Palestinian leaders may cancel the 1993 Oslo accords

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Palestinian leaders have raised the prospect of revoking an historic agreement with Israel amid rising frustration over the lack of progress towards a Palestinian state and growing dissent and protest on the streets.

President Mahmoud Abbas is considering cancelling the 1993 Oslo accords, and related economic agreements, according to media reports. The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Palestinian leadership at the weekend, the reports said.

The issue has been raised against the backdrop of renewed warnings that a two-state solution to the conflict may no longer be possible.

In a speech to be delivered on Thursday, Britain’s former foreign secretary David Miliband will say: “For the first time in a long time there is no ‘peace process’. Not even the pretence of one.”

He will urge world leaders not to forget the cause of a Palestinian state, despite attention being focused on “the convulsions in the Arab world”.

Rejecting the US presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s comments about the impossibility of a two-state solution, Miliband will add: “Now is not the time to say that the problem is unsolvable.”

The Oslo accords created the Palestinian Authority (PA) as an interim body intended to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza until a permanent settlement with Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state.

But all subsequent attempts to reach such an agreement have failed, and there have been no peace talks for two years.

Critics say that, almost 20 years on, Israel’s military occupation and Jewish settlements in the West Bank are more deeply entrenched than ever, and that the PA has provided cover for Israeli actions.

The Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said on Tuesday that the PA was now forced to consider withdrawing from agreements. “Such a step would not be an easy decision,” he said.

A second senior Palestinian official, Nabil Shaath, said: “Making an amendment here and another there would not help. The problem is not with one term or another … The world must realise that we are reconsidering the whole issue.”

The unilateral revocation of the Oslo accords would be opposed by Israel and the US. The dissolution of the PA would have far-reaching consequences for its 153,000 employees and their families, and for the provision of basic services, such as hospitals and schools. It would also entail Palestinian ministers giving up their privileges and government salaries.

The issue has been raised amid continuing protests in West Bank cities over the rising cost of living despite an emergency economic package announced last week by the prime minister, Salam Fayyad. Some protesters have demanded the scrapping of the Paris protocol, an economic appendix to the Oslo accords, which pegs Palestinian VAT to Israeli rates.

The financial crisis in the Palestinian territories was deepening, according to a World Bank report released on Wednesday that blamed an economic slowdown, a fall in donor aid and “few positive prospects in the broader political environment”.

It said that Area C, the 60% of the West Bank assigned to full Israeli control under the Oslo accords, contained most of the territory’s agricultural lands, natural resources and land reserves. “Sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved without a removal of the barriers preventing private sector development, particularly in Area C,” said Mariam Sherman at the Bank.

Mustafa Barghouti, a former presidential candidate, said the Palestinian leadership was serious about reviewing the Oslo accords. “The agreement has become a cover for the Israelis’ policy of expanding settlements and creating a system of apartheid on the ground,” he said.

The PA could take actions short of dismantling itself, such as unilaterally setting its own VAT rate, he said. “Some people advocated that economic success was possible even under occupation. It is not possible.”

But Diana Buttu, an independent analyst, said the talk of cancelling the accords was unlikely to result in action. “This is just talk for them. They don’t have any other strategy. Cancelling Oslo in all its forms would mean going back to popular struggle and these guys don’t want that.”

Guardian

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43 responses to “Palestinian leaders may cancel the 1993 Oslo accords”

  1.  “Palestinian leaders may cancel the 1993 Oslo accords” Israel does not want peace it only wants to take the entire West Bank.

    1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
      Mahdi Kenaani

      not only the west bank, also lebanon, syria, jordan, egypt, iraq, iran and eventually the whole world

      1.  Yup Google “Greater Israel” the two stripes on the Israeli flag represent the Nile and Euphrates river and the middle is the star of David.

        1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          its disgusting! thanks Allah we have hizb and iran to ensure that this never happens

        2. $31060015 Avatar

          They are dreaming Moe, These animals can wish for what ever they want. Sayyed Hassan and his crew by themselves without the help of Syria and Iran will send them to a well deserved hell. Inshallah 

        3. $31060015 Avatar

          They are dreaming Moe, These animals can wish for what ever they want. Sayyed Hassan and his crew by themselves without the help of Syria and Iran will send them to a well deserved hell. Inshallah 

      2. $31060015 Avatar

        Mahdi, your right brother, Thank Allah we have Hizab and Iran, however don’t forget about Syria. They will also play a fundamental role in the demise of the Zionist.

        1.  its only iran,syria and hezb that have been vocal about it…wheres all the other arab countries????????????

        2.  its only iran,syria and hezb that have been vocal about it…wheres all the other arab countries????????????

        3. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          how could i forget about syria??? 3eib 3aleye!

      3. saoudiAhbal Avatar
        saoudiAhbal

        i think you are confusing yahoodi with salafi! ultimately you may be right; arent they allies now?

        1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          they ARE allies thats why i hate them both!

  2.  “Palestinian leaders may cancel the 1993 Oslo accords” Israel does not want peace it only wants to take the entire West Bank.

    1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
      Mahdi Kenaani

      not only the west bank, also lebanon, syria, jordan, egypt, iraq, iran and eventually the whole world

      1.  Yup Google “Greater Israel” the two stripes on the Israeli flag represent the Nile and Euphrates river and the middle is the star of David.

        1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          its disgusting! thanks Allah we have hizb and iran to ensure that this never happens

        2. They are dreaming Moe, These animals can wish for what ever they want. Sayyed Hassan and his crew by themselves without the help of Syria and Iran will send them to a well deserved hell. Inshallah 

      2. Mahdi, your right brother, Thank Allah we have Hizab and Iran, however don’t forget about Syria. They will also play a fundamental role in the demise of the Zionist.

        1.  its only iran,syria and hezb that have been vocal about it…wheres all the other arab countries????????????

        2. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          how could i forget about syria??? 

      3. saoudiAhbal Avatar
        saoudiAhbal

        i think you are confusing yahoodi with salafi! ultimately you may be right; arent they allies now?

        1. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
          Mahdi Kenaani

          they ARE allies thats why i hate them both!

  3. look at the language that describes arabs…But Diana Buttu, an independent analyst, said the talk of cancelling the accords was unlikely to result in action. “This is just talk for them. They don’t have any other strategy. Cancelling Oslo in all its forms would mean going back to popular struggle and these guys don’t want that.” see how you insignificantly we are looked at? we are just dismissed…i ask what her reaction would be if they did go back to a popular struggle? or a 3rd intifada? it has struck me as weird how throughout the arab spring the palestinians have done relatively nothing??????

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Got a point on that ‘independant’ thinker, dateam … very sorry use of language for an analyst to be quoted on.
      Is ‘The Guardian’ becoming biased? Or, as a number-cruncher, does she only see everyone in that way? 😉

      1. saoudiAhbal Avatar
        saoudiAhbal

        show me an independant non biased press and i will show you a flying elephant

        1. we only have ourselves ( sorry i should say certain governments ) to blame…over 300 million arabs and 7 million in israel and we cant do diddly….i believe the problem lies with sertain arab states…i dont see the palestinian issue being that difficult….but the problem is economics….you see if there was a 2 state solution economically certain countries would miss out…palestine would become an economic boom…who would benefit the most? palestine,israel lebanon , syria and jordan and egypt…..il leave it up to you to workout who would miss out the most…its always about economics

        2. we only have ourselves ( sorry i should say certain governments ) to blame…over 300 million arabs and 7 million in israel and we cant do diddly….i believe the problem lies with sertain arab states…i dont see the palestinian issue being that difficult….but the problem is economics….you see if there was a 2 state solution economically certain countries would miss out…palestine would become an economic boom…who would benefit the most? palestine,israel lebanon , syria and jordan and egypt…..il leave it up to you to workout who would miss out the most…its always about economics

    2. Persistent Avatar

      Good point and if I were you I would not say “relatively nothing”, I would boldly say “nothing”, I think you are right in assuming the palastenians acquiescence indicates they are better off living under Israeli occuption than under some arab dictatorship?  All the talk you hear is nothing but “bluster”…

      I heard Henry Kissinger say on one occasion, I have met with almost all of the arab leaders but no one wanted to discuss the palastinian issue seriously…. and you wonder why we are belittled and why the masses do what they do, the rulers/ leaders have failed us over and over again, portray us as helpless and that is why they lash out … BTW, I am not in any way condoning the lunatic behavior of some.

      It is interesting to note though, in that part of the world, if one does not have the right connection or the family recognition, they do not get very far while most of us do succeed abroad. This tells me we as people are not totally incompetent and the system works to a certain degree. 

  4. look at the language that describes arabs…But Diana Buttu, an independent analyst, said the talk of cancelling the accords was unlikely to result in action. “This is just talk for them. They don’t have any other strategy. Cancelling Oslo in all its forms would mean going back to popular struggle and these guys don’t want that.” see how you insignificantly we are looked at? we are just dismissed…i ask what her reaction would be if they did go back to a popular struggle? or a 3rd intifada? it has struck me as weird how throughout the arab spring the palestinians have done relatively nothing??????

  5. look at the language that describes arabs…But Diana Buttu, an independent analyst, said the talk of cancelling the accords was unlikely to result in action. “This is just talk for them. They don’t have any other strategy. Cancelling Oslo in all its forms would mean going back to popular struggle and these guys don’t want that.” see how you insignificantly we are looked at? we are just dismissed…i ask what her reaction would be if they did go back to a popular struggle? or a 3rd intifada? it has struck me as weird how throughout the arab spring the palestinians have done relatively nothing??????

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Got a point on that ‘independant’ thinker, dateam … very sorry use of language for an analyst to be quoted on.
      Is ‘The Guardian’ becoming biased? Or, as a number-cruncher, does she only see everyone in that way? 😉

      1. saoudiAhbal Avatar
        saoudiAhbal

        show me an independant non biased press and i will show you a flying elephant

        1. we only have ourselves ( sorry i should say certain governments ) to blame…over 300 million arabs and 7 million in israel and we cant do diddly….i believe the problem lies with sertain arab states…i dont see the palestinian issue being that difficult….but the problem is economics….you see if there was a 2 state solution economically certain countries would miss out…palestine would become an economic boom…who would benefit the most? palestine,israel lebanon , syria and jordan and egypt…..il leave it up to you to workout who would miss out the most…its always about economics

    2. Persistent Avatar

      Good point and if I were you I would not say “relatively nothing”, I would boldly say “nothing”, I think you are right in assuming the palastenians acquiescence indicates they are better off living under Israeli occuption than under some arab dictatorship?  All the talk you hear is nothing but “bluster”…

      I heard Henry Kissinger say on one occasion, I have met with almost all of the arab leaders but no one wanted to discuss the palastinian issue seriously…. and you wonder why we are belittled and why the masses do what they do, the rulers/ leaders have failed us over and over again, portray us as helpless and that is why they lash out … BTW, I am not in any way condoning the lunatic behavior of some.

      It is interesting to note though, in that part of the world, if one does not have the right connection or the family recognition, they do not get very far while most of us do succeed abroad. This tells me we as people are not totally incompetent and the system works to a certain degree. 

  6. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
    Mahdi Kenaani

    @dateam:disqus excellent question! 

  7. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
    Mahdi Kenaani

    @dateam:disqus excellent question! 

  8. MeYosemite Avatar

    It is pathetic that many countries and organizations who have Palestine as a cause did nothing politically, but just used the cause for their own benefit. What can’t Iran trade in their nuclear program for a Palestine state? Or HA trade in their weapon for peace and a state? Posturing has a negotiation power but the way Iran and HA going about it will loose both tokens for nothing very shortly and for nothing. Middle easterns are terrible politicians at a grand scale. But they are great at posturing.

    1. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is trapped in reflection theory. He was allegedly himself involved in illegally smuggling nuclear triggers out of the US, and he assumes that Iran desperately wants a nuclear weapon as well. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has given a fatwa against nukes, and there is no solid intelligence pointing to an Iranian weapons program. Iran can’t be close to having a weapon if it doesn’t have a weapons program.
      He has no credibility left on such warnings.
      Scott Peterson at the Christian Science Monitor did a useful timeline for dire Israeli and US predictions of an imminent Iranian nuclear weapon, beginning 20 years ago.
      1992: Israeli member of parliament Binyamin Netanyahu predicts that Iran was “3 to 5 years” from having a nuclear weapon.
      1992: Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres predicts an Iranian nuclear warhead by 1999 to French TV.
      1995: The New York Times quotes US and Israeli officials saying that Iran would have the bomb by 2000.
      1998: Donald Rumsfeld tells Congress that Iran could have an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the US by 2003.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar

        The USA … masters of paranoia. Also anti-socialist like Middle East.

  9. MeYosemite Avatar

    It is pathetic that many countries and organizations who have Palestine as a cause did nothing politically, but just used the cause for their own benefit. What can’t Iran trade in their nuclear program for a Palestine state? Or HA trade in their weapon for peace and a state? Posturing has a negotiation power but the way Iran and HA going about it will loose both tokens for nothing very shortly and for nothing. Middle easterns are terrible politicians at a grand scale. But they are great at posturing.

  10. MeYosemite Avatar

    It is pathetic that many countries and organizations who have Palestine as a cause did nothing politically, but just used the cause for their own benefit. What can’t Iran trade in their nuclear program for a Palestine state? Or HA trade in their weapon for peace and a state? Posturing has a negotiation power but the way Iran and HA going about it will loose both tokens for nothing very shortly and for nothing. Middle easterns are terrible politicians at a grand scale. But they are great at posturing.

    1. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is trapped in reflection theory. He was allegedly himself involved in illegally smuggling nuclear triggers out of the US, and he assumes that Iran desperately wants a nuclear weapon as well. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has given a fatwa against nukes, and there is no solid intelligence pointing to an Iranian weapons program. Iran can’t be close to having a weapon if it doesn’t have a weapons program.
      He has no credibility left on such warnings.
      Scott Peterson at the Christian Science Monitor did a useful timeline for dire Israeli and US predictions of an imminent Iranian nuclear weapon, beginning 20 years ago.
      1992: Israeli member of parliament Binyamin Netanyahu predicts that Iran was “3 to 5 years” from having a nuclear weapon.
      1992: Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres predicts an Iranian nuclear warhead by 1999 to French TV.
      1995: The New York Times quotes US and Israeli officials saying that Iran would have the bomb by 2000.
      1998: Donald Rumsfeld tells Congress that Iran could have an intercontinental ballistic missile that could hit the US by 2003.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar

        The USA … masters of paranoia. Also anti-socialist like Middle East.

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