Arab Liberation Front - Ideology and Relations To PLO

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 World'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.