Oslo Accords, Palestine’s Faded Hope

20-05-2023

İrem Çakmak

Middle East and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

September 13 marked the 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords, signed between Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin and leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Yasser Arafat in 1993. The primary goal of the parties was to lay down fundamentals for resolving the long-running conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces and achieving a just, comprehensive, and durable peace agreement. [1] The second accord, signed in 1995, offered a more thorough plan for achieving these goals. [2] The success of the negotiations in Oslo led to Arafat being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, in 1994. [3]

The Oslo Accords was interpreted as having been the first step in recognising Palestine as a state and allowing Palestinians to exercise their right to self-determination. [4] Both parties agreed to respect the sovereignty of Palestinian Authorities over the West Bank and Gaza Strip which would be established in a five year period. [5] Subsequently, parties agreed to negotiate further the issues on the future of Jerusalem, the borders, and Palestinian refugees abroad. [6]

In an effort to accomplish the objectives mentioned in the Accords, some steps were taken. Firstly, a Palestinian Authority, which was initially designed to be temporary, that had limited control over the divided territory of the West Bank was constituted. [7] Donations from abroad were received to help the newly founded Palestinian Authority fund the creation of the Palestinian state. [8] 

On the other hand, Oslo Accords have caused fierce backlash from conservative Israelis ever since the beginning. Some of the right-wing Israelis considered the Palestinian Liberation Organisation to be a terrorist organisation. [9] Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995, following the protest erupted against the agreement between Israel and Palestine. [10] 

Unfortunately, today, the objectives of the treaties remain unfulfilled. Particularly after the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Israel made no attempt to abide by the Accords. For instance, further implications of the Accords are still prevented from being implemented due to Israel’s continued occupation, movement restrictions in the West Bank as well as attacks, and human rights violations in Gaza. [11] The Oslo Accords failed to halt Israeli expansion. Even though Israel withdrew its forces from Gaza in 2005, currently there are nearly 700,000 settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem. [12]

Moreover, Palestinian Authority is considered dysfunctional by its people. Mahmoud Abbas, who was elected as the president of Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization in 2005, still remains in power but lacks any real prerogative to prevent Israeli activity. [13] Some Palestinians contend that the state should have taken the appropriate steps when the Oslo Accords’ goals weren't achieved in the anticipated five years. [14] 

The fundamental problems that the Oslo Accords sought to fix have not been remedied after thirty years. Yet to be decided upon are the boundaries and the status of Jerusalem between two nations. Additionally, Israeli forces continued their invasion in Jerusalem and the West Bank. As a result, for Palestinians, the Oslo Accords represent a lost opportunity. 

Sources and further reading

[1] Oslo Accord, 13 September 1993, Israel-Palestine, UN Doc A/48/486 <https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/174951> accessed 21 September 2023.

[2] Oslo II Accord, 28 September 1995, Israel-Palestine, UN Doc S/1995/999 <https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N95/380/71/IMG/N9538071.pdf?OpenElement> accessed 21 September 2023.

[3] The Nobel Peace Prize 1994 <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1994/summary/> accessed 21 September 2023.

[4] Al Jazeera, ‘What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?’ (September 13, 2023) <What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?> accessed 20 September 2023.

[5] Office of the Historian, ‘The Oslo Accords and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process’ <The Oslo Accords and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process> accessed 20 September 2023.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Al Jazeera, ‘What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?

’ (September 13, 2023) <What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?> accessed 20 September 2023.

[8] BBC, ‘Oslo Accords: 30 years of lost Palestinian hopes’ (September 13, 2023) <Oslo Accords: 30 years of lost Palestinian hopes> accessed 20 September 2023.

[9] Al Jazeera, ‘What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?’ (September 13, 2023) <What were the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians?> accessed 20 September 2023.

[10] Ibid.

[11] United Nations, ‘UN report: Thirty Years since the Oslo Accords, the Legacy of Palestinian Statehood is at Risk’ (2023) p. 1 <UN report: Thirty Years since the Oslo Accords, the Legacy of Palestinian Statehood is at Risk > accessed 20 September 2023.

[12] Deutsche Welle, ‘Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accords leave a complicated legacy’ (September 12, 2023) <Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accords leave a complicated legacy> accessed 20 September 2023.

[13] BBC, ‘Oslo Accords: 30 years of lost Palestinian hopes’ (September 13, 2023) <Oslo Accords: 30 years of lost Palestinian hopes> accessed 20 September 2023.

[14] Deutsche Welle, ‘Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accords leave a complicated legacy’ (September 12, 2023) <Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Accords leave a complicated legacy> accessed 20 September 2023.