Background ¦ Your reaction

The Background:

This week marks the end of five-year interim autonomy period as outlined in the Oslo peace accords. By now a final peace settlement should have been struck.

Instead, the process remains in stalemate, with both Israel and the Palestinians locked in mutual recrimination over who is to blame. Repeated attempts to breathe new life into the process have so far come to nothing, with each fresh diplomatic initiative running into the sand.

Increasingly many are turning to street protests to vent their frustrations. Palestinians have been protesting at Yasser Arafat's decision not to declare an independent Palestinian state on 4 May, as he had originally promised.

Both Palestinians and Israelis have been planning rival rallies in Jerusalem.

Israeli hardliners have been celebrating what they say is the final demise of the Oslo accords. Certainly the deal has not produced security for the Israeli people or dignity for the Palestinians

Was the deal misconceived in the first place? Was it always bound to fail? Or could it even now be put back on track after the Israeli election?

Tell us what you think

Background ¦ Your reaction

Your Reaction:

Israel and USA are the only ones who must be blamed, Israel for its crimes against Palestinian people. And USA for its support to Israel, whatever they did!!!!!
B Bino, USA

From the lack of terrorism during the Israeli elections, any objective observer will conclude that Arafat has always had what amounts to control over the timing and intensity of military actions against civilians. The model of Arafat opposing terror but being unable to stop it is an illusion. In fact, no matter what interim agreements are concluded, Arafat will always find more to ask for and agitate for, since this agenda is what keeps him in power.
Yehuda Cern, Israel

It is a shame that religion is ignored. As the world has become more materialistic so religion, the basis for the judicial system, is being ignored to our peril. Israel is the Holy Land as defined in the Bible which has its foundations going back to time immemorial, Christianity is almost 2000 years old, whilst Islam is only 1400 years old. The land of Israel is given to the Jewish People as stated in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. The Koran is a modern by comparison. Ignoring the Bible is to throw away the legal and judicial system of the world - thus Israel must possess the Holy Land.
Chaim, UK

Israel has killed Oslo. The present government is doing everything to ethnically cleanse Jerusalem. Israel is both a violent and an expansionist state.
Ernie, USA

It is too early to mourn the Middle East peace process. It is all up to the Israeli people now. On 17th May they can choose a chance for peace to the Middle East, or chose Netanyahu and war.
Dana, UK

Arafat has made a mockery out of every 'peace deal' he has entered into. He has no intention of making peace until Israel is replaced by 'Falistin'.
Yaccov, USA

I see that many people have mentioned the plight of Palestinian refugees and their right to return to Israel. But what about the eight hundred thousand Sephardic Jews of Middle Eastern origin who were kicked out of Arab lands and forced into Israel in 1948-1950. No one ever mentions the fact that these people had their homes confiscated their lives threatened, and their houses of worship burned. Since Israel absorbed so many refugees from Arab lands. The Arabs should absorb the Palestinian refugees, instead of refusing to help them and confining them in camps with sub-standard conditions. What about Arab responsibility for the well-being of their own people, instead of using the Palestinians for cheap labour in the Gulf States.
A. Ratner, USA

Oslo is dead. Israel backed down from their promises as well as Palestinians. Both are arrogant and need land and power. In order to have peace one of them has to grow some brains. In the presence of corrupt Arafat, Israel will never abide by the agreement. In the presence of people like Netanyahu Palestinians will never agree on any solution presented by Israel. All resources have been exhausted for peace. I believe only a super human power can bring peace peacefully.
Irfan Ahmed, USA

Oslo and Wye's agreements are dead. Israel is an apartheid state and it will meet the same destiny as the former. And I hope with as little bloodshed. I am a Palestinian and I never heard of a Palestinian demolishing a Jewish home in Poland, or Ukraine or Berlin. What gives a Jew (or any of his ancestors all the way to Adam) the right to take over my home and land that my father and mother still live on? Enough is enough; my people have suffered too long in exile in the Name of Yehwa or any other God disguised as a Real Estate Agent.
J.Barghouti, USA

The Arab expansionist agenda has achieved a surprising amount with the help of the west, but Netanyahu knows what is really going on, and will do whatever he has to save his people. Unfortunately he is willing to lie and use questionable tactics, but I can hardly blame him. The poor ignorant west (especially our leaders) just don't comprehend that Arab Muslim fanatics are morally obligated by their religion to remove the non-Muslim presence from the Holy Land. They perceive the presence of Israel in there midst as an affront to God. They will use weapons, politics, and yes even the sympathy card to achieve their stated goal of pushing Israel into the sea. Netanyahu knows this and is determined to save Israel from future extinction. The peace accords are not what they seem, and I think Netanyahu is right to move on even in abeyance to the agreements of his predecessors.
Ryan, USA

It was dead before it was born, simply two incompatible people set on the negotiating table Israelis have the power, political and financial support of the west, which made them and allowed them to dictate to the Palestinians their own terms and conditions. I believe that they have acted in a very humiliating manner against the Muslim world and there will come a day that future generations will say there used to exist an idle Muslim people led by scamp leaders who are only interested there own happiness.
Jamal Khalib, UK

To draw parallels between the Serbs and Israelis, on the basis of who signed the accords and who did not, is absurd. Nato is bombing the Serbs because they are committing genocide against the Albanians. Last time I checked, Israelis and Palestinians are killing each other, but there is no organised Israeli campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people.
I think Seymour Alexander's thoughts are misguided. Is he aware of that Yasser Arafat is (or was) a known terrorist? Is he aware that Jews are being killed by Palestinians as much as Palestinians are being killed by Jews? This issue is much too complicated to merely point the finger at one guilty party. I am one of the American Jews who supports Israel, but I also feel great sympathy for the Palestinian people. Like the average Israeli, they just want to live their lives in peace. My hope for the future is that both sides will eventually be governed by younger, more progressive leaders who can embrace each other with trust and co-operation. That will be MY just deserts.
Evan S, USA

We see the suffering of those in Kosovo and we say this must not happen again. It has already happened to Jews in Europe and to Palestinians too (by Israel). We can correct some of this suffering if we really want to (Netanyahu didn't). Let's hope the next Israeli Prime Minister of Israel does.
Nasser, England

Oslo was signed by Israel because they knew they would retain the support of the West (or at least the US) regardless of whether they met the terms or not, given that the state of Israel as we know it today was born solely out of the International Community's guilt after WWII. This whole "but we were here first and we were horribly persecuted" argument is pointless, and childish. Show me a race that hasn't been at one time or another. Now though, people have to co-exist, and this won't happen until the people making the decisions - on both sides - lose the giant rocks on their shoulders.
Vicki, NZ (Currently UK)

The Oslo accord is dead because the Israelis never intended to make peace with the Palestinians. The Israelis' only intention is to proclaim more Arab land as its own. It is an irony that while the west is bombing Serbia, the ethnic cleansing has been going on in middle east for the past 50 years by the Israelis much thanks to the support of the same powers behind the Balkan bombing.
Enzo Tardelli, Italy

Are the Oslo Accords dead? I doubt they were alive to begin with. It has taken much stone-walling for both sides to achieve the current state of marginal progress. If so many hurdles had to encountered to accomplish simple tasks such as withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories and reigning down on Palestinian extremists. Imagine the difficulties both sides will face on the road leading to and beyond final status negotiations. I hope I will be proved wrong, but Oslo was a mere mirage.
Pradeep, Canada

Historically, the people now known as "Palestinians" were actually Jordanian Arabs. The name "Palestine" actually comes from the Romans, who wished to make Judea less Jewish after conquering the country and subduing the Jews. It is obvious in the intent of the later Muslim rulers that they wished to continue this trend, mainly by reinterpreting the term 'al aqsa' and building a mosque right on the temple mount. The land is Jewish. To say otherwise is to be a classic anti-Semite.
Herman Abner, USA

Oslo has been dead for three years. Netanyahu didn't kill the Oslo accords, he was elected because Palestinian terrorism had already killed Oslo. The last three years have just been laborious attempts to revive a dead process.
Oz LeAmo, USA

The Oslo peace agreements should never have been signed in the first place. What right has a Arafat,an increasingly discredited leader in the eyes of his own people, to sell out the birthright of nearly 3.5 million refugees the right to return to their homeland. The international community should be ashamed that the such a flawed agreement has produced even greater hardships for Palestinians forced to live on autonomous reservations. I fear the so called peace process only gives international legitimacy to the previous Isreali occupation and continuing settlement expansion. Whatever Israeli administration comes to power in the forthcoming elections, the situation for ordinary Palestinians, will I fear, be continued suffering.
Michael Scott, Ireland

Yes Oslo is dead; the present Israeli regime is only interested in land; it does not give a hoot for justice, honesty, truth or honour. It brings disgrace to me and every decent Jew in the world. May the God whom these despicable Israeli extremists and their American supporters claim to worship so much and so often give them their just deserts.
Seymour Alexander, UK

The Oslo accords were dead for several reasons. First, the conditions were dictated by the Israelis and they are the stronger party in that equation. Second, Mr Arafat was in it for self serving reasons. He never had the interest of the Palestinians as a priority. Third and most important, the accords do not address the fate of the millions of Palestinians who were expelled from their land. The Palestinian refugees have been living in deplorable conditions in refugee camps in the near-east. No peace would prevail unless the Palestinians return home.
Nadeem Alawar, Lebanon, living in USA

You seem to forget the 3 thousand years of injustice you so called "great powers" imposed on the Jews. We get our own country and three times, the Arab citizen nullifies all peace through attacks with the intent of utterly destroying every Jew in Israel. Only the US did something. Israel is ultimately under the power of the US and partly Europe, so behave fairly for maybe 200 years and we won't puke when you mention peace. Our survival has depended on not trusting Europeans you know!
Aaron Rosenberg, USA

The time frame allotted by the Oslo Accords may have expired but the Wye Accords we a kind of reinforcement of it. The Palestinian Authority has repealed the clauses in it's charter calling for the destruction of Israel and, for the most part, has kept up it's side of the accords. Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, while releasing the prisoners as outlined in the Wye Accords, has not released "substantial" prisoners; only petty thieves. Netanyahu has refused to keep up most of his part because he has an election to win. Jewish Settlers are still encouraged to build settlements in areas such as Har Homa in East Jerusalem which causes more friction. Let's not forget that it was this settlement building in Har Homa that stalled the peace process in early 1997. Netanyahu must discourage Israeli encroachment in places like Har Homa and only then will the peace process move forward.
Claus Jensen, USA

The Oslo peace accords are dead because of Netanyahu's obstinacy and intransigence. He is not interested in peace. He still believes God gave Palestine to the Jews, as if God was a real estate developer or agent. He is playing for time with the ultimate goal being the revival of the old Sharon plan of the "alternative state" for Palestinians, i.e. Jordan. This will never happen. Neither the Jordanians nor the Palestinians will accept it, yet Netanyahu is too blind to see the stupidity of his expectations. Too bad: he looked so intelligent!!!
N. Homsi, Turkey

Israel is sometimes its own worst enemy. People generally are their own worst enemies. As long as we draw lines upon the map and talk of historical precedence then there will never be peace, just nationalism.
Mike Staley, Hong Kong

Israel signed the Oslo agreement without pressure so must satisfy its obligations or else Nato must bomb Israel - if not the hypocrisy of Nato will be madding.
Defkalion Tsagarakis, Greece

Sounds familiar does it not !?!? Wonder whether those great men Bill and Tony will act in this conflict or is this not in their interest. Please let Israel and Palestine negotiate for peace, it ultimately saves lives.
Tvoja Dusha, Yugoslavia

Who are we to judge? We are so wrongly informed by the media, what is right what is wrong.
Isi, Belgium

The Arabs have been patient now for the last 51 years. I feel that if Arafat does not declare statehood soon, then the credibility of the Arabs has gone out of the window. And another thing, we hear a lot about the Jewish lobby in USA. From next year it is predicted that there will be as many Muslims in America - Arab and non-Arab than Jews! Will the Americans then start listening to the Muslims?
Shahid Hussain, USA

Israel has to get the last word in everything and if the Palestinians don't like it who is going to do anything about it? When the Palestinians went into the peace deal with Israel they had no choice and had to make the best of a bad job probably knowing along that they wouldn't get what they wanted. I feel sorry for the Palestinians because Israel has the support of the whole of the international community and they take sides against the Palestinians in particular America. However, as gloomy as things seem for the Palestinians more trouble is going to flare up in the region because people will get more and more discontented with the whole so-called peace deal, and they haven't sorted out the problem of Syria's Golan Heights yet and until that is solved one way or the other there will never be peace in the region. This story continues.
Louise, UK

Continued Jewish Settlements, and Netanyahu's surrender to Jewish extremists has lead to this terrible situation.
Basheer Azeemuddin, USA

Israel's PM signed at camp David. Milosevic refused to sign and his country is being bombed. The US and the western world's double standards are clear. For having signed Israel is not attacked. Yet a sovereign nation is being attacked for not agreeing to the west's demands over a problem in existence for over several centuries. Israel does not want peace at any cost, particularly for not loosing the US aid, for which the taxpayers suffer.
M. Waleed, USA

The Oslo Accords provided a framework for peace - where is the peace process going from here? There are no guarantees and with Netanyahu in power, I fear the spirit of Oslo will never be revived. The United States shares responsibility in this as well - we should not be supporting a government that breaks treaties and subjugates millions.
Dale Stahl, USA

Why didn't USA bomb Israel like Kosovo? At least Yugoslavia didn't sign the treaty like Israel sign the Oslo accord!
Vince, Canada

It's only a matter of time before the illegal Arab squatters are liquidated and the world will do nothing. Try to bomb Israel and a couple of hundred nukes will be landing in a city near you.
Moses Cohen, USA

The accord is dead, long live the strife! The Israelis are using their excuse of 5000 years of persecution to prolong this vicious cycle of mutual suspicion and destruction. If there has to be peace, somebody has to grow up.
Navin Khadiya, India/US

The Oslo accords were dead from the beginning, because as always, Israel was expected to leave its people's lives, national security, and sovereignty in the hands of murderers. Arafat and the PLO refused to eliminate the clause in their charter calling for Israel's destruction until 5 years after the Oslo accords were signed. That shows how much they actually wanted real peace. Oslo required Arafat to disarm the five Arab groups that still have large arsenals: Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, DFLP, and PFLP. He has yet to act as required.
Until the Palestinians fully recognise that Israel has a legitimate right to exist and will continue to exist and until they get over their jealousy of Israel's democratic and socio-economic success, there will never be peace between the Palestinians and Israel. From a purely statistical stance, Israel was better off with war than it has been with peace: since Oslo was signed, more than 500 Israelis have been murdered by Palestinians under Arafat's control, and the overwhelming majority were murdered inside Israel (NOT in the territories). In the same time, Israel has granted the Palestinians things no Arab state ever granted them: autonomy, land, and the right to run their own social affairs. In return, Israel continues to receive more body bags.
Sahar Oz, USA

The Israeli government is the reason for the failure: although it would have been better for them to have a happy, prosperous state next door, they instead brought strife for the forseeable future.
Larry Hermanutz, Canada

The deal was a good one, but leaders of both sides did not have the will nor the strength to work for a real peace. There are too many interests at stake that will always put down the most important issue in that territory. Power, money, fame, water, religion, and history are seen as more important than a tranquil daily life.
Manuela Badawy, USA

Israel is to be blamed for the death of the Oslo accord.
Francois Fayard, Canada

Suppose Palestine declares itself independent, and Israel cracks down hard. Now suppose the Arab nations decide that they have the right to treat the situation just like Nato is treating Kosovo. The US will of course say "that violates UN rules" and come to Israel's rescue. The Israeli government get away with it because the US supports them. My sympathies are with the Palestinians.
Mike O'Day, USA

A long lasting peace would be secured only through negotiations that are not time restricted but based on mutual interests.
David Bonen, USA

The simple fact is that if you look back through the fifty-one years of the history of the state of Israel, you will find that it exists in its present form in violation of a treaty with the British, a treaty with the UN, and several others. Breaking treaties, after "land-clearing operations," must surely be the Israeli national pastime. Is the Oslo accord dead? Yes, and Bibi Netanyahu killed it.
S J Blackman, USA