Digital Library
Introduction - The Oslo Accords' Unintended Consequences
Topic:
Israel Literacy
Principal Investigators:
Dr. Yechiel M. Leiter
Study Date:
2023
Source:
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA)
Key Findings:
This introduction to the larger series of articles makes a detailed argument for re-evaluating and changing Israeli policy towards the PA. The current approach of tolerance and restraint has led to severe unintended consequences, including international delegitimization, increased antisemitism, and damage to Palestinian civil society. A shift towards greater accountability and enforcement of PA commitments is presented as essential for addressing these issues and mitigating further harm.
Policy of Tolerance and Restraint:
Despite the PA’s continued violations such as delegitimizing and demonizing Israel, promoting antisemitic tropes, and financially supporting Palestinian terrorists, Israel has refrained from severe punitive measures. Israel’s restraint has been motivated by the desire to maintain regional stability and prevent the collapse of the PA, which is seen as a necessary entity to avoid worse alternatives.
Historical Context and Skepticism:
From the onset, there was skepticism about the PA’s commitment to peace. Statements by PA leaders, such as Yasser Arafat’s reference to the Oslo Accords as a temporary arrangement akin to the “Hudabiyah” truce, fueled doubts about their intentions. Leaders like Shimon Peres and Yossi Beilin downplayed Arafat’s hostile rhetoric as necessary posturing for his domestic audience, believing that governance responsibilities would eventually compel the PA to abandon terrorism.
Unintended Consequences:
The PA’s ongoing hostility in its deligitimization of Israel has significantly harmed Israel’s legitimacy on the international stage. The incitement and hate indoctrination fostered by the PA have contributed to a global rise in antisemitism. Moreover, the PA’s corruption and support for terrorism have undermined Palestinian civil society and governance structures, and tolerating incitement to murder is naturally seen as morally reprehensible and detrimental to Israel’s ethical standing.
Specific Negative Outcomes:
(1) The PA’s promotion of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments; (2) “Pay for Slay” policy of official financial support for terrorists and their families;(3) Exacerbation of global antisemitic trends; (4) Persistent delegitimization campaigns to undermine Israel (5) Illegal Construction in Area C by the PA; (6) Radicalization of Israeli Arabs; (7) Institutional Corruption within the PA, which adversely affects Palestinians.
Call for Policy Change:
Israel should adopt a more stringent policy, holding the PA accountable for its violations and commitments under the Oslo Accords. While acknowledging the risks of the PA’s collapse, the author argues that the current policy’s negative consequences necessitate a change. This includes the potential need for direct Israeli control over Palestinian territories if the PA disintegrates.
Methodology:
30 years later, the Oslo Accords have not materialized as their proponents had hoped. The scholars and analysts at JCPA, who have scrutinized the unfolding of this diplomatic process over three decades, have written a series of articles evaluating Oslo’s failures. The Oslo Accords at 30: Lessons Learned compendium concludes with an assessment of the possibilities for a requisite change of direction.