How did the Oslo Accords lead to the creation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) was established as a direct outcome of the Oslo Accords, a series of peace agreements signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) following secret negotiations in 1993.12
The accords created a framework for a five-year interim period of Palestinian self-government in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during which Israeli civilian and military administration would be progressively dissolved in populated areas.12
The practical implementation began in May 1994, when Israel withdrew its forces from the town of Jericho and parts of the Gaza Strip. Following this withdrawal, Yasser Arafat entered Gaza and formally swore in members of the PA in July 1994. By the end of that year, the newly created authority had assumed responsibility for various civilian functions, including education, health, tourism, taxation, and social welfare. This process was intended to lead toward a permanent peace treaty, though the path to autonomy faced significant political and security challenges in the years that followed.3412