PLO stands for Palestine Liberation Organization, which is a Palestinian nationalist coalition that is internationally recognized as the official representative of the Palestinian people. It was founded in 1964 with the purpose of establishing an Arab state over the entire territory of the former Mandatory Palestine, advocating the elimination of the State of Israel. The PLOs legislature, the Palestine National Council (PNC), is chosen by the Palestinian people, and its charter sets out the goals of the organization, which included the complete elimination of Israeli sovereignty in Palestine and the destruction of the State of Israel. The PLO has operated primarily as an umbrella organization for various Palestinian factions and acquired a central role in mobilizing Palestinians worldwide and focusing international support for their cause. It was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1987, but in 1988, a presidential waiver was issued, which permitted contact with the organization.