In search of statehood and security

From the Intifada to Oslo and beyond

Intifada (1987-1991): Causes Social factors

Demographics Education Economics

Political Opportunity Structures Increased level of repression Divisions among Israeli elites

(war weariness) Economic downturn Global political realignment

Background to Intifada: Political conditions

Israeli land seizures & settlements By 1985 Israelis have control over 52% of the West Bank’s land and at least 40% of

the Gaza Strip. 1977-’85: 119 new Israeli settlements

Israeli military administration (courts, laws, etc.) Detention: Pal’s could be held for 6 months without trial (only 62 such cases in 1980-

85; 131 in last five months of 1985) torture

Dismissal of Palestinian mayors Freezing of Palestinian building permits, new limitations on freedom of expression Collective Punishment

Over 15,000 houses destroyed between 1967-1980 Curfews School closures checkpoints

Deportations Around 1,100 people deported between 1967 and 1977 Most targeted groups: educators, professionals, students (included President of Bir

Zeit University in 1974). Less than 1 percent allowed to return*

Source: Ann Lesch, winter 1979 J. of P Studies

Typical West Bank checkpoint to Israel, 1990. Photo by Ian Lustick.

Home destruction.

Intifada Structure

Decentralized Unified National Leadership “Intifada elite”

Guided through leaflets, word of mouth Mass participation

Women, men, young, old Struggle for leadership:

Hamas PLO

Hanan Ashrawi, a leading figure in the planning of the Intifada. Photo: www.womenforpalestine.com

Mainstream Intifada: Goals & Strategies Goals

Israeli withdrawal from the territories and creation of Independent Palestinian state

Other issues: Jerusalem Right of return End of settlements Hamas: Eradication of Israel

Strategies Humanize Palestinian suffering and through this, induce

Israelis to want to compromise (Ashrawi) Reduce Palestinian economic dependence on Israel Undermine authority of Israeli rule by civil revolt that would

force withdrawal and create a Palestinian state

Repertoires

Violent: Throwing stones & fire

bombs Building barriers Burning tires Knife & gun attacks Attacking

“collaborators” Attacks on busses, etc.

Repertoires: Nonviolent Severing of economic ties with Israel:

Not working in Israel Boycotting Israeli products Withdrawing deposits from Israeli owned banks Developing a home based economy: develop

economic self sufficiency Civil disobedience:

Nonpayment of taxes and fines Partial commercial strikes

Building solidarity Day long strikes for solidarity with prisoners Memorials Sit-down strikes reducing doctor’s fees Helping farmers with olive harvest

Israeli responses Deportations

69 leaders of the Intifada sent into exile between 1987 and 1991 B’TSELEM-- December 1992, 415 deportations Palestinians advocating nonviolence seemed especially targeted

Arrests By end of 1989 35,000-40,000 Palestinians arrested 75,000 Palestinians arrested during the first three years of the Intifada.

Of these, about 15,000 were actually charged each year. Assassinations of PLO officials associated with the Intifada Collective punishment, intimidation

Intifada as “terrorism” Beatings, tear gas Curfews Raiding of Palestinian homes and gardens Closure of schools & universities

Casualties 1987-1989: 626 Palestinians and 43 Israelis killed. 37,439 Palestinians wounded Total casualties in the Occupied Territories and Israel from

December 9, 1987 to September 30, 2000: Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces - 1,407

33% below the age of 18 (usually 14-18) Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli civilians - 140 Israeli civilians killed by Palestinian civilians - 270 Members of the Israeli forces killed by Palestinian civilians -

135 Hundreds of Palestinians killed by other Palestinians as

collaborators

Why did the first Intifada end? (circa 1991)

Exhaustion & suppression Palestinian economic problems PLO centralization & Israeli eradication of

leadership 1990-91 Gulf War 1991 Madrid conference/negotiations

1st Intifada: Effects Seriously challenged the Israeli belief in the sustainability of

occupation. Deeply affected public opinion in Israel. Forced discussion and a search for an alternative. New

recognition of Palestinians in Israel and idea that partition was necessary.

New & more pragmatic goals: local leadership pushed the PLO towards a two-state solution and acceptance of Israel.

Helped force new rounds of negotiations (Madrid, Oslo) New images of Palestinians, internally, in Israel and &

internationally More self-sufficiency- classrooms, education, dairy farming

Why didn’t the 1st Intifada achieve Palestinian goals? Difficult to sustain:

Israeli use of increased repression and encirclement of refugee camps.

Isolation of communities Palestinian economic problems: 30-40% unemployment.

Families lost as much as three-quarters of their income Decimation of Palestinian leadership

Use of violence Intransigent factions on both sides Palestinian lack of leverage: Imbalance of power between Israel

& the Palestinians Palestinian lack of influential external allies

Negotiations

Palestinians & Israelis come to the negotiation table for the 1st time. Why? End of Cold War Gulf War US pressure Intifada

1991 Madrid negotiations 1993 & 1995 Oslo Accords

Main tenets of the Oslo Accords

Interim settlement NOT a final agreement PLO recognizes Israel’s “right to exist” and

forswears use of violence Israel allows creation of Palestinian National

Authority under leadership of the PLO to govern some parts of the Occupied Territories in some administrative & economic spheres. Total territory transferred to sole Palestinian control is 3-4% of the West Bank & Gaza.

Oslo Accords: Control over Land

Palestinians get modicum of self rule for the 1st time in their history, but highly circumscribed. Israel retains right to patrol all borders & control airspace Israeli military, Jewish settlers, and Israeli citizens retain all

rights to enter all territories Palestinian area divided into more than 100 enclaves

Land in the Occupied Territories divided into 3 zones Area A zones: full PA civil and security control Area B zones: PA civil control, Israeli military & security control Area C zones: Israeli civil and security control Ultimately gave PA control over most of the territories’

population but only over about 5 % of land

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Collapse of peace negotiations, rise of the 2nd Intifada, 1995-2001

1995 Assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by Israeli assassin

Bombings within Israel by Palestinian Islamic groups, 1994 and especially after 1996

1996 Election of more conservative Israeli government (Netanyahu) Delays in implementation of the

Oslo accords End of Oslo, 2001 and after

Election of Ariel Sharon 2nd intifada, post-2001

More violent, mostly young men

Summer 2002 Israeli army moves back into PA areas

Underlying causes of collapse of the Peace Process

Oslo “frontloading” of Israeli benefits but “backloading” of Palestinian benefits- gave Israel little reason to negotiate and Palestinians little leverage

Domestic weakness on both sides that gave Oslo rejectionists undue influence Palestinian bombings & PA

authoritarianism Israeli settlements Failure to take “society” into

consideration Hardliners on both sides increasingly

frame conflict in religious terms Use of violence on both sides

Assassination of Rabin, Nov. 1995

Absence of Arbiters Imbalance of power