Wye River Memorandum

The Wye River Memorandum was an important agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. It was made at a meeting in Wye River, Maryland, in the United States, from October 15 to October 23, 1998. The goal was to restart steps from a 1995 plan called the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The agreement was signed in the White House by leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat. U.S. President Bill Clinton helped lead the talks. On November 17, 1998, Israel’s parliament, called the Knesset, voted to approve the memorandum.

Even though the agreement was signed, it faced many challenges. Both sides accused each other of not doing what they promised. Some parts of the agreement were not fully carried out.

Summit

The meeting took place at the Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Centers near Wye Mills, Maryland. Bill Clinton, the President of the United States, began the talks on October 15 and returned often to help Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat reach an agreement. He also asked King Hussein to assist, as he had helped in the past.

The two leaders finally signed the agreement at the White House with President Clinton present. He played a key role in ensuring the talks succeeded.

Background

To help carry out the Oslo II Accord and allow Israel to pull its forces back from some parts of the West Bank, Israel and the Palestinian Authorities signed several agreements and protocols. These documents explained the duties each side needed to do, such as moving troops and keeping the area safe.

In 1994, they signed an agreement called the "Agreement on Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities Between Israel and the PLO." In 1995, another called the "Protocol on Further Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities" was added. Then in 1997, the Hebron Protocol was signed, which dealt with moving forces out of most of Hebron and splitting the city into two parts.

Redeployments

Further information: West Bank Areas in the Oslo II Accord

The Wye River Memorandum talked about steps for moving soldiers from some areas in the West Bank. It clearly described the first two steps. The third step would be decided later by a special group.

The first two steps involved giving some land from Area C to the Palestinians and moving parts of Area B to Area A. This happened in three time periods:

• Stage 1 (November 1998): 2% from Area C to B; 7.1% from B to A
• Stage 2 (December 1998): 5% from Area C to B
• Stage 3 (January 1999): 5% from Area C to B; 1% from C to A; 7.1% from B to A

If this plan had been followed, Area C would have become smaller, and Areas B and A would have grown. Some land would be set aside as nature reserves under Israeli control.

Security

The Wye River Memorandum included agreements to keep both sides safe. Israel and the Palestinian Authority promised to stop any acts of violence or crime against each other. They agreed to work together with the United States to stop people who plan harmful acts and to prevent groups from causing trouble.

The Memorandum talked about safety steps. The Palestinian side promised to stop any groups that use violence and to prevent illegal weapons. They also agreed to stop messages that encourage violence. Both sides would work together, sharing information and helping each other solve problems. They also talked about helping with police work and legal matters, making sure everyone follows the rules.

Economic issues

The Israeli and Palestinian sides promised to work better together and help each other grow their economies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They agreed to open the Gaza Industrial Estate on time and to talk more about safe travel between areas.

They also talked about how important the Port of Gaza is for trade and growth. Both sides agreed to discuss solving legal problems and improving their economies with help from other countries.

Permanent status negotiations

The two sides agreed to restart talks about their long-term future right away. They worked hard to reach a full agreement by 4 May 1999. They hoped to finish these important discussions as soon as possible.

Unilateral actions

To help make the talks go well, both sides agreed not to change the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. They followed the rules of the Interim Agreement. This meant neither side would do anything that could affect these areas during the talks.

Political impact in Israel

The Wye agreement was popular in Israel, and many people supported it. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu faced challenges in his party and delayed approval of the agreement. He stopped implementing it after some disagreements between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers. This led to a vote of no confidence against his government, which resulted in general elections in May 1999. Ehud Barak won the elections and promised to continue working towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Main article: Likud
Main articles: national unity government · Ehud Barak
Further information: vote of no confidence · general elections in May 1999