The problem with Oslo is that the vision of true peace was purely a figment of the imagination. Until now, it has not taken root in the Israeli ruling class or society in general. The Oslo Accords were signed by a Labour government and represented the fruit of a new trend in Israeli thought. But the Likud government opposed the accords and backed out slowly. The basis of Netanyahu's strategy is to buy time in order to impose a new status quo, ultimately annulling the Oslo framework and the peace process.
One would like to think that Netanyahu's policies aim not at stopping the peace process, but at radically changing its conditions in Israel's favour. The main Oslo Accord was signed five years ago and mid-1998 should have witnessed the completion of the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories prior to the start of the final-status negotiations in 1999. This has not happened. And the confidence of the Palestinians and the Arabs in reaching a peaceful solution has been undermined.
Netanyahu was more honest with himself. When Yasser Arafat held a celebration in the Norwegian capital last August to mark the Oslo Accords, Netanyahu did not attend, although he represented the other party to the accords. Was it because Netanyahu knew more about the truth of Oslo than Arafat? And can we continue to believe that peace will pervade the region in the light of Israel's policy and strategic thinking?
These are important questions which must be answered before we can live in a new Middle East governed by peace and stability.
*This week's Soapbox speaker is an expert with The Cairo-based National Centre for Middle East Studies.
The problem with Oslo is that the vision of true peace was purely a figment of the imagination. Until now, it has not taken root in the Israeli ruling class or society in general. The Oslo Accords were signed by a Labour government and represented the fruit of a new trend in Israeli thought. But the Likud government opposed the accords and backed out slowly. The basis of Netanyahu's strategy is to buy time in order to impose a new status quo, ultimately annulling the Oslo framework and the peace process.