The strategy crystallized after the Munich Olympics massacre, when Israeli athletes were murdered by operatives linked to the PLO under the banner of “Black September.” The structure was simple: fragment the organization, give each arm a different name, and create distance between leadership and action.

The result? Western governments eagerly accepted the distinction. It gave them political cover—allowing leaders to condemn terror while maintaining engagement with the PLO. Arafat gained room to operate, while others gained the illusion of separation.

Now, decades later, a similar pattern appears to be emerging in Tehran.