1993 - 1997
THE PEACE PROCESS WITH THE
PALESTINIANS - 1993-
In 1992 when Yitzhak Rabin’s Labor Party came into power, it pledged to advance the peace process
which was set in motion by the Madrid Conference in 1991. Representatives of Israel and the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) met secretly in Oslo. These talks, mediated by the
Norwegians, resulted in an agreement whereby the Gaza Strip and the town of Jericho were turned
over to the control of the Palestinian Authority. It was further agreed that the IDF would redeploy in
the West Bank and evacuate large Palestinian towns. Arrangements were made to continue
negotiations on the final status of the disputed territory. Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres were
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their achievements.
The Oslo Agreements sparked fierce controversy within Israel. Some people wholeheartedly supported
the Government’s policy, while others saw it as an act of surrender and capitulation. The dispute
reached its climax when, at the end of a peace rally, an extremist Jew shot and killed Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin. The assassination shocked Israel and the entire world.
PEACE WITH JORDAN - 1994
An immediate result of the Oslo Accords was that some Arab countries established contacts with
Israel. Morocco, Tunisia and the Persian Gulf states forged economic ties and many countries
renewed or elevated their diplomatic relations with Israel. Jordan embarked on a series of informal
contacts with Israel which eventually brought about a peace treaty between the two states. The Jordan
River and the Aravah were designated as the international borders. Agreements were signed on
various subjects, including water allocation, and the normalization process: exchange of ambassadors,
trade and tourism ties and coordination of positions on different issues.
In contrast to the Oslo Accords, the peace treaty with Jordan won wide support in Israel.
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