Volume fifteen of the series Israel's Foreign Relations - Selected
Documents, covers a brief period, from January 1995 to the end of May
1996. In those seventeen months, Israel was subjected to major internal
and external tremors and developments, the likes of which the country has
never experienced.
Most of 1995 was devoted to the negotiations between Israel and the PLO on
the implementation of the Declaration of Principles, signed in Washington
on 13 September 1993. The negotiations were aimed at translating the
principles agreed upon in this Declaration, which became known as the Oslo
I Agreement, into reality. The main issues were transfer of authority in
civilian matters from the IDF and the Israeli civil administration in the
West Bank to the emerging Palestinian Authority. This included security,
safe passage from Gaza to the West Bank, release of prisoners, the IDF
re-deployment in seven major towns of the West bank, trade and economic
ties. The talks were held in various places, mainly at the Erez Check
Point, but also in Cairo and Taba. The Israel-Palestinian Interim
Agreement was finally signed in Washington, on 28 September 1995. It is
reproduced here almost in its entirety.
Parallel to the Israel-PLO talks, Israel sought to deepen its ties with
the Arab world, mainly with Egypt and Jordan. This was done by
face-to-face talks between the leaders of Israel, King Hussein of Jordan,
King Hassan of Morocco and President Mubarak of Egypt. Efforts were
expended to broaden Israel's ties with additional Arab countries. An
important achievement was the decision by Oman to engage in trade
relations with Israel. One of the mechanisms used for the promotion of
relations with the Arab world were the frameworks of the multi-lateral
talks agreed upon in the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference. These talks dealt
with water, pollution, tourism and trade and the development of joint
economic projects.
Israel sought to utilize the momentum achieved through the peace process
to expand its international network. The period under review saw the
visits to Israel of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Chancellor Kohl,
Prime Ministers John Major and Emilio Gonzales and scores of foreign,
defense and economic ministers. One tangible result was the attainment of
a long-sought trade agreement between Israel and the countries of the
European Union. The United States remained the linchpin of Israel's
diplomacy and very strong ties were developed with President Clinton and
members of his administration. The degree of respect in which Israel and
its fallen leader were held by the international community was seen in one
of the country's worse moments - the funeral of Prime Minister Rabin,
attended by leaders of 80 nations, including the leaders of Egypt and
Jordan, and high level delegations from Morocco, Mauritania, Oman and
Qatar. The same leaders attended, with Israel, a conference of the Peace
Makers following a wave of suicide bombings in Israel in early 1996.
The peace process was challenged constantly by radical elements in the
Arab world and among the Palestinians. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad were
responsible for a series of suicide bombings in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramat
Gan, Ashkelon and Beit Lid that took the lives of over 100 Israelis and
wounded many others. These attacks demonstrated the fragility of the peace
process and its rejection by segments in the Arab states and the
Palestinian Arabs. The acts of terror were aimed at raising question marks
among Israelis whether the concessions made to the PLO were in fact
worthwhile.
In November 1995 Israel experienced for the first time in its history the
assassination of a prime minister by a Jewish extremist, who, in his way,
sought to halt the peace process by killing the country's leader. A
shocked Israel entered a period of mourning and soul searching from which
it has not yet emerged. Rabin's assassination did not halt the peace
process. Neither did the wave of suicide bombings. The IDF redeployed its
forces, withdrawing from six major West Bank towns in early 1996.
Elections for the Palestinian National Council were held almost on
schedule in January 1996. The redeployment was delayed in Hebron in view
of the terror and the highly sensitive nature of this city, holding a
major site holy to Jews and Moslems - the Cave of Machpela.
The further implementation of the peace process was halted in February
1996 when Prime Minister Peres decided to call early elections which took
place on 29 May 1996. A month before the elections Israel again engaged
the Hizballah in a limited operation in Southern Lebanon, designed to
reinforce the understandings reached in July 1993.
The May elections resulted in the election of Benjamin Netanyahu, the
leader of the Likud, as the country's next prime
minister.