January 8, 1998
Yasir Arafat and another senior PLO official have
publicly reiterated their view that the Oslo accords are just one phase in the PLO’s
1974 “Strategy of Phases” for destroying Israel gradually. The Zionist
Organization of America has denounced Arafat’s statement, saying it “shows
clearly that Arafat has not interest in peace or in accepting Israel’s
right to exist.”
The “Strategy of Phases” was adopted by the PLO’s National Council
at its session in Cairo during June 1-8, 1974. Prior to the 1974 meeting, the
PLO’s position was that it would never accept anything but the immediate
destruction of Israel. At the 1974 meeting, the PLO decided to seek
Israel’s destruction in phases, by first establishing a small PLO state, then later
seeking to conquer the rest of Israel. Point #2 of its 10-point 1974
platform declared that the PLO should create “a national, independent fighting
authority on every part of the Palestinian land to be liberated.” Point #8 explains
that the “the Palestine national entity, after it comes into existence,” will
seek “to complete the liberation of the entire Palestinian soil.”
Arafat’s number two man, Salah Khalaf (Abu Iyad), explained to the
Kuwaiti newspaper Al Anba (Dec.18, 1988) that the 1974 plan means “At first
a small state, and with the help of Allah, it will be made large, and expand
to the east, west, north and south. I am interested in the liberation of
Palestine, step by step.”
On the same day that the Oslo accords were signed on the White
House lawn, Arafat appeared on Jordanian Television to explain that he regards
the accords as merely the first phase of the 1974 Strategy of Phases. He has
reiterated that position on numerous occasions, most recently in an
interview with the Palestinian Arab newspaper Al
Ayyam on January 1, 1998. Asked his view of the Oslo agreement, Arafat
replied: “Since the decision of the Palestinian National Council at its
12th meeting in 1974, the PLO has adopted the political solution of establishing
a National Authority over any territory from which the occupation withdraws.”
Another top PLO official has also reiterated support for destroying
Israel in phases. Abdul Aziz Shaheen, Minister of Supplies for Arafat’s
Palestinian Authority, told the official PA newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida
(January 4, 1998): “The Oslo accord was a preface for the Palestinian
Authority and the Palestinian Authority will be a preface for the
Palestinian state which, in its turn, will be a preface for the liberation of the
entire Palestinian land.”
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “Arafat’s continual
reiteration of the ‘Strategy of Phases’ encourages Palestinian Arabs to
seek Israel’s destruction, constant violence, and murder of Jews. Instead of
pressuring Israel to make new concessions to the PLO, above and beyond what
Oslo requires, the Clinton administration should be pressuring Arafat to
start fulfilling what Oslo requires of him and stop making a mockery of Oslo by
calling for Israel’s destruction.”
