Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is an Palestinian organization founded in 1964. It formally is an umbrella organization that includes many generally secular organizations such as Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Yasser Arafat was Chairman from 1969 until his death in 2004. He was succeeded by Mahmoud Abbas.
PLO is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations and has enjoyed observer status at the United Nations since 1974.
The PLO was considered by the United States and Israel to be a terrorist organization until PLO accepted a two-state solution and rejected "violence and terrorism". The 1993 Oslo Accords granted the Palestinians right to limited self-government in certain areas.
The PLO has lost influence due to argued causes such as dissatisfaction with the PLO administration, Israeli efforts to weaken it and increase divisions among Palestinians, and increasing religiousness among Palestinians and in Muslim countries. Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections and the Gaza strip is now controlled by Hamas.
