FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES I want to make it completely clear that I do not have any connection whatsoever to the PFLP, DFLP or with any other party in Palestine. I do not aid, promote, assist, support, coordinate with, or provide any sort of services or advice to the PFLP, DFLP or with any other party in Palestine. This is solely for educational purposes. The Communist insurgency in Palestine begun in 1967 with the founding of the PFLP or Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine lead by George Habash. The PFLP sprouted out of the ANM (Arab National Movement) which was previously founded and lead by Habash. The PFLP followed a Marxist-Leninist ideology and its ultimate goal was to replace Israel with a Marxist-Leninist, secular, non-sectarian Socialist state in which Arabs and non-Arabs could live equally and allow the right of return of Palestinian refugees. In 1968 the PFLP suffered its first split Ahmed Jibril a right winger who did not agree with the Communist ideology of the PFLP spit off founding his own faction named PFLP-GC or General Command. On the 23rd of July 1968 an Israeli EL AI flight was hijacked by the armed wing of the PFLP the Red Eagle Brigades or "Red Eagles". In 1969 the Maoist tendency in the PFLP splintered off creating the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the PDFLP later dropped the word Popular from the title to become the DFLP. The reason for the split was that the DFLP felt that the PFLP had become too much of military organisation, however they themselves later founded a paramilitary wing known as the National Resistance Brigades. In 1968 the PFLP became a member of the PLO umbrella organisation, it quickly became the second largest of all the PLO groups the PFLP opposed the ten point program and numerous attempts were made by Fateh to sideline the PFLP, however the DFLP supported the 10 point plan. The PFLP realised that there was a need for foreign support and awareness of the Palestinian struggle and they decided to attempt an action that would make the Western media unable to ignore. The PFLPs Special Operations Group or SOG led by Waddie Haddad carried out the Dawson's Field Hijackings I which 5 aircraft were to be hijacked and brought to an area of the Jordanian desert known as "Revolutionary Airport", the 1st hijacking failed and the 5th aircraft was brought in by a foreign PFLP supporter who was demanding the release of Leila Khaled. The PFLP held a press conference and later moved the hostages and blew up the aircraft. The PFLP became the most well known and most daring of all Palestinian groups. Both the PFLP and DFLP received heavy support from China, the USSR and Czechoslovakia. After the "Black September" in Jordan the PLO moved to Lebanon during this time the PFLP suffered another small and insignificant split. The DFLP carried out numerous bombings in 1974 and the infamous Ma'alot Massacre. The PFLP became known for supporting various Communist revolutionary movements such as the FSLN and Japanese Red Army it possibly even maintained links with the Shining Path. In 1975 the PFLP and PLO supported left wing Muslim factions in their attempt to topple the right wing Christian Conservative government. In 1982 Israel begun its invasion of Lebanon. The Lebanese Communist Party called upon the Lebanese masses to resist the Israeli invasion along with other factions including some members of PFLP who had stayed behind formed the Lebanese National Resistance Front or JAMMOUL. The PFLP and DFLP faced a major blow in the 1980s with the rise of Deng Xiaopeng the PFLP and DFLP lost a heavy amount of their support from China, the DFLP declined throughout the 80s. In 1985 a small Marxist-Leninist faction named the Palestine Liberation Front or PLF led by Abu Abbas hijacked the Italian cruise ship MS Achille Lauro. The PFLP opposed the Oslo Accords in the late 80s and after the 1st Intifada it had dwindled the 1996 elections were boycotted by the PFLP which made many Palestinians think it was disbanding or had abandoned the Palestinian struggle this led to support for HAMAS as many Palestinians believed that it was one of the only factions that would fight Israel. In the early 2000s the PFLP begun regaining support during the Al-Aqsa Intifada the PFLP's general secretary Abu Ali Mustafa was assassinated by Israeli forces, in response the PFLP assassinated Israeli tourism minister and well known racist Rehavam Ze'evi the most senior Israeli person to be killed by Arab militants. The PFLP also carried out 6 suicide attacks during this period however has since condemned suicide attacks and does not see them as a legitimate form of resistance. The PFLP and DFLP remain the second and third largest Palestinian organisations, the PFLP has remained a constant threat to the Fateh and HAMAS governments. The DFLP was removed from the US FTO list in 1999 and the PFLP is designated as a terrorist organisation in the USA and EU (Except the UK)

• published: 29 Oct 2013
• views: 26