Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 2 The Palestinian issue — Edexcel GCSE History
Test yourself on Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 2 The Palestinian issue with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
7 days Premium · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 2 The Palestinian issue explained
In 1974, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat addressed the UN General Assembly, famously stating he bore "an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun".
Read the full explanation
This speech was a pivotal moment, granting the PLO international recognition as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and observer status at the UN. Meanwhile, following their expulsion from Jordan in 1970, the PLO relocated to Lebanon. Their activities there were highly significant; they established a 'state within a state', launching cross-border guerrilla attacks and rocket fire into northern Israel. This destabilised Lebanon, contributed heavily to the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975, and provoked severe Israeli military retaliation.
Israeli reprisals, the invasion of Lebanon (1982) and the results.
In response to continuous PLO attacks from southern Lebanon, Israel launched frequent military reprisals. In June 1982, following the attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador in London, Israel launched a full-scale invasion of Lebanon, termed 'Operation Peace for Galilee'. The objective was to destroy PLO infrastructure and push their forces back 40 kilometres. Israeli forces advanced rapidly, besieging Beirut. The results were profound: the PLO was forced to evacuate Lebanon and relocate its headquarters to Tunis, severely weakening its military capability. However, the invasion also led to international condemnation of Israel, particularly after the Sabra and Shatila massacres, and sparked the creation of Hezbollah.
The Israeli occupied territories and the First Palestinian Intifada (1987–93).
The First Palestinian Intifada (1987–93) was a spontaneous grassroots uprising against Israeli rule in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Triggered by a traffic incident in Jabalia refugee camp, it reflected deep-seated Palestinian frustration over military occupation, land confiscations, and poor living conditions. The uprising involved mass boycotts, strikes, and stone-throwing youths confronting heavily armed Israeli soldiers. This stark David-and-Goliath imagery shifted international sympathy towards the Palestinians. The Intifada forced Israel to recognise that the status quo was unsustainable and pressured the PLO to assert leadership, ultimately paving the way for the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Your focus
- Analyse the significance of Arafat's 1974 UN speech for the Palestinian cause.
- Describe the nature of PLO activities in Lebanon during the 1970s.
- Evaluate the consequences of the PLO's presence in Lebanon for regional security.
Show all 9 objectives
- Explain the reasons behind Israel's decision to invade Lebanon in 1982.
- Describe the course of the invasion and the siege of Beirut.
- Analyse the complex results of the invasion, including the PLO's relocation and the rise of Hezbollah.
- Describe the conditions in the Israeli occupied territories that led to the First Intifada.
- Explain the key events and methods of resistance during the First Intifada (1987-93).
- Assess the impact of the First Intifada on Israeli policy and international opinion.
Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 2 The Palestinian issue exam tips
Marking Points
- Explain the symbolism of Arafat's 1974 UN speech (the olive branch and the gun) representing diplomacy and armed struggle.
- Identify the outcome of the speech: the PLO gained UN observer status and international legitimacy.
- Describe the PLO's relocation to Lebanon and the creation of a 'state within a state' in southern Lebanon.
- Explain how PLO cross-border attacks into Israel from Lebanon escalated regional tensions.
- Assess the impact of PLO activities on Lebanon's internal stability, including their role in the Lebanese Civil War.
- Identify the causes of the 1982 invasion: ongoing PLO attacks and the trigger event of the ambassador's attempted assassination.
- Describe the scale of the invasion, noting that Israeli forces advanced much further than initially stated, reaching Beirut.
- Explain the primary result for the PLO: forced evacuation from Lebanon to Tunisia, reducing their direct military threat to Israel.
- Detail the negative consequences for Israel, including international outrage over civilian casualties and the Sabra and Shatila massacres.
- Note the long-term result of the invasion: the emergence of Hezbollah as a new, militant anti-Israeli force in Lebanon.
- Identify the causes of the First Intifada, including long-term frustration with Israeli occupation and the immediate trigger in December 1987.
- Describe the methods used by Palestinians, such as strikes, boycotts, and stone-throwing.
- Explain the Israeli response, including the 'Iron Fist' policy and the use of military force.
- Analyse the consequences of the Intifada, noting its role in shifting international opinion and leading to the Oslo Accords.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Quote Arafat's "olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun" to demonstrate specific knowledge of his UN address.
- 💡Link the PLO's presence in Lebanon directly to the subsequent Israeli invasions, showing cause and consequence.
- 💡Discuss how the PLO's international diplomatic success contrasted with their continued militant activities on the ground.
- 💡Use the term 'Operation Peace for Galilee' to show precise knowledge of the Israeli military campaign.
- 💡When discussing results, ensure you cover both the immediate military outcome (PLO expulsion) and the longer-term political fallout (international condemnation, rise of Hezbollah).
- 💡Be precise about the events at Sabra and Shatila, clearly distinguishing between the perpetrators and the Israeli military's role.
- 💡Use the phrase 'grassroots uprising' to demonstrate an understanding of how the Intifada began without formal PLO leadership.
- 💡When evaluating consequences, link the visual impact of the Intifada on global television to increased international pressure on Israel.
- 💡Connect the end of the Intifada directly to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 to show chronological understanding.
Common Mistakes
- Mistake: Believing Arafat's UN speech immediately ended PLO violence. Correction: Arafat maintained the threat of armed struggle (the gun) alongside the offer of peace (the olive branch).
- Mistake: Confusing the PLO's base in Lebanon with their earlier base in Jordan. Correction: The PLO moved to Lebanon after being expelled from Jordan during 'Black September' in 1970.
- Mistake: Assuming the PLO controlled all of Lebanon. Correction: The PLO primarily controlled refugee camps and areas in southern Lebanon, often called 'Fatahland'.
- Mistake: Stating that Israeli forces committed the Sabra and Shatila massacres. Correction: The massacres were carried out by Lebanese Christian Phalangist militias, though Israel was condemned for allowing them access to the camps.
- Mistake: Assuming the 1982 invasion permanently secured Israel's northern border. Correction: While the PLO was removed, they were replaced by Hezbollah, leading to ongoing conflict.
- Mistake: Confusing the 1982 invasion with the 1978 Litani Operation. Correction: The 1982 invasion was much larger in scale, reaching the capital, Beirut, whereas the 1978 operation was confined to the south.
- Error: Confusing the First Intifada with the Second Intifada. Correction: Ensure you focus on the 1987-93 uprising, which was characterised by stone-throwing and civil disobedience, rather than the more militarised Second Intifada of 2000.
- Error: Stating the PLO started the Intifada. Correction: Note that the uprising was initially a spontaneous grassroots movement, which the PLO later tried to direct.
- Error: Ignoring the role of the occupied territories. Correction: Explicitly link the uprising to the specific conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under Israeli military rule.