[dependent on the Syrians and pro-Syrian PLO factions…]

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dependent on the Syrians and pro-Syrian PLO factions like the PFLP General Command of Ahmed Jibril, which has been supplying the rebels with arms.

Arafat so far has refrained from a direct attack on Syrian manoeuvres within Fatah and within the PLO in general (where apart from the Jibril group they control another organisation, al-Saiga).

The current military dependence of the PLO on Syria is too great for that. Instead his attacks have been openly directed at Libya, which has played the role of declared supporter of the dissidents. Libyan airplanes, for instance, flew large quantities of food and arms into the area in response to Arafat's blockade of the rebels' positions.

So far there have been no reports of the stand being taken by leftist Palestinian organisations like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (led by George Habash) and the Democratic Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (led by Naif Hawatmeh).

The Arab states are generally lining up behind the Arafat leadership of Fatah with -apart from Syria and Libya -the only supporters of the dissident group being the People's Republic of Yemen. Not surprisingly Saudi Arabia and the other conservative Arab states are supporting Arafat..

It is possible that this crisis will be largely solved through the intervention of the Soviet Union which will support Arafat and put pressure on Syria not to attempt to depose him.

Syria's influence in the PLO has been growing steadily for some time and it may be that they will feel that they can control the organisation and make even further inroads by not splitting Fatah definitively.

Against this is their desire to keep up the pressure on Israeli troops in the area: for this they