THE OSLO ACCORDS

From 1993 to 1995, the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the Oslo Accords. In 1994, under the Oslo I Accord, Israel withdrew its troops from Palestinian towns and refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, and from the West Bank city of Jericho. These communities were handed over to the ostensible control of the newly established Palestinian Authority.

In 1995, under the Oslo II Accord, the entire West Bank (apart from the city of Hebron) was divided into three areas, based on demographic considerations that reflected neither geographic features nor Palestinian space.

Under this division densely populated Palestinian areas were designated Areas A and B and then handed over – once more merely on paper – to the full or partial control of the Palestinian Authority. These areas are non-contiguous, constituting 165 ‘islands’ scattered across the West Bank. The rest of the land, constituting some 60% of the West Bank, was designated Area C and remained under full Israeli control. Area C is contiguous and includes all Israeli settlements as well as nearly all Palestinian land reserves.

Israel relies on this division of the West Bank to foster the fiction that the Palestinian Authority is the entity primarily responsible for administering the life of the majority of Palestinians in the West Bank. In practice, however, Israel still retains control over the entire West Bank and all its residents.

Any new construction in Area C – be it building homes, industrial plants, laying water mains, or paving roads – requires Israeli approval. Israel, for its part, virtually bars Palestinian construction in Area C. Obtaining a building permit there is nearly mission impossible, even if the construction is meant to serve Palestinians living in Area A or B. Read more.

In addition, Israel still controls all crossings linking the West Bank to Israel, and the West Bank to Jordan. It also controls all roads leading to Areas A and B. Israel uses this control to restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement as it sees fit – including setting up temporary or permanent roadblocks, and keeping Palestinians detained at checkpoints – and administers a rigid and arbitrary permit regime that affects all aspects of Palestinians’ life. Read more.