The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) functioned according to secular rules; perceived Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-Palestinian question on Palestinian nationalist and Third worldist grounds. However, it referred to Islamic rhetoric on its political discourse of Palestines liberation. With every crisis it intensified reference to Islamic rhetoric. The PLO was semi-secular actor who had pragmatist and instrumental usage in referring to Islamic rhetoric used primarily to mobilize the Palestinians for national goals and to legitimize the PLO against political Islam headed by Hamas. Also its Islamic rhetoric was affected by Palestinian societys shift along the Islamic lines and Islamic component of Palestinian nationalism and culture. Content of this rhetoric was never related with making Islam as normative and legal basis of Palestinian society rather was related with mobilization and legitimating. This rhetoric was centered on conflict categories that were related with battle, victory and sovereignty. The PLOs Islamic rhetoric did not affect its Israeli policies, its recognition of Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on secular-nationalist grounds.

Ceren Gürseler is a PhD candidate in African Union politics at the Ankara University. She has worked as researcher on Arab and African countries in Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies and Center for African Studies. She holds B.A. with honors from Bilkent University. She has M.Sc with high honors from Middle East Technical University.

Hersteller:
Books on Demand GmbH
bod@bod.de
In de Tarpen 42
DE 22848 Norderstedt