President Reagan's peace initiative and the position of the Palestine Liberation Organization on it (1September, 1982- 10 April, 1983)

Abstract

The study aimed to highlight the importance of the American peace initiative launched by President Reagan in September 1982. and the impact of the initiative on the renewal of the Middle East peace process. The initiative was a step to limit the Arab-Israeli conflict and develop a comprehensive solution to it. Although the initiative was a diplomatic extension of the Camp David Accords, it carried new principles and proposals. Most notably, the restoration of autonomy for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The initiative addressed the issue of Palestinian refugees and the displacement of the Palestinian people. EIPR mentioned the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their just requirements. In return, President Reagan called on the Palestinian people to recognize Israel's right to a secure future, and the United States would not support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, nor would it support annexation or permanent control of Israel. The beginning of Arab-Israeli negotiations was mediated by the United States, but this time with the Jordanian delegation, which included the Palestinians. In the face of these new American positions, since September 1, 1982 (the date of the announcement of the initiative), Palestinian opinions have differed on them; some supported some of the initiative's proposals, describing them as "positive proposals", and others rejected them (altogether). Differences began between Palestinian formations and factions within the PLO. On the basis of these Palestinian positions, the organization held a series of important meetings in various Arab countries to address the division that affected the cohesion of national unity. The PLO did not take a common position on President Reagan's initiative, starting with the Tunis meeting on November 9, 1982, the Damascus meeting, then the Aden meeting in Yemen on December 3, and the Algiers meeting on February 22, 1983. Ultimately, the American initiative was officially rejected by the PLO at the Kuwait meeting (April 5-8). Two days later, on April 10, 1983, Jordan announced its disengagement from participation in President Reagan's peace initiative, which had become a 'dead body that had succumbed to death'.