onflicts of the past. There are four sets of these talks: Israel-Jordan, Israel-Palestinians, Israel-Syria, and Israel-Lebanon. The multilateral track is concerned with building the Middle East of the future, and focuses on issues that concern the entire Middle East, such as water, environment, arms control, refugees, and economic development. Since this conference, Israel has signed a peace treaty with Jordan when King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin met in Washington in 1994. Diplomatic ties have also been established with Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia. (Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs)Lasting peace with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, headed by Yasir Arafat, has continuously evaded Israel. However, progress has been made, and the two have reached several interim agreements since 1993 when Arafat sent a letter to Prime Minister Rabin. In this letter, Arafat expresses that he recognized the right of Israel to exist in peace, accepts UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, commits itself to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, renounces the use of terrorism and other violent means, and assumes responsibility over all PLO elements. Israel responded to this by recognizing the PLO as the representative of the Palestinians in the peace process. The UN Security Council Resolution 242, accepted in 1967, was a document that demanded the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories that were occupied in the Six-Day war. Resolution 338, passed in 1973, demanded a cease-fire—ending military activity, the implementation of Resolution 242, and the commencement of negotiations with the goal of peace. In September 1993, the two nations signed a declaration of principles between one another. It granted immediate Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza and Jericho regions, and the election of a Palestinian Council. Also included were measures to provide for extensive economic cooperation. In September 1995, t...
