Palestine National Council

Supreme organ of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the ‘parliament in exile’ of the Palestinian people, which represents both Palestinians living in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 and others from the Palestinian diaspora.

The PNC was first established in Jerusalem in May 1964 by a decision of the League of Arab States. It comprised 422 leading Palestinian representatives, adopted a Palestinian National Charter/Covenant, and formally created the PLO. The PNC is the highest body in the PLO and makes key decisions: in November 1988 declaration of an independent Arab State of Palestine; in 1991 approval of PLO participation in the Madrid Peace Conference; and in April 1996 changes in the National Charter to accept Israel's right to exist. The PNC appoints an 18-member Executive Committee to lead the PLO between PNC sessions. Yasser Arafat has been chair of this Executive Committee since 1969.

Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), who were directly elected in January 1996 with the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the occupied territories, are all members of the PNC, along with representatives of the Palestinian diaspora.