Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 3 Attempts at a solution — Edexcel GCSE History
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Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 3 Attempts at a solution explained
In December 1988, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat delivered a watershed speech at a special UN General Assembly session in Geneva.
Read the full explanation
He explicitly renounced terrorism and accepted UN Resolutions 242 and 338, implicitly recognising Israel's right to exist. This diplomatic pivot was highly significant as it met the United States' preconditions for opening formal dialogue with the PLO. Arafat's declaration shifted the PLO's image from a militant organisation to a legitimate political actor seeking a two-state solution. This crucial change in strategy isolated Israeli hardliners, garnered international sympathy for the Palestinian cause during the Intifada, and laid the essential diplomatic groundwork for the secret negotiations that culminated in the Oslo Accords.
Changing superpower policies in the Middle East: US involvement in the Gulf War (1991), and the end of the Cold War.
The end of the Cold War profoundly altered superpower policies in the Middle East. The collapse of the Soviet Union removed the primary backer of radical Arab states, leaving the USA as the sole superpower. This shift was evident during the 1991 Gulf War, when the US successfully led a broad coalition, including several Arab nations, to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The war demonstrated US military dominance and its commitment to regional stability. Consequently, the US leveraged its enhanced influence to push for a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, leading to the 1991 Madrid Conference. The diminished Soviet threat meant the US no longer viewed Israel solely as a Cold War strategic asset, allowing for a more balanced diplomatic approach.
Arafat, Rabin and the Oslo Accords (1993); the setting up of the Palestinian National Authority; Israel-Jordan peace treaty (1994); Oslo II (1995).
The 1993 Oslo Accords marked a historic breakthrough, with PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin officially recognising each other. Brokered secretly in Norway, the agreement established the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), granting limited self-rule in Gaza and Jericho. This momentum facilitated the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, normalising relations and settling border disputes between the two nations. In 1995, the Oslo II agreement expanded Palestinian self-government across parts of the West Bank, dividing it into Areas A, B, and C. Despite these monumental diplomatic achievements, the process faced fierce opposition from extremists on both sides, culminating tragically in Rabin's assassination in 1995.
Your focus
- Identify the key declarations made by Yasser Arafat in his 1988 UN speech.
- Explain why Arafat chose to renounce terrorism and accept UN resolutions at this specific time.
- Evaluate the significance of Arafat's speech for US-PLO relations and future peace negotiations.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe the impact of the end of the Cold War on Soviet and US influence in the Middle East.
- Explain the reasons for and outcomes of US involvement in the 1991 Gulf War.
- Analyse how changing superpower policies facilitated new attempts at an Arab-Israeli peace settlement.
- Explain the key agreements made in the 1993 Oslo Accords between Arafat and Rabin.
- Describe the establishment and role of the Palestinian National Authority.
- Analyse the significance of the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty and the 1995 Oslo II agreement in the wider peace process.
Option P5: Key topic 3: Attempts at a solution, 1974–95 - 3 Attempts at a solution exam tips
Marking Points
- Detail the context of Arafat's 1988 UN speech, including the ongoing First Intifada and the PLO's desire for diplomatic progress.
- Explain the content of the speech, specifically the renunciation of terrorism and acceptance of UN Resolutions 242 and 338.
- Analyse the immediate significance, such as the USA opening formal dialogue with the PLO.
- Evaluate the long-term significance of the speech in paving the way for the Oslo Accords and the two-state solution framework.
- Explain how the end of the Cold War reduced Soviet influence in the Middle East and left the USA as the dominant power.
- Describe the context and outcome of the 1991 Gulf War, highlighting the US-led coalition's expulsion of Iraq from Kuwait.
- Analyse how the Gulf War increased US leverage over both Israel and Arab states.
- Evaluate the connection between these changing superpower dynamics and the renewed push for peace, such as the Madrid Conference.
- Detail the terms of the 1993 Oslo Accords, including mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO.
- Explain the creation and function of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in administering limited self-rule.
- Describe the significance of the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty in normalising relations.
- Outline the provisions of the 1995 Oslo II agreement, specifically the division of the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C.
- Note the opposition to the peace process, highlighting the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Emphasise the shift in PLO strategy from armed struggle to diplomacy when discussing the significance of the speech.
- 💡Link Arafat's renunciation of terrorism to the changing attitude of the USA towards the PLO.
- 💡Use this event as a key turning point when answering questions about attempts at a solution in the Middle East.
- 💡Use the term 'New World Order' to describe the post-Cold War era where the US acted as the primary global mediator.
- 💡Connect the PLO's weakened position after the Gulf War to their willingness to participate in the peace process.
- 💡Highlight how the US used its success in the Gulf War as political capital to convene the Madrid Conference.
- 💡Memorise the division of the West Bank in Oslo II (Areas A, B, C) to demonstrate precise knowledge of the agreements.
- 💡Discuss the role of leadership by highlighting the political risks taken by both Arafat and Rabin.
- 💡Use the establishment of the PNA as a key example of a tangible, albeit limited, step towards a two-state solution.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Claiming Arafat's speech immediately ended the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Correction: Clarify that the speech was a diplomatic breakthrough that started a dialogue, but conflict continued.
- Error: Forgetting the specific UN resolutions mentioned. Correction: Always specify that Arafat accepted Resolutions 242 and 338, which implied recognition of Israel.
- Error: Stating the speech took place in New York. Correction: Note that the US refused Arafat a visa, so the UN General Assembly convened in Geneva for his speech.
- Error: Confusing the 1991 Gulf War with the 2003 Iraq War. Correction: Ensure you focus on the 1991 conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, not the later invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
- Error: Assuming the Soviet Union played a major role in the 1991 Gulf War. Correction: Note that the declining Soviet Union cooperated with the US and did not block UN action against Iraq.
- Error: Overlooking the impact on the PLO. Correction: Mention that the PLO's support for Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War isolated them politically and financially, forcing them towards negotiations.
- Error: Stating that the Oslo Accords created an independent Palestinian state. Correction: Clarify that the Accords only established the PNA with limited self-rule, not full statehood.
- Error: Confusing Oslo I (1993) and Oslo II (1995). Correction: Remember that Oslo I established the framework and initial self-rule in Gaza/Jericho, while Oslo II expanded this to wider areas of the West Bank.
- Error: Ignoring the Israel-Jordan peace treaty. Correction: Ensure you include the 1994 treaty as a direct consequence of the momentum generated by the Oslo Accords.