THE OSLO PROCESS

 

Background: Arab/Palestinian Perspective

 

What made it possible for Yasser Arafat to declare his recognition of Israel as a legitimate sovereign state and to purportedly disavow terrorism?

 

This same Yasser Arafat had previously proclaimed that there would be neither recognition of, nor peace or negotiations with, Israel (1968 Arab League Summit Conference in Khartoum), and that the independence of the State of Palestine could be achieved only through force. Arafat’s about-face rests on four main factors.

 

1. The strengthening and legitimatization of the Arab State and the rule of Government

            Prior, people were so disorganized, there was little problem with anything.

 

2. The Fundamentalist movement

            The enormous vacuum generated by the political demise of Pan-Arabism following the 1967 War was partially filled by radical Islamic ideology, better known as Islamic Fundamentalism. That movement demonstrated its impact in several attempts to overthrow secular regimes by all possible means, including violence.

 

3. The Time Factor

            This was, and still is, very significant to the entire Arab world, and even more so to the Palestinians. Contrary to the beliefs of many Peace Now activists in Israel, a quick glance at the last one hundred years of conflict between Arabs and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis, demonstrates that time is not on the side of the Arabs.

 

Background: The Israeli Perspective

 

The following influencing factors will demonstrate the truism of the statement made by the late Moshe Dayan when, shortly before being appointed Foreign Minister in Begin’s 1977 government, he declared: “Small nations (such as Israel) do not have a foreign policy—they only have a defense policy.”

 

1. The threat of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza

            The control of the West Bank and Gaza areas by Israel serves as a defensive asset, which may deter Arab foes from considering launching an attack. Its steep topography and few access routes present a natural obstacle course

 

ii) Israel’s Arabs and the Palestinian State

            One of every five Israeli citizens is Arab.[50] The ongoing political process, along with such a large minority, has far-reaching ramifications for Israel. Over the last decade, especially during and after the first Intifada, a growing separatist trend has grown up among Israeli Arabs.[51] The establishment of a Palestinian state raises additional fears of a domestic deterioration in the relations between Arabs and Jews, as in 1947-8.