The Israeli Palestinian Peace Process

Collection of papers and keynote presentations that were delivered at a conference called "Pathways to Peace," which was held in March of 2008.

Scientific Essay from the year 2005 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: 63% (1,7), University of Edinburgh, course: The Middle East in International Politics, 69 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The Arab-Israeli conflict, the dominant theme regarding the International Relations of the Middle East, is“(...) one of the most bitter, protracted and intractable conflicts of modern times.” (Shlaim, 2005: 242). At its core lies the Israeli-Palestinian problem, which will be addressed in this essay and which mainly refers to the dispute between the Jewish and Palestinian national movements over Palestine.1 This dispute is multidimensional: “(...) religious, political, cultural, economic and psychological elements pile up and feed each other to create a seemingly indissoluble impasse.” (Korany, 2005: 64). Some attempts have been made in the past to find a peaceful solution for Israelis and Palestinians - but these did not result in the success that was hoped for. However, by considering several recent developments it appears that new opportunities to end the conflict are within reach. Against this background it becomes necessary to discuss the impact of Israelis, Palestinians and external actors on a possible peace, which will be the purpose of this essay. The paper first provides an overview about the main issues of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Section two then reflects on the development of the peace-process in the past and in this context analyses the roles of Israel, Palestine and external actors that were involved. This is essential to be able to draw a profound conclusion regarding the current situation, which is discussed in section three by addressing two questions: A) What are the chances for peace? B) Who plays a major role in this context? The essay concludes by answering the question of whether it is only the conflict-parties and not external actors who could bring peace. 1 Shlaim, 2005: 242. However, the conflict is complicated by inter-Arab relations and the involvement of outside powers.

This book aims to analyse the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis in relation to the systemic changes in international relations.

Israel and Jordan, even though self-proclaimed enemies of one another, practiced a relationship of interdependence based on corresponding interests. In the years following the 1967 war, these two countries' fates were delicately intertwined because of many factors like mutual reliance on natural resources (especially water) and parallel interests in the subordination of the Palestinian national movement. These conditions of commonality led to extensive ties between the two countries and approximated a state of de facto peace that— ironically—made an official peace treaty almost impossible to sign. A formal peace treaty would have required not only Israel's withdrawal from the West bank but also Jordan's acknowledgement of the clandestine contacts between the two formal enemies. Yehuda Lukacs gives us an account of how this relationship changed in 1988 when Jordan disengaged from the West Bank. This event, combined with the Palestinian uprising and the Gulf War, paved the way for Israel and Jordan in 1994 to sign the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty. By systemically examining the impact of functional cooperation between two official enemies, Lukacs makes an important contribution to Middle East studies and international conflict resolution.

A full length assessment of what went wrong with the Oslo peace process -- a process that began in euphoria and degenerated into disaster.

This book describes the evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian peace-seeking process from 1967 to the present. Written from the perspective of Israel’s most prominent peace activist, it offers an unparalleled insider’s account of a crucial set of negotiations intended to settle a seemingly endless conflict. Hirschfeld’s historical narrative provides a wealth of knowledge and experience that is indispensable to anyone seeking to seriously approach the Middle East conflict. The book’s thorough analysis of the successes and failures of all peace efforts since the Six-Day War represents an essential asset for future negotiators, politicians, diplomats and peace activists alike. Moreover, the book shares pearls of human wisdom that anyone searching to resolve conflicts in general should take to heart. The book is of burning topicality. Not only with a view to the normalisation process between Israel and Arab countries that began with the recent Abraham Accords (2020) but also regarding the new “age of war” in Europe, sparked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

A full length assessment of what went wrong with the Oslo peace process -- a process that began in euphoria and degenerated into disaster.