Oslo Accords

Quick Facts: Who was Oslo Accords?

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Oslo Accords

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Interim peace accords between Israel and the PLO, initiating the Oslo process.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Oslo Accords are a pair of interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO): the Oslo I Accord, signed in Washington, D.C., in 1993; and the Oslo II Accord, signed in Taba, Egypt, in 1995. They marked the start of the Oslo process, a peace process aimed at achieving a peace treaty based on Resolution 242 and Resolution 338 of the United Nations Security Council. The Oslo process began after secret negotiations in Oslo, Norway, resulting in both the recognition of Israel by the PLO and the recognition by Israel of the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and as a partner in bilateral negotiations. Among the notable outcomes of the Oslo Accords was the creation of the Palestinian Authority, which was tasked with the responsibility of conducting limited Palestinian self-governance over parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; and the international acknowledgement of the PLO as Israel's partner in permanent-status negotiations about any remaining issues revolving around the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Bilateral dialogue stems from questions related to the international border between Israel and a future Palestinian state: negotiations for this subject are centered around Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, Israel's maintenance of control over security following the establishment of Palestinian autonomy, and the Palestinian right of return.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Oslo Accords did not create a definite Palestinian state. A large portion of the Palestinian population, including various Palestinian militant groups, staunchly opposed the Oslo Accords; Palestinian-American academic Edward Said described them as a "Palestinian Versailles". The peace process was strained by the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre as well as by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad suicide bombings and attacks. Far-right Israelis also opposed the Oslo Accords, and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a right-wing Israeli extremist for signing them. The Oslo Accords are based on the 1978 Camp David Accords and show therefore considerable similarity with those Accords.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Camp David's "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" envisioned autonomy for the local, and only for the local, (Palestinian) inhabitants of West Bank and Gaza. At the time, there lived some 7,400 settlers in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), and 500 in Gaza, with the number in the West Bank, however, rapidly growing. As Israel regarded the PLO as a terrorist organisation, it refused to talk with the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Instead, Israel preferred to negotiate with Egypt and Jordan, and "elected representatives of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza". While the final goal in Camp David was a "peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, taking into account the agreement reached in the final status of the West Bank and Gaza", the Oslo negotiations were directly between Israel and the PLO and aimed at a peace treaty directly between these groups.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1978: 1978 Milestone — The Oslo Accords are based on the 1978 Camp David Accords and show therefore considerable similarity with those Accords.
2. 1993: 1993 Milestone — , in 1993; and the Oslo II Accord, signed in Taba, Egypt, in 1995.
3. 1995: 1995 Milestone — Far-right Israelis also opposed the Oslo Accords, and Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995 by a right-wing Israeli extremist for signing them.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Oslo Accords

True or False: “The Oslo Accords immediately established a fully sovereign Palestinian state with defined borders.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The accords were explicitly interim agreements that did not create a definite Palestinian state; they aimed for steps toward a final treaty.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Oslo Accords