Palestinian Suleiman Ibrahim, 17,in the Al Amari refugee camp south of the Palestinian city of Ramallah.Heidi Levine For The Globe and Mail
Today, the talk is of Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian bid for membership in the United Nations. But, 18 years ago this month, the talk was all about the Oslo Accord – the agreement in principle between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, negotiated in Oslo and signed on the White House lawn in Washington.
At that time Palestinians were divided as to whether a deal intended to usher in a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel was such a good thing. Followers of PLO leader Yasser Arafat were ecstatic – the "old man" would be allowed to return to Palestinian territories and a Palestinian government would be formed.
Members of Hamas were grimly defiant. It was a mistake, they argued. But, not to worry, they said, in time the deal will collapse and people will see things differently.
A majority of Israelis, trusting then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, allowed themselves to imagine what peace might look like as Arab states hinted at their willingness to accept Israel. There could be weekends in Beirut or Damascus, visits to Jordan's archaeological site, Petra. Most of all, their children might not have to do their military service in the occupied territories; maybe they wouldn't have to serve at all.
The Palestinian and Israeli children who were born or were infants during the Oslo time of hope, are now young adults, approaching military service, looking ahead to careers and families of their own. What do those children foresee?
The high Oslo expectations of two friendly states living side by side and all the economic benefits of regional co-operation have been replaced with a harsh reality: The Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement that seemed so close in 1993 appears more elusive than ever. It was hoped that the two nations of Oslo's children would have much in common. What they appear to share today, however, is pessimism; a suspicion that the dream of two states may never come to pass. Here are comments from some of the Oslo children we interviewed.