On 13 September 1993, the world witnessed a moment of extraordinary symbolism on the White House lawn, where Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands following the signing of the Oslo I Accord. The agreement, brokered in secret talks in Norway and formalised under the auspices of U.S. President Bill Clinton, was hailed at the time as a breakthrough in one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
The road to Oslo
The Oslo process emerged from months of back-channel negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian representatives in Norway. It marked the first time Israel and the PLO formally recognised each other: Israel acknowledged the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, while the PLO renounced terrorism and recognised Israel’s right to exist in peace and security.
The deal created the Palestinian Authority (PA), a new administrative body with limited self-governing powers in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. This was designed as a five-year interim arrangement, during which permanent status issues—Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees and security—were to be resolved in later talks.
A symbolic handshake
Television cameras around the world captured the carefully staged moment when Clinton invited Rabin and Arafat to shake hands after signing the accord. Rabin, a former general and war hero, visibly hesitated before extending his hand, while Arafat, in military fatigues, beamed broadly. The handshake became an enduring image of hope, signalling a potential new era of coexistence after decades of bloodshed.
High hopes and hard realities
At the time, international reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Many observers believed the Oslo Accord could pave the way to a comprehensive peace settlement. Rabin and Arafat, along with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, would receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for their efforts.
Yet, the optimism soon collided with deep-rooted political and social divisions. Violence persisted on both sides, mutual mistrust grew, and subsequent negotiations faltered. Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli extremist in 1995, while Hamas and other groups mounted attacks that undermined public support for the peace process. Later accords, including Oslo II and the Camp David talks, failed to resolve the core disputes.
Legacy three decades on
Today, the Oslo Accords are remembered as a bold but incomplete step. They reshaped Israeli–Palestinian relations, created new political structures, and momentarily shifted global perceptions of the conflict. But critics argue that the process entrenched a fragile status quo rather than delivering lasting peace.
The image of Rabin and Arafat’s handshake remains iconic—a symbol of what seemed possible in 1993, even as the region continues to struggle with the unresolved questions left behind.
REFH – Newshub, 13 September 2025
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