After Oslo: New Realities, Old Problems

The Israel/Palestine Peace Accord was devised in 1993, after extensive secret meetings between the two parties, and a Declaration of Principles was signed in Washington by the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzak Rabin, and Chairman of the PLO, Yasser Arafat. It has had a profound impact on the Middle East. But, four years later, given the continuing violence and political unrest in the region, how successful has it been in achieving peace? Through a series of critical case studies, the contributors to this book assess the effectiveness of the Peace Accord, its consequences for Israel/Palestine in general and for Palestinian society specifically. These critiques demonstrate that the effects of the Oslo process, in terms of creating peace, have been slight at best. Scrutinizing its framework, the contributors expose the limitations of the process and seriously question whether it can lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East. This collection represents an in-depth critical and analytical assessment of the Oslo peace process and should itself be an important contribution to achieving peace. A contribution by Graham Usher, author of "Palestine in Crisis" is included.