A Little Book of Big Encouragements

The 30th anniversary of the Oslo Accords was marked with starkly different reactions in Palestine and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, celebrated the accords as the start of a new era of peace, while Palestinians view the agreement as a failure that has not led to national freedom. Two main issues remain outstanding: the question of how to share Jerusalem and the long-term status of millions of Palestinian refugees. The Oslo Accords, originally signed in Washington in 1993, laid out a framework for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. However, three decades on, many Palestinians believe the accords have allowed Israel to further entrench its occupation, with Israeli settlements growing in Palestinian territory and ongoing Israeli control over the borders, security forces, and the economy. Religion plays an important role in the conflict, with the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem claimed by both Jews and Muslims as a holy site. Ahead of the anniversary, there have been several violent clashes at the mosque.