Oslo Accords have not brought a final settlement after 33 years — Asharq Al-Awsat
The Oslo Accords, signed by Israel and Palestinian representatives on September 13, 1993, have not led to the creation of a Palestinian state or a final settlement after 33 years. As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, the Palestinian Authority has retained its president, security structures and ministries, but its governing capabilities, as well as the territory under its control, have narrowed significantly.
The Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the establishment of a Palestinian interim self-government authority, and a five-year transitional period. Negotiations on final status were to cover Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security, borders and relations with neighboring countries.
Division of the West Bank
Under the agreements, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Area A, which includes the main Palestinian population centers, accounts for 18% of the territory and was to be under Palestinian administrative and security control. In Area B, which covers 21%, the Palestinian side is responsible for administrative matters, while Israel is responsible for security. Area C, which makes up 61% of the West Bank, is under Israeli administrative and security control.
The publication notes that Israel did not complete the troop withdrawal envisaged by the agreements and repeatedly conducted operations in Area A. After October 2023, according to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israel no longer recognized this division. The Israeli left-wing group Peace Now stated that the Oslo Accords had significantly contributed to the growth in the number of settlements and settlers in the Palestinian territories.
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Positions after October 7
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long opposed the Oslo arrangements, called them Israel's great mistake during the war in Gaza. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority continues to declare its commitment to these agreements and to a peaceful approach.
In May, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated his commitment to the Oslo Accords, the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations, as well as the 2023 agreements in Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh. He called for an end to unilateral steps that, in his words, violate international law, and sarcastically emphasized the need to preserve the Oslo Accords.
Abbas also criticized Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, saying that events should be assessed by their consequences. Opponents of his position, the publication notes, question the ability of the Oslo Accords to protect Palestinians in the West Bank.
