33 years of Oslo: from the deferred state to the deferred democracy

A political analysis criticizes the legacy of the Oslo Accords after 33 years, describing how the 'temporary' arrangement became a permanent political system that led to the deferral of statehood, the expansion of settlements, and the erosion of sovereignty. The critique extends to Palestinian democracy itself, which the author says entered a 'waiting room' with the suspension of elections, citing the canceled 2021 elections. The article calls for a fundamental restructuring of the Palestinian political system, not its recycling.

A political analysis marking 33 years since the signing of the Oslo Accords criticizes the transformation of the temporary 'interim period' into a permanent political system. The article describes how Oslo did not end the occupation but redistributed control by dividing the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C, with Area C (60% of the West Bank) remaining under full Israeli control. It notes that the settler population doubled from 250,000 in 1993 to about 700,000 by the end of 2023. The critique extends to the Palestinian political system, arguing that the Authority was established to perform governance functions without sovereignty, in an equation the author calls 'agency legitimacy.' The article addresses the democracy crisis through the suspension of elections, citing the cancellation of the 2021 elections despite the electoral process having begun, and the Legislative Council remaining unrenewed since 2006. It concludes by calling for a fundamental restructuring of the political system, not its recycling, viewing the November 2026 elections as a critical test.