They Signed Letters — Not History |
Israel Didn’t “Recognize Palestinians.” It Recognized a Negotiating Partner.
A familiar claim keeps resurfacing:
“Israel itself recognized the Palestinian people.”
From that, a further leap is made: that Israel effectively conceded the name “Palestinians,” surrendering it to what I call UNRWA clientele.
The entire argument rests on a single document—the September 9, 1993 letter from Yitzhak Rabin to Yasser Arafat, within the framework of the Oslo Accords.
Let’s look at what it actually says.
Here is the relevant text, as issued by the Prime Minister of Israel:
In response to your letter of September 9, 1993, I wish to confirm to you that, in light of the PLO commitments included in your letter, the Government of Israel has decided to recognize the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and commence negotiations with the PLO within the Middle East peace process.
In response to your letter of September 9, 1993, I wish to confirm to you that, in light of the PLO commitments included in your letter, the Government of Israel has decided to recognize the PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people and commence negotiations with the PLO within the Middle East peace process.
— Yitzhak Rabin, September 9, 1993, Letters of Mutual Recognition (link)
What Was Recognized—and What Was Not
The wording is precise, and it matters.
“We recognize the Palestinian people as a historically defined nation”
“We affirm the identity, origin, or exclusive claim of this........