Fact Sheet: Peace Process

 

 

1. Madrid Conference, October 1991

• Called for a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace settlement based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 (withdrawal from land in exchange for peace).

• Initiated bilateral and multilateral talks on arms control, economic development, water, refugees, and the environment.

• Established concept of two-stage negotiation, starting with interim self-government for Palestinians leading to permanent self-rule.

 

2. Oslo Accord - Declaration of Principles, September 1993

• Israeli recognition of the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and PLO recognition of Israel’s right to exist within secure borders.

• Agreement between the Israeli government and PLO to implement a five year transition period beginning with Israeli troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho.

• Interim period to culminate in transfer of authority from most of the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority (PA) except for defense matters and foreign relations.

 

3. Cairo Agreement - Gaza-Jericho Autonomy Agreement, May 1994

• Israel to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and Jericho Area within three weeks.

• All civil authority transferred to the Palestinian Authority, while Israel retains control over foreign relations, internal security, and settlements.

• Definition of powers for PA and creation of police force.

• Marks the start of the five year interim period defined in the Declaration of Principles.

 

4. Oslo II - Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, September 1995

• Divides the West Bank into three areas: Area A (Palestinian authority), Area B (Palestinian civil authority and Israeli security control), and Area C (Israeli authority).

• Israeli withdrawal from specific West Bank towns (Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Tulkarem) to take place 22 days prior to the Palestinian elections (January 1996).

• Additional redeployments from Area C to Area B to take place in 3 stages at 6 month intervals following the Palestinian elections.

• Establishment of joint Israeli-Palestinian Security and Cooperation Committee for Mutual Security Purposes.

• Begin permanent status talks no later than May 4, 1996. Final status issues include Jerusalem, settlements, borders, and refugees.

 

5. Second Implementation Accord - Hebron Agreement, January 1997

• Immediate Israeli withdrawal from 80% of Hebron

• Renegotiated timetable for staged withdrawal to begin in March 1997 and to be completed by September 1998.

 

6. Wye River Memorandum - October 1998

• Sets a 12 week program for 3 stages of Israeli withdrawal from 13% of the West Bank, while transferring 14% of Area B to Area A.

• Defines Palestinian security responsibilities including the arrest of specific terrorist suspects, confiscation of illegal weapons, and a written security plan to fight terrorism. CIA to review Palestinian security plans.

• Requires PLO Executive Committee to reaffirm its letter to President Clinton which nullified the portions of the PLO Covenant that called for Israel’s destruction. The reaffirmation process will include a Palestine National Council meeting that President Clinton will attend in Gaza on December 10, 1998.

• Opens Palestinian airport in Gaza and creates 2 transportation corridors for Palestinian passage between Gaza and the West Bank.

 

PROGRESS AND STALEMATE IN THE PEACE PROCESS

• Since 1993, Israel has fully withdrawn from most of the Gaza Strip and 3% of the West Bank. An additional 24% of West Bank land has been transferred to Palestinian civil authority, with security provided by joint Palestinian and Israeli patrols. This total area of 27% includes most of the West Bank’s Palestinian villages (Washington Post, 6/28/98).

• Under the Hebron agreement, Israel was scheduled to have begun the first of three redeployments in March 1997. All three West Bank troop withdrawals were to be completed by August 31, 1998. However, there have been no withdrawals since January 1997 when Israel withdrew from Hebron (Los Angeles Times, 8/25/98).

• The Palestinians, who reportedly expected to receive 90% of the West Bank in the proposed three withdrawals, rejected Prime Minister Netanyahu’s offer last March of 2% for the first redeployment (ABC News Website).

• Israel argues that the Palestinians have failed to meet three requirements: 1) the extradition of terror suspects to Israel; 2) the removal of all references to the destruction of Israel from the Palestinian Covenant; and 3) honoring their security commitments in the Hebron agreement (Washington Times, 7/14/98).

• The interim agreement expires on May 4, 1999, when final status talks are scheduled. Arafat has stated that he will declare a Palestinian state in May 1999 if serious negotiations are not taking place. Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that a unilateral declaration will be met with unilateral Israeli measures. Such actions could include annexation of the West Bank and full closure of the borders between Israel and the Palestinian territories. (Washington Times, 9/23/98).

 

U.S. EFFORTS TO RESTART THE NEGOTIATIONS

• In early 1998, the U.S. offered a bridging proposal aimed at restarting the stalled negotiations. The main component of the proposal included the transfer of 13% of the West Bank to Palestinian control in exchange for heightened Palestinian security measures. (New York Times, 9/29/98).

• In order to address Israeli concerns, the U.S. proposal conditioned Israeli redeployment on specific security parameters, while advocating accelerated final-status talks to take place concurrently with the implementation of the interim agreement (Jerusalem Post, 5/6/98).

• Following intensive meetings between Secretary Albright, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and President Arafat, President Clinton invited Netanyahu and Arafat to a summit at the Wye River Conference Center. The summit lasted 9 days and resulted in the Wye River Memorandum.