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In search of statehood and security

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

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In search of statehood and security

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  1. In search of statehood and security From the Intifada to Oslo and beyond

  2. 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

  3. 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

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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Violent: Throwing stones & fire bombs Building barriers Burning tires Knife & gun attacks Attacking “collaborators” Attacks on busses, etc. Repertoires

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. 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

  17. http://www.fmep.org/novpg5.gif

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

  19. 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 Underlying causes of collapse of the Peace Process

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