6) The Organization and Its Key Conferences

Local organizations are represented in branch organizations, which in turn are represented in regional organizations. All of these different levels are oriented by the general political position as articulated by the central leadership of the DFLP. From this political position is derived a unified plan of action. In this framework, the regional organizations have wide latitude of independence in their work plans, with respect to the special and actual needs and realities of each Palestinian gathering.

The DFLP's central leadership is comprised of:

a) The General National Congress is the highest political and legislative authority elected by local organizations and organizational structures at higher levels. The Congress is held once every five years.

b) The General National Conference is also elected, and called upon at certain times when necessity warrants. The Conference has the same authority as the General Congress, but within the limits of its brief agenda.

c) The Central Committee is the primary political and organizational leadership elected by the General Congress. This election is held between two Congresses. The Central Committee meets four times per year.

d) The Political Bureau is the highest executive body of the Central Committee, and elected from among its members.

e) The Committees of Party Supervision, headed by a central supervisory committee, have the task of verifying the correct application of internal statutes, as well as guaranteeing the rights of members and organizational structures at different levels, including that of the central leadership. The mass democratic and professional organizations represent independent groups, with specific programs and internal regulations, and committee structures that are elected during their periodic congresses. The DFLP considers these organizations as a framework from which its supporters are organized, as well as one of the major organizational forms of the democratic revolutionary alliance. This alliance, which includes sectors of various social forces, mobilizes their abilities within the context of the national and social struggle.

The DFLP has held seven General National Congresses and Conferences.

1) The Founding Congress (the First General Congress) was held in August 1970, during which the first Central Committee was elected. This Congress issued the political program, the general program, and the internal provisional statutes.

2) The First General National Conference, which met in November 1971, issued internal statutes, which were proclaimed in 1972. The Conference also elected the second Central Committee, which adopted the interim program at its fourth session in August 1973, and which also adopted the political program and internal statutes in 1975, which affirmed the independence and distinct character of the DFLP organization in Jordan (Majed). This independence enabled the Majed organization, in 1978, to draw up its own political program and internal statutes in relation to the national democratic struggle in Jordan.

3) The Second General National Congress was held in May 1981. This Congress issued a theoretical, political and organizational report, reviewed the documents of the political program and the internal statutes, and elected the third Central Committee.

4) The Second General National Conference, held in July 1991, elected the fourth Central Committee. It also made basic amendments to the internal statutes, in light of the completion of the work of the DFLP organization in Jordan (Majed) and the establishment of the independent Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd). This party reformulated its relationship with the DFLP, within the context of the work they have in common.

The Conference also analyzed a report that was specifically prepared to attempt to ascertain the root causes of the internal crisis within the DFLP, to draw out the lessons learned from this crisis, and to deepen the democratic process within the party.

5) The Third General National Congress, convened in September/October 1994, elected the Fifth Central Committee and approved a new formula for the political program, for the internal statutes, and for the political report about "The new tasks after the Oslo agreement". They also approved the theoretical themes about "The crises of the left in a changing era".

6) The Third General National Conference, held in January 1998, elected the sixth Central Committee and approved a complete political review of the Oslo agreements and the terms of an alternative national program.

7) The Fourth General National Congress, which was held in April/May 1998, approved a political report and presented a comprehensive national initiative dealing with: "Spreading the sovereignty of the Palestinian State over all of the Palestinian territory occupied in the aggression of 1967".