Rabin and Arafat Sign Historic Oslo Peace Accord at White House
Israeli PM and PLO Chairman shake hands after signing Declaration of Principles, launching Palestinian self-rule and mutual recognition.
In a moment that would have been unthinkable just months ago, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands on the White House lawn today after signing the Oslo Accords, a historic agreement granting Palestinians limited self-rule.
The handshake, brokered by President Bill Clinton after Rabin’s initial hesitation, symbolized the end of decades of mutual non-recognition between Israel and the PLO. The Declaration of Principles, secretly negotiated in Oslo, Norway, outlines a five-year interim period leading to a permanent settlement.
Under the agreement, Israel will withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank town of Jericho within four months, transferring control to a Palestinian Authority led by Arafat. Further withdrawals will follow as Palestinians demonstrate their ability to govern and maintain security.
In exchange, the PLO formally recognized Israel’s right to exist and renounced terrorism. Arafat declared the dawn of a “peace of the brave,” while Rabin, visibly uncomfortable but determined, quoted Ecclesiastes: “To everything there is a season… a time for war and a time for peace.”
The accord has sparked celebrations among Palestinians hoping for an end to occupation, but also fierce opposition from Israeli settlers and Palestinian rejectionists. Hamas and other militant groups have vowed to sabotage what they call a “surrender agreement.”
Despite the challenges ahead, today’s ceremony represents the most significant breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli conflict since the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.