ABSTRACT
Transition from Conflict: The Importance of Pre-Negotiations in the Oslo Peace Process
Ilan G. Gewurz
This case study of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking efforts in Oslo concentrates on the role and inherent importance of the pre-negotiation process (especially in the early stages of the secret channel between January and March 1993) in determining the way that negotiations evolved. It argues that this first period enabled the parties to learn more about one another, evaluate the other party's needs, interests and intentions and helped bring the process to a point where it could enter into mainstream foreign policy. The essay concludes by drawing lessons from the experience in Oslo regarding the nature of pre-negotiations in general.
