PS132 Final Terms

Clinton Parameters

At the end of his administration in 2000, President Clinton issued the Clinton Parameters, a series of provisions that constituted his Middle East peace proposal. The parameters were divided into four areas: territory, Jerusalem, security, and refugees. For territory, Israel was to give up 100% of Gaza and 95% of West Bank contiguous with a 1-3% land swap. Jerusalem was to be divided with Palestine controlling Arab areas and Israel controlling Jewish ones. For security, Palestine was to be demilitarized. For refugees, Israel was to give $30 billion in compensation in exchange for the relinquishment of the right of return. The plan was never implemented because Clinton ran out of time, but it was accepted by both sides, suggesting that it could have been the solution for peace.

Bachir Gemayel

Bachir Gemayel was elected the President of Lebanon following the 1982 Lebanon War. Because of his disdain for PLO and Syrian presence within Lebanon, Israel put him in power in the hopes that he would broker an Israeli-Lebanese peace treaty. Unfortunately, Gemayel went back on his word and was assassinated shortly after his election. His assassination led to an even more fractured Lebanon, with Hezbollah taking control of the south and escalating tensions between Christians and Muslims (Sabra and Shatila).

Hamas

Created in 1988 during the First Intifada, Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist fundamentalist organization and the current de facto governing authority of Gaza. As a challenger to Fatah and the PLO, Hamas divided the Palestinian cause due to varying motivations and methods. For example, following the 2006 election which put it in power, there was a major conflict between Hamas and Fatah leading to Hamas's takeover of Gaza and the expulsion of Fatah. Hamas' link to multiple terrorist attacks against Israel has given it an international reputation as a terrorist organization. This reputation has made Israel and the US reluctant to legitimize the organization through negotiations.

Ehud Barak

Ehud Barak was the Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001. He defeated Netanyahu in the 1999 elections, but was left with an unnatural coalition of left-wing, right-wing, and religious parties, which meant nobody liked him. During his tenure, Barak was committed to bringing Israel-Syria and Israel-Palestine negotiations to an immediate conclusion, without care for the Wye steps. Although he was liked by Clinton and did play a central role in Camp David II, internal conflict within his coalition crippled his power and led to many of his solutions having no teeth and failing.

Quartet

Established in 2002, the Quartet is a made up of the US, Russia, UN, and EU involved in mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quarter played a role in the Road Map for Peace and called for an independent Palestinian state.

Lebanon Withdrawal

Following election promise of PM Ehud Barak to unilaterally withdraw from southern Lebanon, Israeli troops withdrew from Southern Lebanon in May 2000. Although the move was lauded by Israelis and the international community, it actually Hezbollah to gain wider influence in the region and led to the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006.

Hafez al-Assad

Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria from 1970-2000 after conducting a coup and installing a dictatorship. Assad was conservative, cautious, and tough, leading to the failure of negotiations at Shepherdstown. However, he was instrumental in the Syrian-Israeli disengagement accord. He died in 2000 and was replaced with his son, Bashar.

Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Sh'ia Islamist militant group, which serves as an Iranian proxy against Israel. It gained power in Southern Lebanon following the expulsion of the PLO during 1982 Israeli invasion. Hezbollah has grown as a more formidable threat to Israel, escalating in the Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006.

Camp David I

In 1978, President Carter convened a meeting between Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin, and himself in Camp David to negotiate peace between Egypt and Israel. The 12-day meeting was difficult, but Carter's resolve allowed for the creation of the Camp David Accords. Divided into the Framework for Peace in the Middle East and Framework Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel, Camp David ultimately led to the withdrawal of Israel from the Sinai peninsula and laid the groundwork for future talks about Palestinian territories. Although Carter misjudged Begin's position on settlements and the optimism of the Arab world, Camp David was an important step towards peace in the Middle East.

Madrid Conference

In 1991, there was a peace conference in Madrid, hosted by Spain and co-sponsored by the United States and the Soviet Union. It was an attempt by the international community to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process through negotiations, involving Israel and the Palestinians as well as Arab countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The conference focused on bilateral talks between Israel and Syria, Israel and Lebanon, and Israel and a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. The conference marked the first time direct negotiations were conducted between enemy states in Middle East and the first Russian-American project since the Cold War. However, it did not represent Palestinians independently and failed to stop settlements. Though it was not an immediate success, the Madrid Conference led to the Oslo Accords two years later and the Israel-Jordanian peace agreement.

Arab Peace Initiative/Saudi Plan

In 2002, after 9/11, Saudi Arabia attempted to rehabilitate its image with the Arab Peace Initiative. This initiative was a proposal spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and adopted by the Arab League, which called for comprehensive peace between Israel and the Arab world. This move was unprecedented coming from the Arab states who had previously disavowed Israel and refused to recognize it. However, Israel rejected the initiative on the grounds that it called for repatriation of Palestinian refugees, and because it seemed insincere with terrorist attacks, such as the Passover bombing.

Bush-Sharon Letters 2004

In 2004, after Sharon declared Israel's disengagement from Gaza, he outlined his plan in a letter to Bush. Bush agreed to publicly endorse the plan, providing Sharon with the political backing he needed to face domestic resistance. The Bush-Sharon letters signified a close Israel-US relationship, much to the chagrin of Palestine. It also deviated from the traditional American policy of final-status talks to resolve issues like borders and refugees.

2006 Palestinian Elections

In 2006, Palestine held its second elections, which resulted in the election of Hamas over Fatah. This led to two major developments: first, it strained relations between Israel and the US and Palestine, because Hamas was considered terrorist organization. Second, Hamas's election led to an internal conflict between Hamas and Fatah and ultimately the Hamas Takeover of Gaza.

Operation Grapes of Wrath

In April 1996, following Hezbollah attacks on Israeli soldiers in Northern Israel, Israel launched Operation Grapes of Wrath, a series surgical strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Although the operation was initially successful, it was a disaster after Israelis accidentally struck a UN post, killing 100s. Consequently, Israel faced condemnation from the rest of the world and Peres faced immense unpopularity, leading to his inability to get re-elected.

Gaza Disengagement

In December 2003, Israeli PM Ariel Sharon publicly declared that Israel should withdraw from Gaza and four settlements in the West Bank. Israel hoped to use this gesture as a confidence-building measure, while also removing a territory that was difficult to control. The declaration was met with opposition from the Israeli right, left, and Palestinians. The Israeli right were concerned about settlers and security. The Israel left thought the move should not have been unilateral, but as a part of a larger framework. Palestinians thought the move was a distraction.

Karine A

In January 2002, a ship (Karine A) containing arms destined for Palestinians was captured by Israeli military forces. The capture of Karine A revealed Arafat's violent actions and broke down any remaining belief that Arafat could be trusted. It also changed Bush's perception of Sharon as too tough on Palestinians and strengthened Israel-US relationship.

Camp David II

In July 2000, President Clinton convened a meeting between Yasser Arafat, Ehud Barak, and himself in Camp David to negotiate peace between Israel and Palestine. The summit covered three main issues: land swaps, Jerusalem, and refugees, but the complexity of these issues led to unresolvable gridlock and the failure of the talks. In addition to the complex issues, the toughness of Barak and Arafat and the unpreparedness of Clinton also led to its failure. This failure would be a contributing factor to the Second Intifada.

Hamas Gaza takeover

In June 2007, following the the failure of the Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal between Hamas/Fatah, Hamas took over the Gaza strip and became the de facto ruling authority. In the immediate aftermath, Israel tried to seal Gaza from outside world while Abbas dismissed the government, declared a state of emergency, and quickly installed Salam Fayyad as head of an emergency government. Later, the West adopts "West Bank First policy." Hamas has remained in control since 2007, escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine.

Netanyahu Bar Ilan Speech

In June 2009, in response to Obama's speech in Cairo, PM Netanyahu gave a speech at Bar Ilan University endorsing a 2 state solution, reaffirming Bush's Roadmap, and promising to stop building settlements. This speech marked the first time a Likud PM supported the 2 state paradigm, and appeared to be a huge concession at the time.

Rabin Assassination

In November 1995, Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated at a peace rally in Tel Aviv by a right wing extremist. Rabin's assassination was a major blow to the Israeli and international community. For Israel, it was the first political assassination of a Jew by a Jew and demonstrated the increasing polarization in Israeli politics. His assassination was also a factor in the failure of the Oslo Accords.

Annapolis Conference

In November 2007, representatives from Israel, Palestine, US, 16 Arab states, China, Russia, UN, and EU met to resolve areas Israel-Palestine conflict not addressed by Oslo Accords. The Annapolis Conference was a major failure due to the Bush administrations hands-off approach to the conference and Israeli PM Olmert's loss of power in Israel. In other words, it was an exercise in diplomatic futility.

Olmert Peace Offer

In September 16, 2008, PM Olmert offered Abbas a "deal of a lifetime." In this offer, Olmert used the 1967 border as a baseline, proposed a shared arrangement in Jerusalem, and allowed for 1000 Palestinian refugees to enter Israel each year. Although the plan was perhaps the most generous offer provided by Israel, it was unrealistic as Olmert had no power to enforce such a plan, while Abbas was hesitant.

James Baker

James Baker was the Secretary of State for President George HW Bush. During his term, Baker crafted the Baker Plan and helped orchestrate the Madrid Conference. The Baker Plan would have perhaps succeeded had President Bush not made a speech about settlements in Jerusalem.

JCPOA

Joint-Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran Nuclear Deal was created in July 2015 during the Obama Administration. The JCPOA was an international agreement on the nuclear program of Iran reached in 2015, between between Iran and the P5+1 (Germany) and EU. In exchange for the dismantling of Iran's nuclear reactors, the US would lift sanctions. The JCPOA was a huge step in repairing diplomatic relations between US and Iran, but was strongly opposed by US allies like Israel and other Sunni Arab states and strained their relationships.

Obama Cairo Speech

On June 4, 2009, President Obama gave a speech in Cairo aimed at rectifying American relations with Islamic world. In his speech, Obama made a direct appeal to the Islamic world for a "new beginning" with the US, called on Palestinians to abandon violence, and directed Israel to recognize Palestine's right to exist. The speech indicated a new direction in US Middle East policy, but was undercut by Obama's visit to a concentration camp, undermining Israel's existence.

Oslo II

Oslo II, in September 1995, was an agreement between Israel (Rabin) and PLO (Arafat) following the breakdown of Oslo I. Building on Oslo I, Oslo II focused on the autonomy of Palestinian territories by dividing the area into Area A, B, C with varying Palestinian civil and military control. The main points of contention -- Jerusalem, refugees, and the Temple Mount -- were left for final status negotiations. Unfortunately, Oslo II failed due to Hamas terrorism, Arafat's refusal to punish terrorists, Rabin's assassination and political polarization in Israel. Oslo was eventually replaced by the 2002 Roadmap.

Reagan Plan

Proposed in 1982 after the invasion of Lebanon, the Reagan Plan was his version of an Israel-Palestine peace plan. In the plan, Palestine would receive 5 years of autonomy in a confederation with Jordan; Israel would receive Arab recognition, and Israel would freeze settlements. The plan was rejected by all parties, because it lumped together Palestine and Jordan despite the wishes of Arafat and Hussein, while Israel disagreed with the provisions on settlements.

Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown was the location where President Clinton convened a meeting to end hostilities between Syria and Israel. Convened in January 2000, the negotiations failed because of the fundamental asymmetry between the representatives of two countries, the toughness of Barak and Assad, and the leaks of information. It was a missed opportunity in Syrian-Israeli peace.

Cairo Agreement

Signed in May 1994 by Rabin and Arafat, the Cairo Agreement resulted in the withdrawal of Israelis from Gaza and Jericho in a gesture of peace. It also created the Palestinian Authority to govern the newly autonomous lands with Yasser Arafat as president. This agreement was a major portion of the overall Oslo Peace Process and paved the way for Oslo II as well as the Israel-Jordanian peace agreement later on.

Israel-Hezbollah War / Lebanon II

Stemming from Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon and the rising prominence of Hezbollah in the region, the Israel-Hezbollah War was a result of a Hezbollah attack on Israeli soldiers met with a severe Israeli response. The war ended a month later with a UN mandated ceasefire and Israeli naval blockade. This war signified an escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy.

1982 Lebanon War

The 1982 Lebanon War was fought between Israel and Lebanon following years of conflict along their border. With tensions tracing back to Black September, the war was spurred by PLO attacks of Israel and kicked off by the assassination of the Israeli ambassador to the UK. Israel's intentions going into the war were to garner a peace treaty by installing a pro-Israeli president and remove the PLO from Lebanon. Although the war resulted in the expulsion of the PLO from Lebanon and the election of Christian president, Bachir Gemayel, it was an ultimate failure for the Israelis. The expulsion of the PLO left room for the creation of Hezbollah, an even greater threat to Israel; the war was extremely unpopular with Israeli civilians; Israel took the blame for the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, and Bachir Gemayel ultimately betrayed Israel and Israel was blamed for his assassination.

1996 Israeli National Elections

The 1996 Israeli National elections took place following the assassination of PM Yitzhak Rabin. The election featured candidates Shimon Peres of the Labor Party and Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party. The results of the election were shocking, with Netanyahu's narrow victory. The election was a poor judgment call for Peres, who was confident that he would be elected because of the strong left-wing sentiment following the Rabin assassination. For Israel, it led to a more security-focused administration, making negotiations with Palestine and the US more difficult to achieve.

First Intifada

The First Intifada of 1987 was a spontaneous action based on growing frustration of Palestinian populace with lack of progress to end of Israeli occupation. Although the Palestinians were unarmed, the situation turned violent as Israel overreacted in its response. For example, they sent 10,000 troops, allowed lethal force, and imprisoned thousands of Palestinians. This event turned world sympathy towards the Palestinians and away from Israel. For Israelis, the intifada intensified internal conflict between 2 state and 1 state solution proponents and created a deep foreboding that Palestinians would never stop attacking.

Oslo I

The Oslo Accords was a declaration of a peace process between Israel (Rabin) and PLO (Arafat) in September 1993. Also known as the "Declaration of Principles," the Oslo Accords was the first time Israelis and the PLO took part in face to face negotiations and mutually recognized each other's existence. Though the accords eventually broke down due to a series of violence, such as the assassination of PM Rabin and Hamas terror attacks, it was an important step in the peace process.

Palestinian Authority

The Palestinian Authority is the internationally recognized government of the Palestinian territories. It was created in 1994 during the Cairo Agreement, and has been the main negotiating body for Palestinians. Since 2007, however, the authority has been split with Hamas ruling Gaza and the PA controlling the West Bank.

Passover Massacre

The Passover Massacre of March 2002 was a Hamas suicide bomb, which killed 30 and injured 140 Israelis during Passover in hotel in Netanya. This event was an example of Hamas terrorism that broke down the Oslo Peace Process. It led to the Israeli rejection of the Arab Peace Initiative and Israel's reoccupation of the West Bank, which increased tensions.

Rabin Deposit

The Rabin Deposit was a conditional offer to the US that Israel was willing to meet Syrian requirements on territory if Syria meets Israel's requirements on security and political relations. With this offer, Rabin hoped that Secretary Christopher would work to similar requirements on the Syrian side, but Christopher gave away the position to Assad instead. This led Syria to presume Israel's weakness on the matter, as it was an extreme withdrawal from territory.

Roadmap

The Roadmap was a plan to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict proposed by the Quartet on the Middle East: US, EU, Russia, and the UN. Based on Bush II's Rose Garden speech in 2002, the Roadmap was "Performance based, goal-driven" divided into three phases: confidence-building measures, provisional Palestinian borders, and permanent settlement. The vagueness and many obligations of the plan led to its difficulty in being implemented. Also, the Second Intifada led to its collapse.

Sabra and Shatila Massacre

The Sabra and Shatila massacre in September 1982 was the killing of hundreds of civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites, by a militia close to the Phalange, a predominantly Christian Lebanese right-wing party in the Sabra neighborhood and the adjacent Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. The massacre was a direct result of the assassination of President Gemayel and the subsequent Israeli reoccupation of Beirut. After the massacre, Israeli citizens turned against the war and PM Menachem Begin/DM Sharon, while the international community held Israel indirectly responsible.

Second Intifada

The Second Intifada was an escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians following Ariel Sharon's visit to Temple Mount in September 2000. The Second Intifada was even more violent than the first, as Palestinians were now armed. As a result, Israel was given more latitude for its use of force by the US. Diplomacy failed to resolve the Intifada and instead Israel built a fence along the border with the West Bank. Ultimately the Second Intifada contributed to Israeli fear of Palestinians, which led to its withdrawal from Gaza and limited free movement of Palestinians.

The Ultimate Deal

The Ultimate Deal is President Trump's plan for Israeli-Palestinian introduced in 2017. The plan is cleverly vague, leaving the Arabs and Israelis to interpret the results of his efforts in terms each prefers.

Wye River Memorandum

The Wye River Memorandum was proposed in 1998 by President Clinton which a) Pledged Israel to further devolution of territory to Palestinians and b) Committed Palestinians to combat terrorism and amend charter. The Memorandum also shifted the areas introduced in Oslo II to give Palestinians more autonomy. Although the Wye River Memorandum had good intentions, it was opposed by the Israeli right wing parties and by Palestinians for not going far enough. In addition, the death of King Hussein removed an important mediator.

What was the impact of 9/11 on the Arab-Israeli peace process? Identify three ways in which the event reoriented the Bush Administration and the surrounding Arab states.

Thesis: 9/11 was an unprecedented act of terrorism, which left a major impact on the world. For the Bush Administration, 9/11 created a deep-rooted skepticism of Arabs, which marred the relationship between the Bush and Arafat. 9/11 also diverted the administration's attention from the Israel-Palestine issue to terrorism and the Iraq War. For Arab states, 9/11 created a feeling of guilt, as seen by Saudi Arabia's Arab Peace Plan, which hoped to rehabilitate its image and repair relations in the Middle East. Deep-rooted skepticism of Arabs/Palestinians To Bush, Palestinian terrorist tactics mirrored 9/11 Karine A - made him distrust Arafat Never met Arafat face to face Saudi peace plan -- make up for 9/11 responsibility 9/11 was a distraction from the peace process → led to Iraq War

Which U.S. president was the most successful in advancing peace between the Arabs and the Israelis? Which U.S. president was the worst? Justify your answers by using examples from the course.

Thesis: Although each president had successes and failures in their administrations, President Clinton was the most successful due to his mediating style, his multiple efforts from the Oslo Accords to the Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement to produce peace in the region, and his legacy in the Clinton Parameters. In contrast, President George W. Bush's hands-off approach and deep-seated skepticism towards Arabs made him a poor mediator, his preoccupation with other events in the Middle East prevented him from producing results on the Israel-Palestine issue, and his Roadmap plan proved to be unrealistic. Best = Bill Clinton Good mediator - hands on approach, tackled issue from every angle Oslo Accords, Cairo Agreement, Oslo II = key steps toward Israel-Palestine peace Mutual recognition Creation of Palestinian Authority Large steps in Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and West Bank Israeli-Jordanian peace agreement = wider peace in the region Clinton Parameters -- legacy, final plan accepted by both sides Worst = George W. Bush Bad mediator - Hand off approach (Annapolis Conference), Deep seated skepticism that Arabs would never accept legitimate Israel Preoccupied with other stuff in ME -- 9/11, Second Intifada, Iraq War Roadmap = unrealistic timeline

What factors led Camp David I to succeed and Camp David II fail? Consider the tractability of the issues under negotiation, the composition and conduct of the opposing negotiating teams, the role of US mediators, and the political circumstances in which the talks took place.

Thesis: Camp David I was a success due to its good preparation, willing leaders, and tractable issues. Camp David II's issues were more complex, there was weaker preparation, and the leaders were reluctant. Preparation CD1 = well-prepared Carter had multiple proposals ready -- one dealing with Sinai, other dealing with Palestine CD2 = underprepared Invited after deteriorating Palestinian situation, Clinton running out of time, and Barak losing political power No real American proposal -- draft paper immediately rejected by Israelis and withdrawn Leadership CD1 = Begin, Sadat, Carter Sadat = staked political career on reaching deal and getting back Sinai Begin = political support (Sharon, Dayan) Carter = wouldn't let anyone leave, leveraged US-Egyptian relations CD2 = Barak, Arafat, Clinton Arafat = uncooperative and lethargic Barak = worsening political situation, returned as loser, was too tough Clinton = broke promise not to blame, but blamed Arafat for failure Issues CD1 = tractable issues Sinai -- Begin was pressured by Dayan and Sharon at home to let go of Sinai settlements Palestine -- Begin recognized rights of Palestinian people, self-governing authority CD2 = complex issues Borders -- Israel offered 90% withdrawal, but Palestine wanted all of it Land swaps -- 1-1 deal not offered Jerusalem -- Israel offered suburbs and Palestinian flag over Muslim holy sites, Israel would not surrender sovereignty of East Jerusalem Refugees -- right of return

How have Israel's position and the PLO's position toward peace evolved since 1967? Identify three key events and how they altered the positions of each side.

Thesis: Following the Six Day War in 1967, Israel was criticized by Arab states and the international community due to its major territorial gains, such as Gaza, the West Bank, the Sinai, and the Golan. At first, both parties refused to recognize each other's rights, but with the Oslo Peace Process positions evolved to include mutual acceptance of a two-state formula and a commitment to direct negotiations. However, despite efforts for peace, events such as the Second Intifada and the Hamas Takeover of Gaza has put Israel back on the defensive, increasing the unlikelihood for peace. Positions evolved from non-recognition to recognition = mutual acceptance of two-state formula and commitment to direct negotiations Events: Oslo Peace Process (1993) Mutual recognition of Israel and PLO Direct negotiations Intifadas (2003) Made Israel more security-oriented Gave Palestinians a voice, but also violence (Hamas) Hamas Takeover (2006)

How did the First Intifada differ from the Second Intifada? In your response, compare and contrast the causes, consequences, levels of violence, and international responses elicited by each uprising.

Thesis: The First Intifada in 1987 was a largely spontaneous event based on the growing frustration of the Palestinian populace under Israeli occupation, which led to an unarmed, yet violent conflict and a change in international sympathy from Israel to Palestinians. The Second Intifada in 2000 was a direct result of Ariel Sharon's speech at the Temple Mount, was extremely lethal due to the arming of the Palestinians, and was dealt with domestically rather than internationally, as Israel built a fence along the border and was given more latitude by the US for their use of force. First Intifada 1987 6 years Causes: No one identifiable cause; spontaneous action based on growing frustration of Palestinian populace with lack of progress to end of Israeli occupation Caught Israeli off guard Consequences: Oslo Peace Process, sparked debate of proportionality in response to Palestinian violence Levels of Violence: unarmed, but violent (stabbings, Israel sent 10,000 troops, soldiers used lethal force 13,000 Palestinians imprisoned 1,000 Palestinian casualties, 100 Israeli casualties International Response: World sympathy turn to Palestinians and away from Israel Israelis responded with excessive crackdown = international image tarnished New, more central Palestinian role in Arab-Israeli conflict, greater respect internationally, reputation beyond terrorism Second Intifada 2003 Causes: Ariel Sharon visit Temple Mount, made speech that Israel never give up Consequences: Construction of barrier along West Bank-Israel border in July 2002 Limited free movement of Palestinians Levels of Violence: More lethal, Palestinians armed (machine guns, bombs provided by Iran, suicide bombs) 4,000 Palestinian casualties, 1,000 Israeli casualties Israeli targeted assassinations of suspected terrorists International Response: Israel given more latitude by Americans for use of force (suicide bombings + 9/11 = no tolerance for terrorism)

How has the Oslo Process been a success and how has it been a failure? Discuss success with relation to the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace, the effectiveness of relations today, and the ability to prevent violence.

Thesis: The Oslo Peace Process was a major step towards peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. It was the first time direct talks took place and both sides recognized each other's rights to exist. Concretely, the Oslo Process granted Palestinian autonomy, due to Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of the Palestinian Authority. However, the Oslo Peace Process failed to find a final solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and failed to prevent the escalation of violence. Successes Mutual recognition, direct talks, recognition of PLO Palestinian autonomy, Israel withdrew from Gaza Failures broke down due to violence (assassination of Rabin, Second Intifada) No final solution to cement process Didn't address harder issues like Jerusalem, refugees

The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have centered on four main issues: territory/borders, security, refugees, and Jerusalem. Explain the main points of contention around each of these issues. Which of these issues do you believe is the most tractable? Which is the least tractable? For each, defend your position with evidence from the course.

Thesis: The most tractable issue is the territory/borders, as Israel was able to withdraw completely from the Sinai, Gaza, and partially from the West Bank following various agreements. The least tractable issue deals with the right of return. While Israel refuses to acknowledge the right of return, Palestine is adamant about it. Most tractable = Territory/borders Main point of contention: 1948 borders or 1967 borders? Camp David I = Israel withdraw from Sinai Cairo Agreement = Withdrawal from Gaza Oslo II = phased removal from West Bank Least tractable = right of return (see Clinton Parameters) Main point of contention: Territorial or financial compensation for Palestinian refugees? Israel refuses to acknowledge right of return, Palestine refuses to give it up Clinton Parameters = Israel provide 30 billion dollars of financial compensation in exchange for relinquishing the right of return Camp David II = Palestinians demand right of return for refugees and descendants, Israel refused to accept moral or legal responsibility and envisioned compensation through legal aid not repatriation

Yasser Arafat

Yasser Arafat was the main champion of Palestinian rights as both the Chairman of the PLO and President of the Palestinian Authority. He first rose to prominence after his success at the Battle of Karameh during the War of Attrition. During his leadership, he vehemently denied Israel's right to exist and advocated for armed struggle in liberation of Palestine. He also significantly expanded the Palestinian desire for self-rule and statehood in Israeli territories. Diplomatically, Arafat participated in Camp David I, Camp David II, and the Oslo Peace Process. He was assassinated in 2004.