Key Documents - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

ProCon.org is an independent, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity

Video introduction to ProCon.org and the pros and cons of controversial topics

Last updated on: 7/2/2009 8:28:00 AM PST

Key Documents

Document Selection and Methodology: The primary sources below (in chronological order) have been selected based on their relevance to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Whenever possible, unaltered documents from the issuing agencies were used. In some cases, documents were acquired from 3rd party services such as universities and historical databases, and although we can not guarantee their accuracy, they did appear to be unaltered original historic documents. If there are documents we should have included and did not, please let us know.

Date Issued	Document	Issued By	Description	Related ProCon.org Links
Nov 27, 2007	Annapolis Conference: Joint Understanding (PDF) 26KB	US President George W. Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas	President Bush's proclamation of an agreement by Israeli and Palestinian leaders to conclude a peace treaty by the end of 2008 and follow the "road map" to a permanent two-state solution.	Is a two-state solution acceptable?
Mar 10, 2005	Sasson Report: Summary of the Opinion Concerning Unauthorized Outposts (PDF) 197KB	Talia Sasson, at the request of the Prime Minister bureau, Israel	Report on Israeli government involvement in the establishment of settlement outposts in Palestinian Occupied Territories.	Are Jewish settlements in the Palestinian Territories a violation of international law?
Jun 8, 2005	Report: War Crimes Committed Against US Military Personnel, June 8, 1967 (PDF) 224KB	USS Liberty Veterans Association	War crimes report submitted to the US Secretary of the Army	What was the USS Liberty incident?
Jan 28, 2005	UN Resolution 1583 (PDF) 14KB	UN Security Council	Response to a Lebanese government request to extend the mandate of UNIFIL on the Blue Line to confirm Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon	Why did Israel withdraw from South Lebanon in 2000?
June 6, 2004	Addendum "A" - Revised Disengagement Plan - Main Principles (PDF) 14KB	Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Communications Department	Revision of the original Disengagement Plan due to the absence "of a reliable Palestinian partner."	Is Sharon's Disengagement Plan an acceptable step and/or solution?
Dec 18, 2003	Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan Speech (PDF) 28KB	Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister	Public introduction of the Disengagement Plan	What is Sharon's Disengagement Plan?
Nov 19, 2003	UN Resolution 1515 (PDF) 10KB	UN Security Council	Endorses the Quartet Performance-based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution	Is a two-state solution acceptable?
Oct 14, 2003	Geneva Accord (PDF) 112KB	Yossi Beilin, Yasser Abd Rabbo, et al	The agreement envisions a Palestinian state based roughly on the borders before the 1967 Mideast war. Most Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be dismantled. It divides sovereignty in Jerusalem, but avoids a large-scale return to Israel by Palestinians who fled or were driven out in the 1948-49 war that followed Israel's creation.	Is the 2003 Geneva Accord a just resolution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict?
Mar 27, 2002	Speech by Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz (PDF) 13KB	Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia	States that the "only acceptable objective of the peace process is the full Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories."	Is the Arab Peace Initiative an acceptable solution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict?
Mar 12, 2002	UN Resolution 1397 (PDF) 11KB	UN Security Council	Adopted in concordance with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, demanding the immmediate end of violence by both sides.	What is the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative (a.k.a. The Saudi Plan)?
May 15, 2001	Official Comment of the Government of Israel on the Report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee (The Mitchell Report) (PDF) 25KB	Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs	States that the Mitchell Report "provides a constructive and positive attempt" for peace in response to the Al-Aqsa intifada	Was Ariel Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif responsible for igniting the al-Aqsa intifada?
May 15, 2001	Official Response of the PLO to the Report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee (The Mitchell Report) (PDF) 24KB	Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)	Agrees that Mitchell Report's recommendations are a "coherent foundation" for peace in response to the Al-Aqsa intifada	What was the Mitchell Report and how was it related to the al-Aqsa Intifada?
Apr 30, 2001	Report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee (The Mitchell Report) (PDF) 3,204KB	Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee	Recommends "swift and decisive" action to stop violence between the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority	What was the Mitchell Report and how was it related to the al-Aqsa Intifada?
July 25, 2000	Statement by President William J. Clinton Upon the Close of Camp David (PDF) 32KB	William J. Clinton, President of the United States	Statement issued upon the closing of the 2000 Camp David Summit	What were the 2000 Clinton parameters, and were they an acceptable solution?
July 25, 2000	Trilateral Statement by William J. Clinton, Ehud Barak, and Yasser Arafat Upon the Close of Camp David (PDF) 6KB	William J. Clinton, President of the United States, Ehud Barak, Israeli Prime Minister, and Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority	Commitment to follow UN resolutions 242 and 338 as the only way to reach an agreement under a violence-free environment	What was the 2000 Camp David Proposal?
Feb 17, 2000	UN Secretary-General's Bulletin for the Organization of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (PDF) 422KB	Kofi Annan	Extension and re-organization of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East	What is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)?
Dec 17, 1999	UN Resolution 54/152 (PDF) 11KB	UN General Assembly	Reaffirms that Palestinian people have right to self determination and a state	Which international resolutions support the establishment of a Palestinian State?
Oct 4, 1999	1999 Sharm al-Sheikh Memorandum	Ehud Barak, Prime Minister of Israel, and Yassir Arafat, Palestine Liberation Organization	Set out a timetable for a permanent peace settlement	What was the 1999 Sharm al-Sheikh Memorandum?
Oct 23, 1998	1998 The Wye River Memorandum	Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, and Yassir Arafat, Palestine Liberation Organization	Delineated steps to complete implementation of the Interim Agreement and of agreements that accompanied the Hebron Protocol. Israel will redeploy from the West Bank in exchange for Palestinian security measures. The PA [Palestine Authority] will have complete or shared responsibility for 40% of the West Bank, of which it will have complete control of 18.2%	What was the 1998 Wye River Memorandum?
Sep 28, 1998	Yasser Arafat's Address to the 53rd UN General Assemby (PDF) 10KB	Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority	Appreciation for inclusion as a member of the "General Debate" in the General Assembly's agenda. Marked the first time in UN history that a non-member state participated as a member	Should there be a Palestinian State?
July 7, 1998	UN Resolution 52/250 (PDF) 12KB	UN General Assembly	Conferred upon Palestine additional rights and privileges of participation that had previously been exclusive to Member States	Which international resolutions support the establishment of a Palestinian State?
Jan 13, 1998	Yasser Arafat's Letter to President William J. Clinton (PDF) 10KB	Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority	Agreement to recognize the State of Israel	Does Israel have a right to exist?
Jan 17, 1997	1997 Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron (PDF) 30KB	D. Shomrom, for Israel, and Saeb Erakat, Palestine Liberation Organization	divided the city of Hebron into two parts: H1 and H2; Palestinian Authority controlled H1, and Israel retained control over H2 and surrounding Jewish settlements	What was the 1997 Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron?
Sep 28, 1995	1995 Oslo Interim Agreement	Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, and Yassir Arafat, Palestine Liberation Organization	Most significantly the agreement recognizes the establishment of a "Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority," i.e. an elected Council, called "the Council" or "the Palestinian Council"	What was the 1995 Oslo Interim Agreement?
Oct 26, 1994	Treaty of Peace Between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (PDF) 7KB	Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, and Abdul Salam Majali, Prime Minister of Jordan	Establishes peace between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Israel	What are the offical policies of the surrounding Arab states and Iran in relation to Israel?
May 4, 1994	1994 Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area	Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, and Yassir Arafat, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)	Transferred control over the bulk of the Gaza Strip and a sixty-five-square-kilometer area encompassing Jericho and its environs to PA [Palestinian Authority] control	What was the 1994 Cairo Agreement?
Apr 29, 1994	1994 Paris Protocol (PDF) 114KB	Avraham Shohat, Finance Minister of Israel, and Abu Ala (Ahmed Korei), Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)	Protocol on Economic Relations between the Government of the State of Israel and the P.L.O., representing the Palestinian people	What was the 1994 Paris Protocol?
Sep 13, 1993	1993 Declaration of Principles	Shimon Perez for Israel, and Mahmoud Abbas for the Palestinian Authority	Recognize their mutual legitimate and political rights, and strive to live in peaceful coexistence and mutual dignity and security and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation through the agreed political process.	What was the 1993 Oslo Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements?
Sep 9, 1993	Exchange of Letters Between Yassir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin Before the Signing of the Oslo Declaration of Principles (PDF) 7KB	Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli Prime Minister, and Yassir Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority	Delineated steps to complete implementation of the Interim Agreement and of agreements that accompanied the Hebron Protocol	What letters were exchanged between Arafat and Rabin prior to the signing of the 1993 Oslo Declaration?
Dec 15, 1988	UN Resolution 43/177 (PDF) 13KB	UN General Assembly	Acknowledges the State of Palestine Proclamation by the Palestine National Council	Which international resolutions support the establishment of a Palestinian State?
Dec 9, 1988	UN Resolution 43/160 (PDF) 14KB	UN General Assembly	Decided that the Palestine Liberation Organization was entitled to have its communications issued and circulated as official documents of the United Nations	What is the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)?
Mar 2, 1988	UN Resolution 42/229 (PDF) 14KB	UN General Assembly	Reaffirmed that the Permanent Observer Mission of the PLO to the UN is covered by the United Nations Headquarters Agreement. It called upon the US to abide by this agreement	What is the relationship between the United States and the Palestinians?
1983	Provisional Rules of Procedure of the UN Security Council (PDF) 2,170KB	UN Security Council	The revised 1983 provisional rules of procedure of the UN Security Council decided by a vote that an invitation should be extended to the representative of the PLO to participate in the Security Council's selected debates	Does the United Nations single-out Israel for special scrutiny?
Feb 8, 1983	104 Report of the Commission of Inquiry Into the Events at the Refugee Camps in Beirut (PDF) 183KB	Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs	The Commission determined that Israeli forces were indirectly responsible for the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps' massacre	What was the 1983 Kahan Commission Report?
Mar 26, 1979	Treaty of Peace Between The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Government of the State of Israel (PDF) 32KB	The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Government of the State of Israel	Establishes peace between the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Government of the State of Israel	What was the outcome of the 1979 Egyptian - Israeli Peace Treaty?
Nov 10, 1975	UN Resolution 3379 (XXX). Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (PDF) 238KB	UN General Assembly	The General Assembly "determines that zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination."	Is Zionism a form of racism?
Nov 22, 1974	UN Resolution 3237 (PDF) 10KB	UN General Assembly	Granted observer status to the PLO	What is and has been the relationship between the United Nations and the Palestinians?
Nov 13, 1974	Yasser Arafat's Speech Before the UN General Assembly (PDF) 39KB	Yasser Arafat, President of the State of Palestine	Call to the world to support Palestinian people's right of return and self-determination	Should Palestinian Refugees have the Right of Return?
Oct 14, 1974	UN Resolution 3210 (PDF) 10KB	UN General Assembly	Recognized the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and invited it to participate in the deliberations of the General Assembly on the Question of Palestine in plenary meetings	What was the 1974 Rabat Summit and what was its significance for the PLO?
Dec 12, 1973	UN Resolution 3102 (PDF) 19KB	UN General Assembly	Urged that national liberation movements be invited to participate as observers in the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts	What is and has been the relationship between the United Nations and the Palestinians?
Oct 22, 1973	UN Resolution 338 (PDF) 10KB	UN Security Council	Calls for an inmediate cease-fire and for a prompt implementation of 1967 UN Resolution 242	What was the outcome of the War of 1973?
Dec 8, 1970	UN Resolution 2672 C (PDF) 15KB	UN General Assembly	Recognizes that the people of Palestine are entitled to equal rights and self determination	Which international resolutions support the establishment of a Palestinian State?
Dec 10, 1969	UN Resolution 2535 B (PDF) 63KB	UN General Assembly	Notes that repatriation or compensation of the refugees has not been granted, and that no substantial progress has been made for the reintegration of refugees either by repatriation or resettlement and that, therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to be a matter of serious concern	What is and has been the relationship between the United Nations and the Palestinians?
July 1 17, 1968	1968 Palestinian National Charter	First chairman of the PLO, Ahmad Shukeiri	In its original 1964 version, established the Palestine Liberation Organization. Amended in 1968, focuses on the independent national identity of the Palestinian people	What is the 1968 PLO Charter?
Sep 1, 1967	1967 Khartoum Resolutions (PDF) 9.31KB	Eight Arab Heads of State (Jamal Abdel Nasr of Egypt, King Hussein of Jordan, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Prince Salem Al-Sabah of Kuwait, Abdalla Al-Salal of Yemen, Howeri Bumedian of Algeria, Al-Amir Al-Hassan of Libya, Al-Bahi Al Adgham Tunisian Prime Minister)	Established an Arab consensus for setting official policies of most Arab states in regards to their relations with Israel: "no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it."	How did the 1967 Khartoum Summit of the Arab states affect Arab-Israeli relations?
Nov 22, 1967	UN Resolution 242 (PDF) 10KB	UN Security Council	Calls for the withdrawal of Israel armed forces from Palestinian and other territories occupied in the 1967 war	What effect did the 1967 War have on the Palestinians?
Oct 6, 1964	Letter from the representatives of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Republic and Yemen, addressed to the President of the Security Council (PDF) 20KB	UN Security Council	Letter "to draw the attention of the Security Council to recent Israeli aggressive policies and statements which create an imminent danger to international peace and security."	Is Israel a threat to world peace?
Nov 20, 1951	Progress Report of the UN Conciliation Commission for Palestine (PDF) 101KB	UN Conciliation Commission for Palestine	Calling of the second Paris Conference for armistice agreements	What were the 1949 armistice agreements, and how did the Israeli and Arab interpretation of them differ?
Aug 12, 1949	Geneva Convention IV (PDF) 93KB	International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)	Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war	What rights do refugees have under international law?
May 11, 1949	Resolution 273 (III). Admission of Israel to membership in the United Nations (PDF) 10KB	UN General Assembly	Decides to admit Israel to membership in the United Nations	Which international resolutions support Israel's existence?
May 11, 1949	A/PV.207. 207th Plenary Meeting Application of Israel for admission to membership in the United Nation report of the Ad Hoc Political Committee (PDF) 154KB	UN General Assembly	Minutes of the 207th Plenary Meeting, debating admission of Israel to membership in the United Nations	Which international resolutions support Israel's existence?
Dec 10, 1948	Universal Declaration of Human Rights (PDF) 41KB	UN General Assembly	Outlines the view of the United Nation General Assembly on human rights guaranteed to all people	What is and has been the relationship between the United Nations and the Palestinians?
Dec 2, 1948	Application of Israel for Admission to the United Nations (PDF) 10KB	State of Israel	Official application for membership to the United Nations	Which international resolutions support Israel's existence?
May 14, 1948	Israeli Decalaration of Independence (PDF 101KB (Original in Hebrew)	Leaders of the Yishuv [Jewish community in Palestine]	Declaration of Independence and Proclamation of the Jewish state in Palestine to be called Medinat Israel	What is the Israeli Declaration of Independence?
Nov 29, 1947	Resolution 181 (II). Future government of Palestine (PDF) 41KB	UN General Assembly	Recommends to the United Kingdom the adoption and implementation of the Plan of Partition	What was the outcome of the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan?
June 26, 1945	Charter of the United Nations (PDF) 43KB	The United Nations	Charter signed at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization	Has UN involvement had a positive effect on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict?
Oct 1, 1939	Palestine - Statement of Policy by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom (PDF) 24KB	Malcolm MacDonald, Secretary of State for the Colonies	Presents policy "To place the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, [and] to facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions."	What was the British position on Jewish immigration to Palestine during the Mandate Period (1922-1948), and how did it develop?
Oct 1, 1930	Palestine - Statement of Policy by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom (PDF) 37KB	Secretary of State for the Colonies	Presents policy "to convince both Arabs and Jews of their firm intention to promote the essential interests of both races to the utmost of their power, and to work consistently for the development, in Palestine, of a prosperous community."	What was British policy with respect to the differing interests of the Arabs and Jews of Palestine during the Mandate Period (1922-1948)?
Aug 12, 1922	Mandate for Palestine (PDF) 20KB	League of Nations	To "entrust the Allied Powers the administration of the territory of Palestine which previously belonged to the Turkish Empire."	What was the British Mandate?
Jun 3, 1922	The Churchill "White Paper" (PDF) 12KB	Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister	Responds to Arabs' concerns over the Balfour Declaration and massive Jewish immigration to palestine	What was the British position on Jewish immigration to Palestine during the Mandate Period (1922-1948), and how did it develop?
Jun 1, 1922	Correspondence with the Palestine Arab Delegation and the Zionist Organization (PDF) 63KB	The United Kingdom	Selected correspondence submitted to the British Parliament	Did the British have the right to promise "the establishment of a national home for the Jewish People?"
Jun 28, 1919	Covenant of the League of Nations, Part I of the Versailles Treaty (PDF) 63KB	Paris Peace Conference	Provides for the creation of the League of Nations	Biography of the League of Nations
Nov 2, 1917	Balfour Declaration of Principles (PDF) 63KB	Arthur James Balfour	Letter from British foreign secretary, Arthur James (later Lord) Balfour, to Lord Rothschild, head of the British Zionist Organization	Who was Lord Balfour and what was the Balfour Declaration?
Oct 24, 1915	Letter from Hussein-McMahon Correspondence (PDF) 9KB	Sir Henry McMahon, British High Commissioner in Cairo	Correspondence between Sharif Hussein of Mecca, Governor of the Hijaz province of Arabia, and Sir Henry McMahon, the British High Commissioner to Egypt	Was Palestine included in the territory designated for Arab control in the Hussein-McMahon correspondence?

Date Issued

Document

Issued By

Description

Related ProCon.org Links

Visit the ProCon.org community on: