Palestinians consider multistep plan toward two-state solution
A proposal being discussed involves establishing Palestinian rule in Gaza and Jericho first, while negotiating the final parameters for a full Palestinian state.
At one point during the Oslo process, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres felt a breakthrough with the Palestinians was necessary in order to move forward. As a first step, Rabin and Peres decided to offer the PLO autonomous rule in Gaza and Jericho. If accepted, negotiations on the rest of the West Bank would follow suit. PLO leader Yasser Arafat agreed. The Oslo Declaration of Principles was signed on Sept. 13, 1993, in Washington, with Arafat de facto ruling Gaza and Jericho as of July 1994. The Israeli goal was to launch a peace process and to halt the first intifada, which began in 1987.
This same concept could be applied today, aiming to relaunch the peace process and prevent another intifada or another Gaza war.
