THE GENERAL REPORT BY AN ARAB RESEARCH GROUP GIVES A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST AS BACKGROUND TO THE RISE OF PALESTINIAN ACTIVISM AFTER THE CREATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL IN 1948. NINE MAJOR COMMANDO ORGANIZATIONS ARE SURVEYED CONCERNING THE REASONS FOR THEIR EMERGENCE AND THEIR IDEOLOGY, PROGRAMS, LEADERSHIP, AND OPERATIONS. THE COMMANDO ORGANIZATIONS DESCRIBED ARE FATEH (PALESTINE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT), PFLP (POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE), PDFLAP (POPULAR DEMOCRATIC FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE), PFLP COMMAND (POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE GENERAL COMMAND), POPULAR REVOLUTIONARY FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE, A SPLINTER GROUP FROM PFLP, SA'EQA, THE MILITARY WING OF THE VANGUARDS OF THE POPULAR WAR OF LIBERATION ORGANIZATION, ALF (ARAB LIBERATION FRONT, AL ANSAR, AND BLACK SEPTEMBER. THE RELATIONS OF THE COMMANDOS WITH THE ARAB STATES IS A HISTORY OF CONFLICTING INTERESTS AND DIFFERENT PRIORITIES. VARIOUS FORMS OF AID EXTENDED BY CHINA AND THE SOVIET UNION ARE SURVEYED, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON POLITICAL SUPPORT. A REVIEW OF THE POST-1967 PEACE SETTLEMENT PROPOSALS LEADS TO A DISCUSSION OF HOW THE IDEA OF A PALESTINIAN STATE CAME TO BE REGARDED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MIDDLE EAST SETTLEMENT. UNITED STATES AND SOVIET POLICY IN THE AREA, THE RESPONSE OF THE ARAB COUNTRIES, AND THE DEMANDS OF THE PALESTINIAN ORGANIZATIONS ARE DISCUSSED. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ON 28 LEADING PALESTINIAN FIGURES, GROUPED WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY LEAD, COMPLETE THE STUDY. AN INDEX IS INCLUDED. (RFC)