![Palestinian and Israeli top negotiators Abu Ala [L] and Uri Savir [R] shake hands after signing the second phase of the Oslo peace accords September 24. PLO chairman Yasser Arafat is in the middle speaking to team member Sait Barecat, (L), after eight days of talks. The Oslo peace accords second phase will give the Palestinian self-rule of the West Bank](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SU3OARVCHALEVAWLMMTFX7CWTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2f8964947c80b4592efb6e9cf49c1d90181978e5b69b4641f77aef8ac85c3cb1&width=800&height=593)
The US has supervised all major talks to resolve the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel. Here are the important moments in a process characterised by moderate successes tinged with numerous failures.
1978: Camp David
The Palestinian Liberation Organisation opted out of talks between Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israel’s prime minister, Menachem Begin, which led to the Egypt-Israel peace treaty a year later.
The two leaders toyed with creating a transitional Palestinian government in the West Bank and Gaza, but the lack of Palestinian participation left the plan dead in the water.
1991: Madrid summit
Brought about by the First Gulf War and the first Palestinian uprising, the summit did not result in any deal between the Palestinians and Israel. But it signalled renewed US resolve to end the conflict, which militants and other anti-US factions used to promote themselves as guardians of the Palestinian cause.
1993-1995: Oslo Accords
A result of secret talks between Israel and the PLO, they called for a five-year transitional period, Israeli troop withdrawals and negotiations on a permanent settlement. The first accord was signed in Washington, with the second signed in Egypt.
2000: The second Camp David summit
PLO chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak met at Camp David for talks hosted by US president Bill Clinton but failed to reach a deal, contributing to the second Palestinian uprising.
2007: Annapolis conference
Palestine and Israel came close to a deal at the US naval academy but internal political turmoil in Israel helped bury the talks.
2013-2014: Washington talks
US president Barack Obama pressed the two sides to resume talks but then decided it was not worth spending more political capital to pursue a deal unacceptable to Israel.
2019: Trump economic plan
The Palestinian leadership and its militant rivals reject US plans for $50 billion (Dh183.63bn) of investment to strengthen the Palestinian economy as part of Washington’s peace deal.
