Case 257 - Semantics or Substance? Showdown Between the United States and the Palestine Liberation Organization

Gerner, Deborah J. and Ian S. Wilbur This case study examines a significant shift in official U.S. policy toward the Palestinians, a change that set the stage for the Madrid Conference, the Oslo Agreement, and subsequent Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the 1990s and beyond. It  describes the role of second-track and third-party diplomacy in facilitating a ‘breakthrough’ in a protracted and deadlocked conflict, and highlights the role of several key individuals involved in these specific events. Because it focuses on the infrequently examined Palestinian side of the equation, the study can be used to examine the difficulties facing a small non-state actor, like the Palestinian Liberation Organization, when dealing with a major regional or global power. This case could be used in classes dealing with U.S. foreign policy, international mediation, the Arab-Israeli conflict, or Middle East politics more generally. Part A provides an historical review, and describes two separate but mutu