Wye River Memorandum

The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestine Authority to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 28 September, 1995 . Brokered by the United States at the Aspen Institute Wye River Conference Centers near Wye River, Maryland , it was signed on October 23, 1998. Clinton opened the summit at the secluded Wye River Conference Center on October 15 and returned at least six times to the site to press Netanyahu and Arafat to finalize the deal. In the final push to get Netanyahu and Arafat to overcome remaining obstacles, Clinton invited King Hussein who had played a past role in easing tensions between the two men, to join the talks. On the final day of the negotiations, the agreement almost fell through. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked President Bill Clinton to release Jonathan Pollard , an American naval intelligence officer who has been serving a life sentence since 1985 for giving classified information to Israel . A bitter disagreement arose, with Netanyahu claiming that Clinton had promised to release Pollard, and Clinton saying he had only promised to "review" the case. It was also reported that then director of the CIA George Tenet had threatened to resign if Pollard was released. The agreement was finally signed by Netanyahu and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat at the White House , with President Clinton playing a key role as the official witness. On November 17, 1998, Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset , approved the Wye River Memorandum by a vote of 75-19. With the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in September 2000, and the counter-attacks by the Israel Defense Forces , the Wye River's understandings and goals remain un-implemented. The Washington Post . p.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left), US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , and Yasser Arafat at the Wye River Memorandum, 1998 The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at a summit in Wye River (US) held from 15–23 October 1998. The Memorandum aimed to resume the implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Oslo II Accord). It was signed on the final day, 23 October 1998. On 17 November, Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset , approved the Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. The Memorandum determined that it would enter into force on 2 November 1998, ten days from the date of signature. On 18 December 1998, US and EU declared their contentment about the implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. Israel, however, had only implemented stage 1 of the further redeployment (F.R.D.), meaning that it had withdrawn from 2% of Area C instead of the required 13%. Both parties accused each other of not fulfilling its share of responsibilities under the Wye River Memorandum, and the further implementation of the agreement remained unfinished. The Washington Post . p. US State Department, 18 December 1998 We welcome implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. We call on the parties to implement fully the remaining obligations ... What Was the 1999 Sharm al-Sheikh Memorandum? .

The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at a summit in Wye River , Maryland , U.S., held from 15–23 October 1998. The Memorandum aimed to resume the implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Oslo II Accord). It was signed in the White House by Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat , through negotiations led by U.S. On 17 November 1998 Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset , approved the Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. The Memorandum determined that it would enter into force on 2 November 1998, ten days from the date of signature. On 18 December 1998, the Clinton administration and the EU declared their contentment about the implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. Israel, however, had only implemented stage 1 of the further redeployment (F.R.D.), meaning that it had withdrawn from 2% of Area C instead of the required 13%. Both parties accused each other of not fulfilling its share of responsibilities under the Wye River Memorandum, and the further implementation of the agreement remained unfinished. The Washington Post . p. US State Department, 18 December 1998 We welcome implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. We call on the parties to implement fully the remaining obligations ... What Was the 1999 Sharm al-Sheikh Memorandum? . ProCon, 19 May 2008 " The demise of the Oslo process " .

The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at a summit in Wye River , Maryland , U.S., held from 15–23 October 1998. The Memorandum aimed to resume the implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Oslo II Accord). It was signed in the White House by Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat , through negotiations led by U.S. On 17 November 1998 Israel's 120 member parliament, the Knesset , approved the Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. The Memorandum determined that it would enter into force on 2 November 1998, ten days from the date of signature. On 18 December 1998, the Clinton administration and the EU declared their contentment about the implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. Israel, however, had only implemented stage 1 of the further redeployment (F.R.D.), meaning that it had withdrawn from 2% of Area C instead of the required 13%. Both parties accused each other of not fulfilling its share of responsibilities under the Wye River Memorandum, and the further implementation of the agreement remained unfinished. The Washington Post . p. US State Department, 18 December 1998 We welcome implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. We call on the parties to implement fully the remaining obligations ... What Was the 1999 Sharm al-Sheikh Memorandum? . ProCon, 19 May 2008 " The demise of the Oslo process " .

The Wye River Memorandum was an agreement negotiated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at a summit in Wye River , Maryland , U.S., held 15–23 October 1998. The Memorandum aimed to resume the implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Oslo II Accord). It was signed in the White House by Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat , through negotiations led by U.S. On 17 November 1998 Israel's 120-member parliament, the Knesset , approved the Memorandum by a vote of 75–19. The Memorandum determined that it would enter into force on 2 November 1998, ten days from the date of signature. On 18 December 1998, the Clinton administration and the EU declared their contentment about the implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. However, by this point the Palestinian Islamic Jihad had carried out a fatal terrorist attack in Jerusalem , and Israel had only implemented stage 1 of the further redeployment (F.R.D.), meaning that it had withdrawn from 2% of Area C instead of the required 13%. Both parties accused each other of not fulfilling its share of responsibilities under the Wye River Memorandum, and the further implementation of the agreement remained unfinished. The Washington Post . p. US State Department, 18 December 1998 We welcome implementation of the first phase of the Memorandum by both sides. We call on the parties to implement fully the remaining obligations ... The New York Times . p. ProCon, 19 May 2008 " The demise of the Oslo process " .