the challenge of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking 1988-2009

• who did the USA open secret talks with in December 1988?

  PLO officials
• what was Arafat persuaded to do by the Americans?

  to reject terrorism, this was something he had never done publicly
• what did Arafat also speak out in favour on in 1988?

  two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
• what did the Israelis view Arafat's announcement as in 1988?

  'propaganda exercise' and said that the PLO was still a terrorist organisation
• what did the Israeli PM, Yitzhak Shamir, say no to?

  'no' to a withdrawal from occupied territories, 'no' to recognition of the PLO and 'no' to a palestinian state
• why was the US government willing to put more pressure on Israel?

  wanted to keep support of major Arab states.

  the USA's allies in the West depended on imports of oil from Arab states.

  in a better position to do so when the Cold War ended in the early 1990s.
• what did the collapse in the Russian Communist government mean for the US government?

  the US government could expect the cooperation of not only the soviets but also the Arab leaders who would no longer be able to rely on the Soviets for arms and money.
• why could the US government into peace when the cold war ended?

  USA did not have to support Israel in order to contain a soviet threat in the middle east any longer
• what did the US president do in september 1991?

  threatened to withhold $10 billion of loans to Israel
• when did the Madrid Conference happen?

  october 1991
• what was the significance of the Madrid conference?

  the Israelis and Palestinian leaders agreed to hold face-to-face talks, showed how an increasing number f both Israelis and Palestinians were coming to the conclusion that they had more to gain from making peace than making war
• what did the Palestinian leader speak for in Madrid and what was the view of the Israeli leader?

  compromise, but Yitzhak Shamir was still intransigent and little progress was made in talks
• what did the extremists do on both sides during the Madrid conference?

  displayed acts of violence, in attempt to disrupt discussions
• what did the US call on the Israelis to stop during the Madrid Conference?

  to stop building settlements in the occupied territories or face the risk of losing their financial aid
• what was held in 1992?


  elections in Israel for PM
• who was elected as PM in 1992 for Israel?

  Yitzhak Rabin
• what was Rabin's government?

  more moderate and promised to work for peace with the Palestinians
• when was the 1st Oslo Accord?

  1993
• how many secret sessions were held in the 1st Oslo Accord?

  14
• what was significant about the 1st Oslo Accord?

  Arafat rejected the use of terrorism, called for an end to the Intifada and recognised 'the rights of Israel to exist in peace'.

  
  

  Rabin recognised the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people
• what did the Oslo Accord pave the way for, for the Palestinians?


  for a step-by-step approach towards self-government
• what did arafat and Rabin do at the White House 1993?

  shook hands, in front of world's cameras- major breakthrough in resolving the Palestinian issue
• what was agreed to in the 1st Oslo accord?

  Israeli troops would be withdrawn in stages from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. But not from their military bases, Jewish settlements or Jerusalem.

  
  

  Elections would be held for a Palestinian Authority to run the West Bank and Gaza for 5 years.

  
  

  during these five years, a final settlement would be discussed.
• was the Oslo Accord a peace treaty?

  not really, it was a timetable for palestinian self-government but it postponed any final settlement
• when did the Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza?


  July 1994
• when was the Israel-Jordan peace treaty?

  1994
• when was Oslo II Accord?

  1995
• what was agreed to in Oslo II Accord?

  elections to the palestinian authority would finally be held.

  
  

  Israeli forces would withdraw from major Palestinian towns.

  
  

  palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli jails
• who won majority of the seats in the election for palestinian authority and who was later president?

  PLO and Arafat