Twenty Years after the Oslo Accords

It is commonly understood that the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, which culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (DOP) on the lawn of the White House in Washington D.C. on September 13, 1993 – known as the Oslo Accords – did not lead to a serious breakthrough in the relations between the two peoples. The current negotiations focus on the same topics that were defined in the agreement, which have been the center of talks over the last two decades. The deep mistrust between the two sides and the major gaps in the balance of power has blocked serious and genuine negotiations that might have led to a resolution. As we look toward moving the process forward, we should concentrate on who the players are, how they perceive themselves, how they view the other side, how they define the conflict, and their willingness to reckon with their mutual identities.

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