1993- Introduction

This year will be noted in history as the year of the breakthrough in the relations between Israel and the Palestinians as represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization. The repeal of the 1986 law banning contacts between Israelis and the PLO meant that the way was open for discussions with this body. They started in secret in early 1993 with two Israeli academics acting as the go-between with PLO leaders. The secret talks were held in Oslo with the knowledge, blessing and facilities of the Norwegian government. Once concrete progress was achieved, it was time for the professional diplomats of the Israel Foreign Ministry to enter the talks. The prime minister authorized these contacts in March 1993, and the talks lasted intermittently throughout the year. A Declaration of Principles was signed in secrecy in Oslo in late August 1993 and was made public on 30 August. It overshadowed all other diplomatic developments of that year. The Oslo agreement paved the way for mutual Israel-PLO recognition and the formal signing of the Declaration of Principles at the White House on 13 September 1993.

Israel did not abandon other arenas in favour of the Palestinian channel exclusively: Attempts were constantly made to reach some understanding with Syria on a basis for negotiations. These failed. Contacts with Jordan yielded a .'.'Common Agenda" signed in Washington on 14 September 1993. The prime minister visited Morocco on his way back to Israel a er the White House ceremony. Israeli diplomats began to travel to Arab countries to attend multilateral talks. At the same time, the number of countries seeking ties with Israel grew. The list of visiting presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers who came to Israel was long and impressive; so were the number of multi- and bilateral agreements Israel became a signatory to.

On the economic front, Israel sought to revise the terms of its 1975 agreement with the European Community, and to enter into trade relations with more nations in Asia, the Far East and the republics created in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The final achievement o the year was the signing in Jerusalem of an agreement between Israel and the Holy See which was soon translated into the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See. This agreement has wide historic significance for the ties between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people.

Another benefit of the Israel-PLO agreement was a major change in the position of Israel in the United Nations, as seen in the smaller number of anti-Israel resolutions and the muted tone in some of them.

From early October Israeli and PLO negotiators were busy translating the Declaration of Principles into an agreement on Gaza and Jericho. The negotiations ran into many forseen and unforseen difficulties, and were suspended a number of times.

The struggle against terror continued In July Israel launched an operation called "Accountability" against Hizballah and other terrorist elements in Lebanon. After a week it achieved its goal of temporarily pacifying the northern frontier. At home, terrorist acts required the closure of the territories and the imposition of severe restrictions on their inhabitants. This also caused some hardship in Israel due to the absence of tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers.

In 1993 there was an expansion of ties with the Asian countries.

Israel's president, prime minister and foreign minister visited China separately. On his way home from China, Prime Minister Rabin had a meeting in Jakarta with Indonesia's president. Israel and Vietnam established full diplomatic relations. Cambodia followed suit. Ties with the African National Congress in South Africa warmed considerably.