Palestinian Diplomacy in The Palestinian Israeli Negotiations and its Impact on Achieving The Palestinian State

In 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) adopted negotiations as a strategic option that aimed to put an end to the Israeli occupation and achieve an independent Palestinian state that enjoys supremacy. Consequently, negotiations commenced between the Palestinian and Israeli parties that lasted more than 18 years. Unfortunately, the negotiation process has not achieved the required objective through the diplomacy practiced by the Palestinian party that considered negotiations as its fundamental axel. Hence, the main problem arises. Has this diplomacy been complementary to the Palestinian struggle process? Have its instruments and strategies been disciplined by the Palestinian national reference? Has it succeeded in achieving its objectives? If it has failed, is this failure attributed to the adopted mechanisms or the nature of the conflict? Is it still able to achieve its expected objectives? In order to reach decisive answers and understand the facts, the researcher of this study used several methodologies including the conflict-solving, analytical, historical, comparative and contrastive methodologies. The researcher started from the hypothesis that presumed that "the Palestinian diplomacy with its present characteristics and bases is unable to end the occupation and achieve the independent Palestinian state within the minimum level of Palestinian ambitions through the negotiations that have been going on since 1991". the study discussed the theoretical frame in which the researcher demonstrated the diplomacy concept and its various applications, in addition to the negotiation theory and the universal negotiation culture, strategies and methodologies, based on the conflict theories to analyze and understand the conflict, demonstrating its nature and types, depending on universal scenarios for its cases, assisted by cases that represent cases similar to the Arab-Israeli conflict. also the researcher attempted to analyze the Palestinian -Israeli negotiations, by using the Zatman-Erman analytical pattern in which they discussed the environment and main determiners that determined making the decision to start negotiations; then reaching the joint formulation concluded by the two parties represented by the Oslo Agreement in 1993. Following this, the dimensions of three vital issues were discussed: the refugees, settlements, and economy. And the study discussed the Palestinian negotiation strategy including its nature, instruments, objectives, hurdles, and strategic foundations. This is done in order to uncover setbacks, if any, and their potential causes and effects for the both the opponent and the middlemen. Has the Palestinian case departed from or approached the universal case? Why? This is done in order to reveal capability of the Palestinian diplomacy adopted in the negotiations to put an end to the occupation and achieve the independent Palestinian state. This study reached several findings and provided some recommendations, including: The Palestinian- Israeli conflict is characterized with an existential nature that cannot be solved categorically, but it can be administered to maximize gains and minimize losses. Furthermore, it is characterized with sustainable renewed structure that changes constantly because it is governed by interests, demographic, political and cultural fluctuations, in an addition to regional and international changes that are controlled by global forces. Recommendations: It is essential to make use of the regional changes on the Arab level and suspend the negotiations within a new Palestinian strategy that leads to cause a crisis that holds Israel responsible and makes the USA and the international community intervene effectively.