Oslo at 33: an ongoing Palestinian disaster

JVL Introduction

The Oslo Accords were signed with great fanfare and, for some, the belief that this would bring peace; that a historic compromise has been reached and a future Palestinian State was just a few years away.  33 years later a Palestinian State is a distant dream, a bitter memory for all that more countries have recognised Palestine. In reality the much insisted upon “two state solution” a meaningless political phrase obliterated by the depths of Israeli control, the genocide in Gaza and the dramatic expansion of settlements since the Accords were signed. Added to Israel’s appalling actions over the decades must also be added the collaboration of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Many warned of Oslo’s limitations at the time and the experience since shows that it served as a cover for Israel to have greater control over the whole of Palestine. This analysis is a timely reminder of where we are now and of how the West, even as more countries recognise Palestine, are at best deluding themselves and at worst colluding with apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide.

This article was originally published by Middle East Monitor on Thu 3 Sep 2026. Read the original here.