The Palestinians began the period as scattered refugees and became, by its end, a recognised national movement with a governing authority. This topic traces that transformation — through the rise of the PLO, the turn to armed struggle, the shift to diplomacy, and the two Intifadas. It is examined heavily through the lens of "terrorism" and resistance.
How this content is examined
- Essays. The role of terrorism/armed struggle in the region; the development of Palestinian nationalism; the significance of the Intifadas.
- Source analysis. Sources on the PLO, Arafat at the UN, or the Intifada require precise knowledge of tactics and their effects.
1. From refugees to a national movement
- The 1948 Nakba and the 1967 occupation left Palestinians stateless and scattered (in the territories, Jordan, Lebanon and beyond).
- The Six-Day War (1967) discredited Arab states' ability to "liberate" Palestine and triggered a surge of distinctly Palestinian nationalism — Palestinians would pursue their own cause.
2. The PLO and the turn to armed struggle
- Under Yasser Arafat (and his Fatah faction), the PLO adopted a strategy of armed struggle from 1968 (the PLO Covenant) to achieve liberation.
- High-profile tactics: the PFLP's plane hijackings (1970), and Black September's attack at the Munich Olympics (1972).
- Effect (the examinable judgement): these acts drew enormous international attention to the Palestinian refugee cause — the Arab League recognised the PLO as the representative of the Palestinians — but were largely ineffective at directly achieving change in the territories.
3. The shift to diplomacy
- After 1974, Arafat began moving toward diplomacy — symbolised by his address to the UN, signalling that negotiation, not only violence, might advance the cause.
- This trajectory ultimately led to mutual recognition at Oslo (see the Peace Attempts guide).
4. The First Intifada (1987–1993)
- A largely grassroots Palestinian uprising in the Occupied Territories — strikes, protests, stone-throwing — met with a harsh Israeli response.
- Hamas and Islamic Jihad emerged as significant Islamist players, rivalling the secular PLO.
- Effect: international opinion turned more critical of the occupation; the 1988 Palestinian Declaration of Independence and growing recognition of Palestinian aspirations followed — helping create the conditions for Oslo.
5. The Second Intifada (from 2000)
- The collapse of the 2000 Camp David Summit triggered a far more violent uprising, with suicide bombings and heavy Israeli military responses — devastating the peace process and hardening both sides.
6. Historical perspectives
- Did violence work? The central debate: armed struggle won attention and recognition but arguably not statehood — and the gains (Oslo) came through diplomacy. Some argue the attention generated by violence made diplomacy possible.
- "Terrorist" vs "freedom fighter": the contested labelling of Palestinian resistance — the exam expects you to handle this analytically and neutrally.
7. Recurring exam question patterns & what high answers do
- "Evaluate the role of terrorism in shaping the region." High answers: distinguish drawing international attention (effective) from achieving concrete aims (largely not), and credit the shift to diplomacy — covering Jewish insurgency pre-1948 as well for balance.
- "Examine the development of Palestinian nationalism." High answers: trace refugees → PLO/armed struggle → diplomacy → Intifadas.