Peacemaking Is a Risky Business - PRIO

Chapter 5IMPLEMENTING PEACEWITH THE SIGNING OF THE OSLO AGREEMENT, the political architectureof the Middle East seemed to have altered. The ‘criminal terrorist’ organization,the PLO, had become the legitimate counterpart of the ‘repressiveoccupier’, Israel. Rather than killing one another, the two parties were involved inpeaceful negotiations. The road map had been drawn up, and peace in the Middle Eastseemed within reach. However, ‘the Declaration of Principle was a careful experimentin forward-looking constructive ambiguity’. 1 As so often before, the devil was in thedetails. The agreement was to initiate a productive political process, but nothing wassaid about the final outcome. The crucial and difficult issues were postponed.In September 1993, the international community wholeheartedly got on board thepeace train, led by the USA. Norway continued to play an important role. However,implementing the Oslo Accord – an interim agreement for an interim period – was adifficult task indeed. Further negotiations were approaching, negotiations that woulddetermine the fate of the agreement. The Norwegians continued to work tirelesslybackstage to keep up the momentum and prevent the process from stagnating. So howdid the Oslo process develop in these crucial years, from September 1993 until BinyaminNetanyahu took over as Israeli prime minister in June 1996? What was Norway’srole in this implementing phase? What did Norway do to help, both politicallyand economically? What room for manoeuvre was now provided for the Norwegians?And, finally, why did Norway tirelessly continue to work for peace between the Israelisand the Palestinians?The ReactionsIn the aftermath of the signing of the Oslo Accord on the White House lawn, both theIsraeli and the Palestinian leaders wanted to show their respective peoples that theagreement would be beneficial to them. To Rabin and the Israelis, this meant a clearreduction in the violence and terrorist attacks against Israel. To Arafat and the Palestinians,it meant an immediate and visible Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Territories,followed by a huge and immediate improvement in living conditions for thePalestinians.1 Brynen 2000, p. 55.