PA Foreign Ministry leaves diaspora Palestinians frazzled
Shifting diaspora affairs from the purview of the PLO to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry has ruffled a number of feathers.
Since the founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964, the group's main objective has been the unity and defense of Palestinian refugees. Diaspora Palestinians were invigorated and given a purpose by an organization dedicated to liberating Palestine and allowing them to return to their homeland.
With the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and the return of the Palestinian revolutionary leaders to Palestine, the relationship between the PLO and the Palestinian diaspora began to suffer. The establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the election of a president and a legislative council, and the creation of quasi-governmental bodies reflected a change in the PLO's priorities. Going forward, its priorities would focus more on state building than raising awareness of diaspora Palestinians.
