Historic Middle East Peace Conference Opens in Madrid
Israelis and Palestinians sit at same negotiating table for first time as US and Soviet Union co-sponsor comprehensive peace talks.
The Madrid Peace Conference opened today with unprecedented scenes of Israeli and Palestinian representatives sitting at the same negotiating table for the first time in history. The conference, co-sponsored by the United States and Soviet Union, brings together Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinians.
US President George Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev presided over the opening ceremony at the Royal Palace, calling for “territorial compromise” and a “land for peace” framework based on UN Resolutions 242 and 338.
The Palestinian delegation, formally part of a joint Jordanian-Palestinian team due to Israeli objections to PLO participation, includes prominent figures from the occupied territories. Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir leads a hardline delegation skeptical of territorial concessions.
In his opening remarks, Shamir extended his hand for peace but made no mention of territorial compromise. Palestinian spokesperson Hanan Ashrawi delivered an emotional speech describing Palestinian suffering under occupation and demanding an end to settlement expansion.
The conference represents a dramatic shift in Middle East dynamics following the Gulf War. The PLO, weakened by its support for Iraq, has been forced to accept a diminished role, while the US has leveraged its post-war influence to pressure all parties to the table.
While expectations for immediate breakthroughs are low, the mere fact of direct negotiations marks a historic achievement. The conference is expected to launch bilateral and multilateral tracks addressing various aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict.