Yasser Arafat Yitzhak Rabin Bill Clinton

The Oslo Peace Accords: 1993 What were the accords? Why did Israel sign? How successful were they in practice?

What needed to be sorted out between the PLO and Israel? In your groups brainstorm the different points of conflict/issues that need to be dealt with at this stage to ensure successful peace? Think! Land, refugees, power, rights, Jerusalem, settlers? What does Israel want? What does the PLO want? 10 minutes

What were the Accords? A set of agreements negotiated in Oslo (Norway) and signed in Washington between Israel and the PLO in September 1993 Key principles were that Israel recognised the PLO and the PLO recognised Israel. Also set up self rule for Gaza strip and West Bank under a ‘Palestinian Authority’ Prepared the way for negotiations on the many remaining issues.

Which issues remained unresolved? Still Israeli troops in some parts of the occupied territories What about the 100,000’s of refugees in the camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan etc? No ‘right to return’. Jerusalem! Jewish settlements still in the West Bank - not under the control of the new ‘Palestinian authority’, what is their long term future?

Who were the key individuals?

Yasser Arafat Yasser Arafat - who had gradually been moving the PLO closer to recognizing Israel (However his willingness to negotiate had led to splits in the PLO including the rise of Hamas)Bill Clinton

Yitzhak Rabin Was Prime Minister of Israel from 1992-1995 Head of the Labour Party: prepared to make a deal with the Palestinians unlike his predecessor Shamir. Paid the ultimate price for peace: was assassinated by an Israeli extremist

Shimon Peres Israeli foreign minister Conducted secret negotiations in Oslo Took over as PM after the death of Rabin in 1995.

The background and main events Read the worksheet ‘Successes and failures from Camp David to Oslo’ Look through the questions: which questions do you already know the answers to? Now write down/type up your answers to the questions, make sure you title and date your work. If you finish early go to www.mrwright.wikispaces.com then IGCSE, then Middle East and find the ‘half a minute’ quiz on this subject 25 mins?

Homework due next lesson Read pages 56-60 In the form of a mind map answer question 2 from page 60.

Beyond Oslo…

What point is the cartoonist trying to make? How do you think the assassination of Rabin might have affected the prospects for peace in the Middle East?

Beyond Oslo. Read pages 54-55 Discuss as a group questions c,d &e. How would you characterize the position of the peace process in 1997? How does the situation compare with 1967? 1978? 1993?