Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas

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The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was until the January 2006 legislative election the main Palestinian organization. It has maintained conflictual ties with the Hamas over the years, which has culminated with the election of this latter party. However, before the passing-off of power, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority assembly voted the automatic membership of all Palestinian deputies to the PLO, which has officially recognized Israel. Therefore, the Hamas deputies are now automatic members of the PLO.

The rhetoric, methodology, and end-goals of these two parties have vastly differed at times, leading to ideological and political rifts between the two groups. Hamas has described itself as posing a challenge to the PLO's authority, and charges that many of its leaders have been arrested by the PA.

Under the Oslo Accords, the PLO was obliged to refrain from incitement to terrorism and to act against terrorism. Critics charge, however, that the PLO has violated this agreement by supporting Hamas.

In 1996 the PA did a major crackdown on Hamas cells (following 1996 Hamas's wave of suicide bombings which removed dovish Shimon Peres from office) but all the activists were released between 2000 to 2001. Israel has claimed that the PA was taking a "revolving door" policy in which activists are arrested following international pressure and shortly afterwards are being released quietly.