P
November 1977
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt makes a historic visit to Jerusalem. A Peace Treaty is signed subsequently in which Israel
hands over the oil-rich Sinai Peninsula, but is forced to keep the Gaza Strip. President Sadat is assassinated by Muslim
extremists in 1981 for making peace with Israel.
30th July 1980
The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, passes a law that Jerusalem will be ‘the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel.’ The PLO
and Arab nations react with a threat to nations that had their embassies in Jerusalem: “leave or your oil supplies will be cut
off.” 13 countries move their embassies to Tel Aviv.
December 1987
The first Palestinian intifada (uprising) begins.
13th September 1993
In a surprise move, Israel recognises the terrorist Palestine Liberation Organisation as the official representative of the
Palestinian Arabs, ending the intifada. Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres sign a Declaration of Principles for a Peace Treaty on the White House lawn in the presence of President
Bill Clinton. Arafat announces that he has renounced terrorism and pledges to rescind the PLO Charter. Over the next 7
years under what became known as the ‘Oslo Accords’ the PLO is given autonomy over 98% of the Palestinian population
and 40% of territory in Judea and Samaria and 80% of the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile Palestinian incitement to hatred and
terrorism against Israel escalates.
July 2000
President Bill Clinton invites the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to a summit at Camp David in the USA for ‘Final Status’
talks under the troubled ‘Oslo Accords’. Israeli PM Ehud Barak offers to recognise a Palestinian State in 97% of the
territory Arafat is demanding, which embraces most of the Old City of Jerusalem including control over the Temple Mount
– all in exchange for an ‘end to hostilities’. Arafat rejects the offer and two months later launches the second intifada
against Israel.
March 2002
In a month that proved to be the bloodiest of the intifada in which more than 100 Israelis are murdered, including 30
people in a single attack on a Passover Seder, the Israel Defence Forces launch Operation Defensive Shield in which they
re-occupy most of the territory and cities ceded to the Palestinians. Yasser Arafat is held under virtual house arrest in his
Muqata compound in Ramallah where the IDF subsequently discover concrete proof that he has been directly financing
and co-ordinating terrorist attacks against Israel. US President Bush declares that Arafat is the main obstacle to achieving
peace in the Middle East.
2003
A new peace initiative is launched by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations (collectively
called ‘The Quartet’) to replace the failed ‘Oslo Accords’. The new initiative – known as ‘The Roadmap’ to Peace – called
for a ‘performance based’ path to peace in stages. The first stage requires the Palestinian leadership to disarm and disband
the terrorist organisations. Arafat agrees to ‘the Roadmap’ and pledges to take the necessary action, but fails to do so. The
Roadmap falters.
November 2004
Yasser Arafat dies. In an election held in January 2005 Mahmoud Abbas, Arafat’s long-time right-hand man, is elected as
the Palestinian President.
President Anwar Sadat of Egypt makes a historic visit to Jerusalem. A Peace Treaty is signed subsequently in which Israel
hands over the oil-rich Sinai Peninsula, but is forced to keep the Gaza Strip. President Sadat is assassinated by Muslim
extremists in 1981 for making peace with Israel.
30th July 1980
The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, passes a law that Jerusalem will be ‘the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel.’ The PLO
and Arab nations react with a threat to nations that had their embassies in Jerusalem: “leave or your oil supplies will be cut
off.” 13 countries move their embassies to Tel Aviv.
December 1987
The first Palestinian intifada (uprising) begins.
13th September 1993
In a surprise move, Israel recognises the terrorist Palestine Liberation Organisation as the official representative of the
Palestinian Arabs, ending the intifada. Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres sign a Declaration of Principles for a Peace Treaty on the White House lawn in the presence of President
Bill Clinton. Arafat announces that he has renounced terrorism and pledges to rescind the PLO Charter. Over the next 7
years under what became known as the ‘Oslo Accords’ the PLO is given autonomy over 98% of the Palestinian population
and 40% of territory in Judea and Samaria and 80% of the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile Palestinian incitement to hatred and
terrorism against Israel escalates.
July 2000
President Bill Clinton invites the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to a summit at Camp David in the USA for ‘Final Status’
talks under the troubled ‘Oslo Accords’. Israeli PM Ehud Barak offers to recognise a Palestinian State in 97% of the
territory Arafat is demanding, which embraces most of the Old City of Jerusalem including control over the Temple Mount
– all in exchange for an ‘end to hostilities’. Arafat rejects the offer and two months later launches the second intifada
against Israel.
March 2002
In a month that proved to be the bloodiest of the intifada in which more than 100 Israelis are murdered, including 30
people in a single attack on a Passover Seder, the Israel Defence Forces launch Operation Defensive Shield in which they
re-occupy most of the territory and cities ceded to the Palestinians. Yasser Arafat is held under virtual house arrest in his
Muqata compound in Ramallah where the IDF subsequently discover concrete proof that he has been directly financing
and co-ordinating terrorist attacks against Israel. US President Bush declares that Arafat is the main obstacle to achieving
peace in the Middle East.
2003
A new peace initiative is launched by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations (collectively
called ‘The Quartet’) to replace the failed ‘Oslo Accords’. The new initiative – known as ‘The Roadmap’ to Peace – called
for a ‘performance based’ path to peace in stages. The first stage requires the Palestinian leadership to disarm and disband
the terrorist organisations. Arafat agrees to ‘the Roadmap’ and pledges to take the necessary action, but fails to do so. The
Roadmap falters.
November 2004
Yasser Arafat dies. In an election held in January 2005 Mahmoud Abbas, Arafat’s long-time right-hand man, is elected as
the Palestinian President.
- 1
- Show all