests.

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