US President Bill Clinton stands between PLO leader Yasser Arafat (R) and Israeli PM Yitzahk Rabin as they shake hands for the first time after signing the Oslo Accords. AFP
US President Bill Clinton stands between PLO leader Yasser Arafat (R) and Israeli PM Yitzahk Rabin as they shake hands for the first time after signing the Oslo Accords. AFP

1993 - The Oslo Accords and the broken promises of peace

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Updated 19 April 2025
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1993 - The Oslo Accords and the broken promises of peace

1993 - The Oslo Accords and the broken promises of peace
  • The interim agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization aimed to establish a framework for peaceful coexistence but were derailed by extremist violence

CHICAGO: As a Palestinian, I grew up in the shadow of the pain and suffering of the Arab-Israeli conflict. 

Israeli violence during the 1947 and 1948 war forced my father’s family to flee their homes in West Jerusalem and live for more than two years in the squalor of a refugee camp in Jordan, until my father could bring them to the US in 1951. 

My mother and her family in Bethlehem were forced to suffer through constant Israeli military assaults after the war, even though they lived under Jordanian control. They were uncertain whether they could survive, so eventually they fled to the welcoming arms and sanctuary of the diaspora, settling in Colombia and Venezuela. 

But they lost so much. To this day, more than 10 acres of my family land, on my mother’s side, adjacent to the Israel settlement of Gilo, remains under Israeli control and outside our reach, simply because we are Christian Palestinians and not Jews. 

This cumulative weight of suffering was lifted from me as I sat and watched my hero, Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, shake the hand of our oppressor, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, during the signing of the Oslo Accords peace agreement at the White House on Sept. 13, 1993. 

Rabin was a monster to Palestinians. In January 1988, as a general, he ordered his soldiers to “break the bones” of Palestinian civilians identified as “inciters” during protests against Israeli policies. Rabin was never charged over this but his lower-ranking officers faced a public outcry that was covered up by the Israeli government and the pro-Israel news media. 

How we wrote it




Arab News marked the Oslo Accords signing with a 3-page special, prematurely declaring “Pact heralds dawn of peace in Mideast.”

Yet we were willing to set all of that aside for an Israeli who was willing, for the first time, to recognize Palestinians as a people; a people that had been denied recognition by all of his predecessors, including Golda Meir, a Milwaukee schoolteacher who became an immigrant prime minister and once cruelly declared that the Palestinians “did not exist.” 

On Sept. 13, 1993, we set aside the pain of the past and hoped to move forward thanks to a new beginning on “a great occasion of history and hope,” as President Bill Clinton declared at the beginning of the momentous event. 

I remember grabbing a chunk of grass from the White House lawn in front of the stage as a souvenir and placing it between the pages of the program that was distributed to Palestinian and Israeli guests at the signing. We all sat near each other, in different groups and sections, Jews and Arabs, and greeted the start of the ceremony with relief. 

The peace documents were actually signed by Israel’s foreign minister, Shimon Peres, and the PLO’s Mahmoud Abbas, with Rabin, Arafat and Clinton looking on. 

Then, with Rabin to his right and Arafat to his left, Clinton nudged the two leaders together and they shook hands. 

The Oslo Peace Accords included recognition of certain rights on both sides. The Palestinians openly recognized Israel’s “right to exist,” considered a major concession at the time, while Israel recognized only that Palestinians would be granted a process leading to limited self-rule. Israel did not agree to recognize Palestinian statehood under the accords, instead committing only to a vaguely defined system of Palestinian self-government in the occupied territories, and to withdrawing its armed forces from much, but not all, of the West Bank. 

It was to be the foundation for a promise of a process that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian state within five years. But this was never written down or documented. It was only interpreted. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    At the Madrid Peace Conference, US Secretary of State James Baker invites Israeli officials to meet representatives of several Arab countries to pursue peace and establish self-rule for Palestinians. Israel objects to direct talks with the PLO. Palestinians from the occupied West Bank partner with Jordanian delegation to explore peace prospects.

    Timeline Image Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1991

  • 2

    Yitzhak Rabin is elected prime minister, vowing to make progress in peace negotiations and the establishment of Palestinian self-rule. He enters into secret, direct talks with the PLO in Norway.

    Timeline Image July 13, 1992

  • 3

    US President Bill Clinton hosts the signing ceremony of the Oslo Accords. Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat sign the Declaration of Principles, marking a historic step towards peace in the Middle East. The agreement recognizes the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people, with the PLO renouncing terrorism and recognizing Israel’s right to exist.

    Timeline Image Sept. 13, 1993

  • 4

    US-born Benjamin “Baruch” Goldstein, wearing an Israeli military uniform and carrying an automatic weapon, enters Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and massacres 29 Muslims as they pray, wounding 125.

  • 5

    On Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day, a Hamas suicide bomber kills eight Israelis and injures 55 others.

  • 6

    The Nobel Committee awards Nobel Peace Prize to Arafat, Rabin and Israel’s foreign minister, Shimon Peres for the Oslo Accords.

    Timeline Image Oct. 14, 1994

  • 7

    Progress with Palestinians opens door to a peace agreement between Israel and Jordan, signed during a ceremony in the Arava Valley, north of Eilat in Israel and close to the Jordanian border.

  • 8

    Rabin shot by an Israeli extremist and dies the following morning. Rabin’s family claim killer supported right-wing extremist politics of Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Timeline Image Nov. 4, 1995

And yet, even as limited as it was, the agreement was an overwhelming relief to many, including my family. My wife is Jewish, and we subsequently traveled through Israel and Palestine, in 1994 and 1995. Although the agreement did not spell out the granting of true freedom, it did create an atmosphere of hope. Palestinians and Israelis, for the first time, got the chance to know each other as potential friends, not enemies. 

But the hopes for peace promised by the Oslo Accords were quickly cut short, in a large part because of the violence committed by Israeli fanatics, which provoked Palestinian outrage and sparked counterviolence. 

After shaking Arafat’s hand, Rabin declared: “We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and a clear voice, enough of blood and tears. Enough!” 

He should have directed his words toward his own people, too. On Feb. 25, 1994, just five months after the signing of the Oslo Accords, an American-Israeli doctor, wearing an Israeli military uniform and carrying an automatic weapon, entered the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. He massacred 29 Muslims as they prayed, and wounded 125. 

This massacre, carried out by Benjamin “Baruch” Goldstein, a far-right ultra-Zionist who was overpowered and killed by survivors, prompted a retaliatory wave of suicide bombings by Hamas militants opposed to the peace process. 

They began with an attack at a bus stop in Afula on April 6, 1994, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day, in which eight Israelis were killed and 55 injured. It was considered the first suicide attack, although there had been three others, one during the Intifada, on July 6, 1989, the others in April and October 1993. 

On Nov. 4, 1995, a 27-year-old disciple of Benjamin Netanyahu, Yigal Amir, a far-right Israeli religious extremist, assassinated Rabin, shooting him in the arm and back following a peace rally. 

Amir confessed that he killed the Israeli leader because Rabin wanted “to give our country to the Arabs.” Rabin’s widow blamed Netanyahu and Israeli extremists for influencing Amir’s actions. 

And so the peace quickly unraveled. Israeli and Palestinian extremists, both of whom opposed any form of compromise, escalated their violence. Eventually, Ariel Sharon and Netanyahu took control in Israel and quickly peeled back the Oslo promises. 




Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres (C) signs the historic Israel-PLO Oslo Accords on Palestinian autonomy in the occupied territories on September 13, 1993 in a ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C. AFP

But I will never forget one memory from the time before the hopes were dashed. I was driving with my wife through the Jordan Valley in the summer of 1995 when we arrived at an Israeli checkpoint. The soldiers there handed us a flower and were curious about the idea that a Palestinian and a Jew would marry. 

“You’re the future,” one soldier said to us with a smile. 

It was one of the last smiles I would see on the face of an Israeli soldier.

  • Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter. He is a columnist for Arab News and hosts the Ray Hanania Radio Show. 


’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report

’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report
Updated 27 sec ago
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’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report

’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report
  • A congressional inquiry accused the Secret Service of ‘a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life’
  • Six unidentified Secret Service staff have been disciplined with punishments range from 10 to 42 days’ suspension without pay

WASHINGTON: A congressional inquiry into the attempt to assassinate US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally a year ago on Sunday lamented “inexcusable” failures in the Secret Service’s operations and response, and called for more serious disciplinary action.

On July 13, 2024, a gunman shot the then-Republican presidential candidate during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear.

One bystander was killed and two other people in addition to Trump were wounded before a government sniper killed the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.

“What happened was inexcusable and the consequences imposed for the failures so far do not reflect the severity of the situation,” said the report released by the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The dramatic incident energized Trump’s bid to return to the White House, with his campaign using a photo of him bloodied and pumping his fist as he was hurried offstage to woo voters.

The report did not shed new light on the gunman’s motive, which still remains a mystery, but accused the Secret Service of “a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life.”

“The United States Secret Service failed to act on credible intelligence, failed to coordinate with local law enforcement,” said the committee’s Republican chairman Rand Paul.

“Despite those failures, no one has been fired,” he added.

“It was a complete breakdown of security at every level-fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats.

“We must hold individuals accountable and ensure reforms are fully implemented so this never happens again.”

Staff disciplined

The Secret Service cited communication, technical and human errors and said reforms were underway, including on coordination between different law enforcement bodies and establishment of a division dedicated to aerial surveillance.

Six unidentified staff have been disciplined, according to the agency. The punishments range from 10 to 42 days’ suspension without pay, and all six were put into restricted or non-operational positions.

Reflecting on the assassination attempt earlier this week, Trump said “mistakes were made” but that he was satisfied with the investigation.

In an interview with his daughter-in-law on Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump,” Trump said the sniper “was able to get him from a long distance with one shot. If he didn’t do that, you would have had an even worse situation.”

“It was unforgettable,” Trump said of the events.

“I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There’s no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming.”


Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare

Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare
Updated 2 min 32 sec ago
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Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare

Britain’s Rowland takes Formula E title with two races to spare
  • Rowland had needed to lead Pascal Wehrlein by 59 points after the second of two races in Berlin

BERLIN: Nissan’s Oliver Rowland won the Formula E title for the first time and with two races to spare on Sunday, the Briton becoming the all-electric series’ 10th different champion in the space of 11 seasons.

Rowland had needed to lead Pascal Wehrlein by 59 points after the second of two races in Berlin, the championship’s penultimate weekend, and he did it by finishing fourth with his Porsche rival only 16th despite starting on pole.

The Briton now has 184 points with Wehrlein on 125.

 

 

Sunday’s race at Berlin’s old Tempelhof airport was won by Jaguar’s Nick Cassidy, completing a weekend sweep after teammate Mitch Evans won on Saturday, with Andretti’s Jake Dennis second and Jean-Eric Vergne third for DS Penske.

The final two races of the season are in London on July 26-27.

It was the first time a Japanese manufacturer had won the championship. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)


Clashes in predominantly Druze Syrian city kill 8: monitor

Members of Syria’s security forces deploy in an area near the Syrian capital Damascus. (File/AFP)
Members of Syria’s security forces deploy in an area near the Syrian capital Damascus. (File/AFP)
Updated 6 min 31 sec ago
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Clashes in predominantly Druze Syrian city kill 8: monitor

Members of Syria’s security forces deploy in an area near the Syrian capital Damascus. (File/AFP)
  • Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least eight people had been killed, six of them Druze and two of them Bedouin

DAMASCUS: Clashes between Bedouin tribes and local fighters in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida in southern Syria killed eight people, a war monitor said Sunday, as authorities sent forces to de-escalate the situation.

The clashes are the first outbreak of deadly violence in the area since fighting between members of the Druze community and the security forces killed dozens of people in April and May.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least eight people had been killed, six of them Druze and two of them Bedouin.

Citing medical sources, local outlet Sweida 24 gave a preliminary toll of seven people killed, “including a child, and about 32 others wounded as a result of armed clashes and mutual shelling in the Maqus neighborhood,” east of Sweida city.

The outlet also reported the closure of the Damascus-Sweida highway due to the violence.

A Syrian government source, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not allowed to brief the media, told AFP that authorities were sending forces to de-escalate the situation.

Sweida Governor Mustapha Al-Bakur called on his constituents to “exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform.”

Syria’s Druze population numbers around 700,000, with Sweida home to the sect’s largest community.

Bedouin and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Sweida, with violence occasionally erupting between the two.

Since the overthrow of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar Assad, concerns have been raised over the rights and safety of minorities under the new authorities, who have also struggled to re-establish security more broadly.

Clashes between the new security forces and Druze fighters in April and May killed dozens of people, with local leaders and religious figures signing agreements to contain the escalation and better integrate Druze fighters into the new government.


Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine

Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine
Updated 18 min 5 sec ago
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Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine

Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine
  • Russia’s top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea
  • China claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Sunday in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart to discuss Ukraine and relations with the United States.

Russia’s top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea, where he received assurances of support in its conflict with Ukraine.

Lavrov and Wang Yi “discussed relations with the United States and the outlook for settling the Ukrainian crisis,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

China, a diplomatic and economic ally of Moscow, claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

But it has never denounced Russia’s 2022 invasion nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine’s allies believe that China has provided support for Russia.

Beijing regularly calls for an end to the fighting, while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.

The statement from the Russian foreign ministry said Levrov and Yi also discussed other “burning issues” such as the war in Gaza and the “situation on the Korean peninsula.”


Dubai Police extradite three Interpol most-wanted suspects to Belgium

Dubai Police extradite three Interpol most-wanted suspects to Belgium
Updated 33 min 35 sec ago
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Dubai Police extradite three Interpol most-wanted suspects to Belgium

Dubai Police extradite three Interpol most-wanted suspects to Belgium
  • The three Belgian nationals, Mathias Akyazili, Giorgi Faes, and Othman El-Ballouti, were apprehended in Dubai

DUBAI: Dubai Police have arrested and extradited three high-profile suspects wanted by Belgian authorities in connection with serious cases of cross-border organized crime, following a coordinated international effort involving Interpol and Europol, it was announced on Sunday.

The three Belgian nationals, Mathias Akyazili, Giorgi Faes, and Othman El-Ballouti, were apprehended in Dubai after Interpol red notices were issued against them, the Emirates News Agency reported.

All three were listed as most-wanted individuals by Interpol and Europol.

The suspects face multiple serious charges in Belgium, including operating a notorious gang, trafficking narcotic and psychotropic substances, robbery, and human trafficking.

The operation was led by Dubai Police’s General Department of Criminal Investigation in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Interior, WAM added.

“Such coordinated efforts support the strengthening of a strong global security framework that confronts criminal activity with full force while promoting the exchange of international expertise and best practices in policing,” a Dubai Police spokesperson said.

It followed international arrest warrants submitted by Belgian authorities to the International Cooperation Department at the UAE Ministry of Justice, the designated central authority for handling such requests.

The transfer was authorized by the Dubai Court of Cassation, in accordance with bilateral agreements between the UAE and Belgium.

Upon the suspects’ arrival in Belgium on July 13, Abdullah bin Sultan Al-Nuaimi, UAE minister of justice, and his Belgian counterpart Annelies Verlinden held a phone call to discuss the extradition.

During the call, both ministers emphasized that the successful operation reflected a shared commitment to the rule of law, international judicial cooperation, and combating transnational organized crime and drugs-related violence, WAM reported.

Verlinden thanked UAE authorities for their support, adding that the extraditions were “a testament to the deepening legal partnership between the UAE and Belgium” and “to their shared determination to ensure that individuals accused of serious crimes are brought to justice.”

She commended the role of the UAE’s judicial and law enforcement institutions throughout the extradition process and also praised the emirates’ ongoing cooperation in line with the extradition treaties signed between the two countries in December 2021, which came into force in November 2022.

Al-Nuaimi reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to enhancing bilateral judicial collaboration and also stressed the importance of international cooperation in tackling global crime and ensuring justice through strong legal frameworks.