The Oslo Process Mediation and Handicap Mediation •U.S. late actor (September 1993/January 1) •Madrid 1991 •Norway change agent •neutral and private •Pursuit of “holy grail” •Clinton = Don Quixote U.S. Foreign Policy And the Peace Process •Since 1979 •Clinton era Mediation •The Oslo Process •Political advantages vs. genuine intent •Hebron (1996) •Wye River (1998) •Camp David (2000) Hebron •Netanyahu and Arafat agree to control over Hebron and redistribution of IDF (H1 & H2) •Completed part of Oslo II (1995) and signed in January 1997 •Both sides never ratified agreement Wye River •Memorandum agreed upon and signed by Netanyahu and Arafat. •It was aimed to resume the implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Oslo II Accord) •security •economy •By end of 1998 little progress made on points. Camp David •Ehud Barak and Arafat met and attempted negotiated peace agreement in July 2000 •Territory •East Jerusalem •Refugees and “right of return” •No agreement was signed. Handicap •Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin (1995) •death of dream •interpretation of true intention •Election of Likud (1996) •Election of Labor (1999) •Scandal and corruption with PLO •finances •faux elections Handicap •Financial aid limited use in statecraft •unlike in 1970s •Intent to build constituencies to support Oslo •bandage to Palestinian economy •Crutch to keep Israel engaged •Scott Lasensky, “Paying for Peace: The Oslo Process and the Limits of American Foreign Aid,” Middle East Journal, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Spring, 2004) Handicap •Power •IDF •Labor, Likud, Kadima •PLO/PA •Status quo •political support •religious groups •Hamas/Hezbollah Handicap •Reality on ground different than on paper and has been since 1993. •“Rainbow” lines interpretation over decades •Green line (1967) •“Blue line” (1949 Armistice Line) Conclusions •The U.S. has spent international and domestic political capital to reach a final agreement. •Israel, regardless of government has sought some peace though often blinded by reality on ground, reciprocal violence and prejudice. •Palestinians, are divided. Peace sought and small success achieved by PLO/PA is overshadowed by inter-party (Fatah) fighting and violence by Hamas, whom rejects the Oslo process. Readings •Scott Lasensky, “Paying for Peace: The Oslo Process and the Limits of American Foreign Aid,” Middle East Journal, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Spring, 2004) •Yehuda Avner, “An inept attempt at a flawed peace,” Jerusalem Post, December 2, 2008. •Stuart E. Eizenstat, “Loving Israel. Warts and All,” Foreign Policy, No. 81 (Winter, 1990-1991), pp. 87-105. •“Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs,” PBS Documentary, http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=50ZktlbxsgY