For decades, Palestinian radicals have wrecked havoc across the Middle East.
They have no allies. Their accomplices and benefactors always pay a high price for tolerating and appeasing them.
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In Jordan: The PLO's growing presence in the late 1960s led to tensions with King Hussein.
By 1970, PLO fedayeen controlled parts of Amman, acting as a "state within a state," challenging Jordanian sovereignty. This culminated in the Dawson's Field hijackings.
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The conflict escalated into Black September 1970, when PLO forces attempted to overthrow the monarchy.
Fighting resulted in thousands dead, and the PLO was expelled by July 1971.
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In Lebanon: After expulsion from Jordan, the PLO relocated to Lebanon, establishing bases in refugee camps.
By 1975, their armed presence contributed to the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, arming militias and clashing with Christian factions.
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The PLO's "state within a state" in southern Lebanon led to Israeli invasions in 1978 and 1982.
The 1982 invasion forced the PLO out of Beirut, with thousands of fighters evacuated to Tunisia and other countries.
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The PLO's involvement prolonged the Lebanese Civil War until 1990, with Syrian forces using PLO proxies against rivals.
The war killed over 100,000, and PLO actions drew Lebanon into broader Arab-Israeli conflicts.
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In Kuwait: During the 1990 Iraqi invasion, PLO leader Yasser Arafat supported Saddam Hussein, alienating Kuwait.
Post-liberation in 1991, Kuwait expelled over 287,000 Palestinians, citing collaboration and security threats.
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In Egypt: Palestinian groups like Hamas have been linked to terrorism in Sinai, aiding insurgents against Egyptian forces.
Egypt designated Hamas a terrorist organization in 2015 for supporting attacks. Gaza tunnels have facilitated smuggling and militancy.
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In Algeria: Algeria hosted PLO leaders and provided support, including declaring Palestinian independence in 1988.
Soon, the Palestinians started interfering with locals politics, contributing to the Algerian Civil War in the 1990s.
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In Syria: The PLO established bases after 1967.
During the Lebanese Civil War, Syria used the Palestine Liberation Army as proxies against Arafat's PLO factions.
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A key figure: the Palestinian cleric Abdullah Azzam mentored Osama bin Laden in the 1980s during the Afghan jihad.
Azzam co-founded al-Qaeda's precursor and influenced global jihadism before his 1989 assassination.
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Crime in Western Europe: In Denmark, of 321 Palestinian refugees admitted in 1992, 64% had criminal convictions by 2019, including serious fines or imprisonment - far above national averages.
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Among their children, 34% also had convictions. This overrepresentation includes violence and theft.
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In Yemen: The PLO established a presence in the 1970s, aligning with South Yemen's Marxist government.
They trained fighters and supported local militias, contributing to regional instability during the Cold War proxy conflicts.
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In other countries: Tunisia hosted PLO headquarters after Lebanon.
In 1985, Israel bombed the PLO base in Tunis, killing dozens, in response to terrorist attacks. This drew Tunisia into the conflict.
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In Uganda: The 1976 Entebbe hijacking by PFLP and German revolutionaries involved diverting an Air France plane to Uganda, holding hostages.
In Sudan: PLO had ties in the 1990s; Sudan hosted bin Laden (influenced by Azzam).
Palestinian groups used Sudan for training, contributing to its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
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Additional interference: In Germany, the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre by Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes, disrupting the games and international security.
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In Italy and elsewhere in Europe, Palestinian groups conducted hijackings and bombings in the 1970s-80s, like the Achille Lauro ship hijacking in 1985, affecting multiple nations.
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Conclusion: These activities show how PLO and affiliated groups often destabilized host countries through militancy and alliances.
The arrival of large numbers of Palestinians resulted in serious conflicts.
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Thread: Historical Control of Gaza & the West Bank 🧵
These areas have never been part of an independent Palestinian state.
In recent times, they have been controlled by the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Jordan and Israel (1/20)
The Ottoman Empire ruled Gaza and the West Bank from 1517 to 1917.
These areas were part of broader administrative regions, with no distinct Palestinian national identity or statehood during this period.
(2/20)
After WWI, the British Mandate (1920–1948) governed Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank.
The Mandate was established by the League of Nations to prepare the region for self-governance, but the Arab locals never accepted a two state solution (3/20)
A thread on Palestinian terrorism after the Six Day War of 1967
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Palestine was associated with international terrorism. These are just some of the hijackings, bombings and shootings they carried out: 🧵⬇️
(1/20)
June 5th, 1968: Robert F. Kennedy assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian immigrant who couldn’t tolerate the democratic victory of a pro-Israel candidate.
(2/20)
July 23, 1968: The PFLP hijack El Al Flight 426 from Rome to Tel Aviv, diverting it to Algiers and holding 32 Jewish for 5 weeks.
The European pogroms of the late 19th Century spurred early waves of Jewish migration back to Ottoman-controlled Palestine.
During the First Aliyah (1882-1903), around 25,000 Jews, mostly from Eastern Europe, boosted the local economy with agriculture & infrastructure
(1/20)
Ottoman policies encouraged general migration to Palestine.
Drawn by land opportunities, Arabs from Syria, Lebanon & Egypt settled in areas like Jaffa & Salt, with about 12,000 migrating pre-WWI plus 56,000 Bedouins east of Jordan.
(2/20)
Jewish immigrants buy low-yield land from absentee Arab landlords, raising tensions.
The Ottomans then attempted to ban the sale of land to Jews in 1892, but it wasn’t followed by the local population.
A thread on how the 6-Day War was followed by never ending Palestinian attacks on Israel 🧵 (1/?)
Encouraged by Arab leaders who told them they could soon return together with “the victorious Arab armies” many Palestinians left their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
(2/?)
The Palestinian anger from realizing that they had left their homes unnecessarily and couldn’t come back fueled reckless militancy.
In the 1960s, Arab states and groups escalated aggressive campaigns, driving radicalization.