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In 1948, Zionism proclaimed the artificial State of Israel and expelled more than 700,000 Palestinians from their homes. An episode of colonialist violence known as the Nakba or catastrophe. From that moment on, the struggle of the Palestinian people to organize themselves, resist the occupation, and achieve the return of the refugees began.
Thus, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was born in 1964 in Cairo with the aim of unifying efforts in the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination, independence, and liberation from Israeli occupation.
Since its inception, the PLO has played a crucial role in defending the rights of the Palestinian people in the international arena, advocating for the recognition of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state as well as denouncing the constant Zionist aggression, the apartheid system and the unending genocide that began with the Nakba.
In 1969, the PLO rose to prominence with Yasser Arafat, a historic leader of the Palestinian cause who went through the armed struggle all the way to peace negotiations. Arafat was responsible for the recognition of the PLO internationally but also for the Oslo Accords which intellectual Edward Said classified as an “instrument of surrender” of the Palestinian cause.
Today, the situation in Palestine remains critical after 76 years of Israeli occupation, the expansion of illegal settlements and the extermination of the population of Gaza in full view of the whole world. The PLO, rebranded as the Palestinian Authority, continues to work to denounce these injustices in international forums. However, its credibility has drastically diminished and it is going through a moment of necessary refoundation.
The current genocide in the Gaza Strip has laid bare the boundless cruelty of the Zionist occupation, as well as the complicity of the international community. The historical example of the PLO, of unity and struggle, continues to inspire entire generations to confront the enemy in order to achieve their liberation. Free, free Palestine!
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Text: Andreína Chávez. Artwork: Daniel Duque.
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