Editing Palestine Liberation Organization (section)

====2011 application for UN state membership====
When President Mahmoud Abbas [[Palestine 194|submitted an application for UN state membership]], in September 2011, Palestinian lawyers, jurists and legal scholars expressed their concern that the change of Palestine's status in the UN (since 1988 designated as "Palestine" in place of "Palestine Liberation Organization") could have negative implications on the legal position of the Palestinian people. They warned for the risk of fragmentation, where the State of Palestine would represent the people within the UN and the PLO represent the people outside the UN, the latter including the Palestinians in exile, where refugees constitute more than half of the Palestinian people. They were also afraid of the loss of representation of the refugees in the UN.<ref name=maan-2011>[http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=425080 Palestinian lawyers affirm essential role of PLO at UN]. Ma'an News Agency, 13 October 2011</ref> In Resolution 67/19 November 2012, Palestine was at last awarded non-member observer State status, but the General Assembly maintained the status of the PLO.