The Oslo Accords were a major turning point in relations between Israelis and Palestinians and transformed the Palestinian struggle for freedom and self-determination. They were supposed to lead to peace after decades of violence caused by the establishment of Israel’s apartheid system in Palestine and mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948, and Israel’s military occupation and colonization of remaining Palestinian land that began in 1967.
However, instead of peace, the Oslo Accords established a new system of Israeli oppression that Palestinians in the occupied territories continue to live under today and divided the Palestinian national movement. The PLO, an umbrella organization that led the movement since the late 1960s, was sidelined as the Fatah party, which has dominated the PLO since its earliest days, established the PA with Israel. This led to a split and at times open conflict between the PA/Fatah and Palestinian political factions opposed to the Oslo Accords, with Israel encouraging divisions as part of a strategy of divide and conquer.
The Oslo Accords marked the beginning of a bilateral negotiations process, overseen by Israel’s biggest backer, the U.S. government, that would be the template for all subsequent negotiations between Israel and the PLO/PA for decades.