Oslo II Accord

The Oslo II Accord, formally known as the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, was a key and complex agreement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Signed on September 28, 1995, in Taba, Egypt, it followed the Oslo I Accord (Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements) and aimed to expand Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank.

The agreement established Area A, Area B, and Area C in the West Bank. Area A was under full Palestinian civil and security control; Area B was under Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control; and Area C remained under full Israeli civil and security control (except for Palestinian built-up areas). The Oslo II Accord also outlined arrangements for elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council and stipulated a timetable for further negotiations on permanent status issues such as borders, refugees, Jerusalem, and settlements.

The agreement was intended to be an interim step towards a comprehensive peace treaty. It built upon the framework established by Oslo I but introduced more detailed arrangements for the transfer of powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority. The Accord also dealt with issues like legal cooperation, economic relations, and public order.

Oslo II was highly controversial, with critics on both sides. Some Israelis opposed the transfer of land and security powers to the Palestinians, while some Palestinians believed the agreement did not go far enough in securing their self-determination and statehood. The implementation of the Oslo II Accord has been uneven, and its envisioned final status negotiations have not been successfully concluded, leading to ongoing conflict and instability in the region.