The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles, was a 1993 agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It was particularly notable for being the first direct, face to face, meeting between the two parties. It was also the first time Palestine recognized the state of Israel's right to exist. Finalized in Oslo, Norway, the agreement was signed in Washington, DC on September 13, 1993. The agreement established the Palestinian National Authority as the administrative body of Palestine and has served as a framework for all negotiations since. The Oslo Accords, and the peace process in general, suffered serious setbacks with the 2000 declaration of the Second Intifada and the repeal of many policies of the Palestinian National Authority following the 2006 election of Hamas. Basic Principles:
- Calls for Israeli withdrawal from The West Bank and Gaza Strip
- Declares right of self-government in those areas
- Creates the Palestinian National Authority as the governing body
- Established a five year interim rule for adjusting to new agreement
- Israel recognized the PLO as representative of the people
- The PLO recognized Israeli statehood
- Established three zones of control between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority
Criticisms:
- Some argue that the Oslo Accords can only succeed by further separating the two parties
- Failed to address expansion of Israeli Settlements
- Issues avoided by the Oslo Accords, like Palestinian Right of Return, Division of Jerusalem, and several disputed borders have continued to erode efforts of the peace process
- Some argue the Oslo Accords did not give true sovereignty to the Palestinian National Authority
