REPORT: 20 years on, Oslo Accords promise rings hollow

           
In 1993, the words rang hopeful and historic. Israel and the PLO agreed "it is time to put an end to decades of confrontation and conflict," live in peaceful co-existence and reach a "just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement."                   

Twenty years later, the words that launched Israeli-Palestinian talks on dividing the Holy Land into two states ring hollow to many on both sides. Negotiators say mistakes they made then are causing damage to this day.                       

Palestinians seem no closer now than they were 20 years ago to a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, and some argue they are worse off. The number of Israeli settlers has doubled. East Jerusalem is cut off by an Israeli barrier. Gaza, ruled by the Islamic militant Hamas since 2007, is turning into a distinct enclave.                       

Many Israelis, scarred by Palestinian suicide bombings and rocket fire from Gaza, are skeptical of the other side's intentions and believe the politically divided Palestinians cannot carry out a peace deal, even if one is reached.                     

The Declaration of Principles, sealed with a handshake on the White House lawn on Sept. 13, 1993, was hailed as a breakthrough in the century-old conflict between Arabs and Jews. It was the first of a series of agreements known as the Oslo Accords, after the secret talks in Norway that led to them that created the Palestinian Authority and set up self-rule areas in the Palestinian territories.                         

It also produced broken promises, bouts of violence and two failed attempts to negotiate a final peace deal.                         

Former Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia said that if he knew then what he knows now he wouldn't have agreed to the accords.                          

Last month, Israelis and Palestinians launched a third attempt to negotiate a peace deal, prodded by US Secretary of State John Kerry.                         

Kerry hasn't said whether he's breaking the Oslo formula of bilateral talks, with US mediation, on borders, security arrangements, partition of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.                   

Critics say its fundamental flaw was the guiding principle that "nothing is agreed on until everything is agreed on."                                   

That was meant to encourage negotiators to be fearless. Instead, it linked the two most difficult issues Jerusalem holy sites and Palestinian refugees to those where progress was made.                  


For more details, please watch the report in the video above  


AP