A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Sept. 13, 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands after signing an accord granting limited Palestinian autonomy.
Though history will show the Oslo Accords, like the Camp David Accords in the 1970s and Abraham Accords in 2020, did not usher in peace in the Middle East, it is still the goal of most of the world’s population. U.S. newspapers, including the Deseret News, cover issues in the Middle East with great attention.
The interaction on that day in 1993 was full of hope. The accords, sealed with a handshake by Arafat and Rabin on the White House lawn, with U.S. President Bill Clinton joining the moment, were aimed at setting Palestinians on the road to eventual autonomy and helping Israel extricate itself from an endless cycle of hatred and violence in the Palestinian territories it ruled.
The accords were named because the process to develop the pair of agreements began in secret in Oslo, Norway.
Here are some articles from Deseret News archives focused on hope for peace in the reality of ongoing challenges in that region of the world:
“Sadness, anger mark anniversary of Mideast peace pact”
“True Mideast peace still far away, ex-Y. professor warns”
“Consultant to PLO feels euphoria, foreboding”
“PLO approves plan for self-rule in Gaza Strip and the West Bank”
“Last-minute snag nearly stalled pact”
“Shouldn’t U.S. talk to PLO, too?”
“New Israel-Palestine accord offers hope”
“Rep. John Curtis visited the Middle East hoping to find a path forward to peace”
“Perspective: War is not inevitable. Diplomacy can deliver on the promise of peace”
“The winds of change: What is the meaning of Abraham Accords?”
