The Madrid Conference was a peace conference that took place in the Spanish capital from October 30 to November 1, 1991. It was organized in an attempt to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the larger Arab-Israeli conflict that had been ongoing for decades.
Despite the high hopes associated with it, the conference failed to achieve its intended objectives. In this article, we will explore why.
The Background
The Madrid Conference was initiated by US President George H.W. Bush and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev in response to the Gulf War of 1990-91.
The two leaders believed that the end of the war provided a unique opportunity to bring about peace in the Middle East. The conference was co-sponsored by Russia, the US, and a group of European countries known as “the European Community.”
The Participants
Representatives from Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and other Arab countries attended the Madrid Conference. The Israeli delegation was led by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir while Palestinian delegates were led by Faisal Husseini.
The Objectives
The primary objectives of the Madrid Conference were to:
- Resolve territorial disputes between Israel and its neighbors
- Establish normalized relations between Israel and Arab countries
- Address security concerns of all parties involved
- Create a framework for future negotiations leading to a comprehensive peace agreement
The Failure
Despite these lofty goals, the Madrid Conference ultimately failed due to several reasons:
No Direct Negotiations Between Israelis and Palestinians
One of the biggest obstacles to achieving peace at Madrid was that there were no direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Instead, they negotiated through their respective delegations which made it difficult to establish trust and understanding.
No Clear Agenda
Another reason for the failure of the Madrid Conference was the lack of a clear agenda. While the conference was meant to address multiple issues, there was no clarity on which issues would be prioritized or how they would be dealt with.
No Commitment to Follow-up
The lack of commitment from all parties involved was also a major factor that contributed to the failure of the conference. Many delegates attended Madrid just for show and had no intention of following up on any agreements reached during the conference.
The Aftermath
Despite its failures, the Madrid Conference had some positive outcomes. It marked the first time that Israelis and Palestinians sat down together at an international forum to negotiate peace. It also created a framework for future negotiations, leading eventually to the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and Palestine.
Conclusion
The Madrid Conference was a noble effort towards achieving peace in the Middle East but ultimately failed due to various reasons such as lack of a clear agenda, no direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and no commitment from all parties involved. While it did not yield immediate results, it laid some groundwork for future negotiations that eventually led to some progress towards peace in the region.