Chronology of Palestinian-Israel peaceNEWLN: United Press International
The following is a chronology of the landmark events culminating in the award of the Nobel Peace Prize Friday to Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat: -- Dec. 9, 1987: Palestinian uprising breaks out in Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, focusing Israeli and world attention on Palestinian dimension of Arab-Israeli conflict. -- Nov. 15, 1988: Arafat, urged on by leaders in territories, takes step toward recognition of Israel in statement declaring Palestinian statehood. -- Dec. 13, 1988: Arafat declares PLO rejection of terrorist activity at U.N. General Assembly meeting in Geneva. Step enables opening of United States political dialogue with PLO. -- Oct. 30, 1991: Madrid peace conference co-sponsored by United States and Soviet Union brings Arab parties and Israel into direct face to face negotiations. Paves the way for Washington peace talks between delegation of leaders from occupied territories endorsed by Arafat and Israeli negotiators -- June 23, 1992: Yitzhak Rabin is elected as Israeli Prime Minister on platform of 'peace and security,' ousting hard-liner Yitzhak Shamir. Vows to achieve breakthrough in stagnant peace talks with Palestinians on self-rule in occupied territories, declares freeze on Jewish settlements. Appoints Shimon Peres as foreign minister. -- Dec. 17, 1992: Rabin orders expulsion to Lebanon of 415 Muslim militants, underscoring his view that Israel's main enemy is Muslim fundamentalism, not Arafat's PLO. -- January-February, 1993: secret direct Israeli-PLO diplomacy begins in Norway; negotiations held in secluded mansion south of Oslo. Peres oversees Israeli effort and reports to Rabin.
After seven months, Peres announces agreement is near on Palestinian self-rule in Gaza Strip and Jericho. -- Sept. 9, 1993: Mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO through exchange of letters between Arafat and Rabin. -- Sept. 13, 1993: Rabin and Arafat shake hands on White House lawn after signing of Declaration of Principles agreement. The DOP outlines self-rule arrangements in Gaza and Jericho. -- May 4, 1994: Cairo agreement signed by Rabin and Arafat enables Israeli troop withdrawal, entry of PLO security forces to Gaza and Jericho to launch self-rule. -- Oct. 14, 1994: Rabin, Arafat and Peres awarded Nobel Peace Prize amid tensions between Israel and the PLO over the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Muslim militants. ( Ben Lynfield and Jessica Jacobs in Jerusalem)
