WK11

From confrontation to peace

(1987-2000)
7 May 2020
Topic

• Intifada, 1987-1993: prelude to the Peace Process

• Madrid Conference, 1991

• Oslo Peace Process, 1993-2000

• Evaluation of the Oslo Peace Process

 • How did Intifada began?
Intifada, 1987-1993: prelude
to the Peace Process • Intifada was in response to the Israeli
occupation from 1967 onwards
• How the Israeli occupation affected the occupied
territories (Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank) after
1967?

• 1. Jewish Settlement annexed Palestinian lands.

• 2. Palestinian economy relied on Israel markets: low
wages jobs, and widespread Israeli products in the
occupied territories.
• 3. Israeli harsh military occupation.
The process of Intifada
• Palestinian demonstrators were from all walks of life.

• Intifada in villages

• How Israel responded to Intifada: collective punishment

• The role of PLO

• New political program and Declaration of Independence in
November, 1988: PLO recognised the legitimacy of Israel
with certain conditions.
Madrid Conference, October 1991
• Background: After the Gulf war in 1991, the US
President George Bush called for an international
peace conference of the Middle East.

• Attendance: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan-Palestinian

delegation.

• Bilateral and multilateral negotiations between Israel

and Arab states, 1992-1993.
Oslo Peace Process/Oslo Accords, 1993-2000
• Secret negotiations between Israeli
officials and PLO in Oslo in Spring 1993.

• “Declaration of Principles on Interim self-

Government Arrangements,” (DOP) 13
September 1993.

• Experiment of Two-State Solution Source: The National

• Polls: majority of Israelis and Palestinians

supported the Oslo Peace Process.
Development of the Oslo Peace Process

• DOP provides a framework for peace negotiation.

• Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area

known as Cairo Agreement, 4 May 1994.
• 1. Israeli troop partially withdrew from Gaza Strip and
Jericho
• 2. Establishment of Palestinian Authority, PA.
• Opposition to the Oslo Peace Process

• Palestinian Left and Hamas

• Israeli Right

• Turning point for the Oslo Peace Process: Hebron Massacre,

25 February 1994.

• Arafat arrested Hamas members and closed NGOs affiliated

with Hamas.
The Oslo II, 1995

• Interim Agreement on the

West Bank and the Gaza
Strip known as the Oslo II
which was the most
influential agreement of the
Oslo Peace Process

• West Bank is divided into

Area A, B and C

Source: http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2014/7/west-bank-security.html
• The first democratic elections on 20 January 1996:
Palestinian Legislative Council, PLC, President of the
Palestinian Authority.

• How was the elections important to Israel and Palestine?

• Result:
• Fatah won 51 seats out of 88 seats.
• Arafat became the first president of the Palestinian
Authority with 87.1% approval rate.
• Optimistic view on the peace process changed:

• Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated

by an Israeli far right on 4 November 1995.

• Israeli politics turned to Right. Likud won the election

in May 1996.

• Benjamin Netanyanhu who became Prime Minister

slowed down the Peace Process.
• Labour won the election on May 1999. Ehud Barak became
the Prime Minister.

• Sharm el Sheik Memorandum, September 1999: Israel and

PA should complete the final status agreement on February
2000 and sign the peace treaty on 13 September, 2000.

• Negotiation for the final status agreement, 1999.11-2000.7

• Camp David Summit, 2000.7

• Al-Aqsa Intifada, 2000.9.28

Evaluation of the Oslo Peace Process
• Tradition views: Israeli and Palestinian radical intended to
destroy the Peace Process.

• Revisions
• Avi Shlaim
• 1. The Oslo Accord did not address any of the key issues in the
dispute: Jerusalem, the right of return of 1948 refugees, the
status of Jewish settlements built on occupied Palestinian land.
• 2. Israel continued expanding the settlements in the West Bank
in violation of the spirit of the Oslo accords.
• Sara Roy

• Israel politicians and Palestinian Authority were

blamed for the failure of the Oslo Peace Process.

• The negative aspect of the Oslo Peace Process affected

on Palestinian politics, economy and society.
• Edward Said

• Palestine turned to Bantusrans.

• The Peace Process intensified the Israeli occupation.