Arab Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian
political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO), politically tied to the Iraq
i Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein
.
(PLO). The first leader of ALF was its Secretary-General Zeid Heidar. Other leaders have included Munif al-Razzaz, Abd al-Wahhab al-Kayyali and Abd al-Rahim Ahmad. Today the Secretary-General is Rakad Salem
(Abu Mahmoud), who is held in Israeli jail. The ALF has a seat in the PLO Executive Committee
, held by Mahmoud Ismael.
's war with Israel
, which it regarded as under the natural leadership of Iraq. During the 1970s, ALF became a member of the Rejectionist Front
, initially backed by Iraq and formed by hard-line Palestinian factions to counter what they perceived as the increasing moderation of the PLO. The ALF later opposed the Oslo Accords
, as did the Iraqi government. This brought about a split in the organization, with a pro-Arafat/Oslo faction based inside the Occupied Palestinian Territories leaving the group to found the Palestinian Arab Front
.
and fall of the Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist government in Iraq, large amounts of the Palestinian refugees who had been living in Iraq were forced to flee Iraq for security reasons to other nations. It has maintained a small following in the refugee camp
s of Lebanon
, and has a minuscule presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It is headquartered in the city of Ramallah
in the central West Bank
.
The ALF gained some degree of importance during the al-Aqsa Intifada
, as a distributor of financial contributions from the Iraqi government, to families of "martyr
s", with extra grants for the families of suicide bombers.
The ALF published the monthly newspaper Sawt al-Jamahir
(Arabic
, Voice of the Masses), edited by Rakad Salem.
Samir Sanunu is the representative of ALF in Lebanon.
by the USA, and is not on the terrorist
lists of the UN or the EU.
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO), politically tied to the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
.
Historical background
The ALF was founded in April 1969, as a front of the Iraqi-led faction of the Ba'ath Party. In June 1969 it became a member of the Palestine Liberation OrganizationPalestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(PLO). The first leader of ALF was its Secretary-General Zeid Heidar. Other leaders have included Munif al-Razzaz, Abd al-Wahhab al-Kayyali and Abd al-Rahim Ahmad. Today the Secretary-General is Rakad Salem
Rakad Salem
Rakad Mahmoud Salameh Salem is an Iraqi-Palestinian politician and longtime Secretary-General of the Arab Liberation Front , an Iraqi-controlled Ba'thist faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization...
(Abu Mahmoud), who is held in Israeli jail. The ALF has a seat in the PLO Executive Committee
PLO Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is the highest executive body of the Palestine Liberation Organization .Its 18 members are elected by the PLO Parliament, the Palestinian National Council , often as representatives of the PLO member factions...
, held by Mahmoud Ismael.
Ideology and relations to PLO
The ALF has always followed Iraqi government policy on all matters. In line with the Pan-Arab ideology of the Ba'ath, the ALF was initially opposed to "Palestinization" of the conflict, preferring to argue in terms of the wider Arab WorldArab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
's war with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, which it regarded as under the natural leadership of Iraq. During the 1970s, ALF became a member of the Rejectionist Front
Rejectionist Front
The Rejectionist Front or Front of the Palestinian Forces Rejecting Solutions of Surrender was a political coalition formed in 1974 by radical Palestinian factions who rejected the Ten Point Program adopted by the Palestine Liberation Organization in its 12th Palestinian National Congress ...
, initially backed by Iraq and formed by hard-line Palestinian factions to counter what they perceived as the increasing moderation of the PLO. The ALF later opposed the Oslo Accords
Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles , was an attempt to resolve the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict...
, as did the Iraqi government. This brought about a split in the organization, with a pro-Arafat/Oslo faction based inside the Occupied Palestinian Territories leaving the group to found the Palestinian Arab Front
Palestinian Arab Front
Palestinian Arab Front is a minor Palestinian Arab Nationalist faction. PAF is a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization.-History:...
.
Present situation
The ALF was the main faction active in Iraq's small Palestinian population of approximately 40,000, but a very minor group in all other Palestinian communities. With the 2003 American invasion of Iraq 2003 invasion of Iraq2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and fall of the Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist government in Iraq, large amounts of the Palestinian refugees who had been living in Iraq were forced to flee Iraq for security reasons to other nations. It has maintained a small following in the refugee camp
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
s of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, and has a minuscule presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It is headquartered in the city of Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
in the central West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
.
The ALF gained some degree of importance during the al-Aqsa Intifada
Al-Aqsa Intifada
The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
, as a distributor of financial contributions from the Iraqi government, to families of "martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s", with extra grants for the families of suicide bombers.
The ALF published the monthly newspaper Sawt al-Jamahir
Sawt al-Jamahir
Sawt al-Jamahir , was the monthly newspaper published by the Iraqi-controlled Arab Liberation Front , a small, left-wing radical faction within the Palestine Liberation Organization . It was edited by the ALF's Secretary-General Rakad Salem, and is believed to have been funded by the Iraqi...
(Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Voice of the Masses), edited by Rakad Salem.
Samir Sanunu is the representative of ALF in Lebanon.
Militant activities
The group has not been involved in armed attacks on Israel since at least the early 1990s, and it is no longer believed to possess any significant military capabilities. It is not designated a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationU.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations
"Foreign Terrorist Organization" is a designation of non-United States-based organizations declared terrorist by the United States Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act...
by the USA, and is not on the terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
lists of the UN or the EU.