Timeline: the four-decade Middle East peace process

Despite US might, decades of talks between the Palestinians and Israel always fell short of a final deal

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat shakes hands with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, as US president Bill Clinton stands between them, after the signing of the Israeli-PLO peace accord, at the White House September 13, 1993. Reuters

United States' special envoy Dennis Ross looks on as Saeb Erekat, left, the chief Palestinian negotiator, and Dan Shomron, the chief Israeli negotiator, initial the documents that bring to a conclusion the long-delayed and overdue Israeli troop redeployment in the West Bank city of Hebron. Reuters

Palestinian president Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both gesture for the other to leave a meeting December 24 1996 in the Israeli Civil Administration headquarters located along the Israeli - Gaza Strip border area. The two leaders met for for over three hours in a bid to clinch the agreement on the long-delayed Israeli troop redeployment in Hebron. Although no agreement was reached US envoy Dennis Ross said that "real progress" was made towards the long-elusive accord. Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with a smiling Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat at a meeting at the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip Wednesday Jan 15, 1997. Israel and the PLO concluded a long-elusive agreement on extending Palestinian rule to Hebron in the West Bank. Reuters

Mahmoud Abbas, left, and Ariel Sharon turn to the cameras and smile as they shake hands at the start of their meeting in Sharon's office November 18. The two met to review the work of all the Israeli-Palestinian peace committees and to set a date for the resumption of final status talks. Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Yasser Arafat during their meeting at Erez crossing point, northern Gaza Strip, December 24, 1996. Arafat and Netanyahu met here in search of an agreement to end the Israeli occupation of Hebron and revive the peace process. In the background at left is US mediator Dennis Ross. Reuters

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat holds the second phase of the Oslo peace accords after the initialling of the document, September 24, 1995, as Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres looks on. Israel and the PLO will officially sign the agreement in Washington later this week. Reuters

US President Barack Obama arrives with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to make a statement on Middle East Peace talks in the East Room of the White House, September 1, 2010. Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak jokingly pushes Palestinian president Yasser Arafat into the Laurel cabin on the grounds of Camp David as US President Bill Clinton watches during peace talks, July 11, 2000. Arafat and Barak were insisting that the other proceed through the door first. Camp David is the venue where Egypt and Israel made peace in September 1978, and the Laurel cabin was the site of many of the meetings. Reuters

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, centre, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left and Israel's prime minister Ehud Olmert after a joint news briefing at the Elysee Palace July 13, 2008. Reuters

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after US special envoy Dennis Ross, centre, spoke, early January 15, 1997 after the two leaders met and agreed on the term for an Israeli troop redeployment in Hebron. The talks lasted less than two hours and concluded months of negotiations. Reuters

US President Barack Obama watches Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands during a trilateral meeting in New York September 22, 2009. Reuters

US President George W. Bush discusses the Middle East peace process with prime minister Ariel Sharon of Israel, left, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in Aqaba, Jordan, June 4, 2003. Reuters

Palestinian and Israeli top negotiators Abu Ala, left, and Uri Savir shake hands after signing the second phase of the Oslo peace accords September 24 1995. PLO chairman Yasser Arafat is in the middle speaking to team member Sait Barecat, (L), after eight days of talks. Reuters

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, right, greets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in Jerusalem September 16, 2008. Reuters

US National Security Advisor John Bolton answers a question from a reporter about how he refers to Palestine during a news conference in the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2018. Reuters

The US has supervised all major talks to resolve the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel. Here are the important moments in a process characterised by moderate successes tinged with numerous failures.

1978: Camp David

The Palestinian Liberation Organisation opted out of talks between Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israel’s prime minister, Menachem Begin, which led to the Egypt-Israel peace treaty a year later.

The two leaders toyed with creating a transitional Palestinian government in the West Bank and Gaza, but the lack of Palestinian participation left the plan dead in the water.

1991: Madrid summit

Brought about by the First Gulf War and the first Palestinian uprising, the summit did not result in any deal between the Palestinians and Israel. But it signalled renewed US resolve to end the conflict, which militants and other anti-US factions used to promote themselves as guardians of the Palestinian cause.

1993-1995: Oslo Accords

A result of secret talks between Israel and the PLO, they called for a five-year transitional period, Israeli troop withdrawals and negotiations on a permanent settlement. The first accord was signed in Washington, with the second signed in Egypt.

2000: The second Camp David summit

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak met at Camp David for talks hosted by US president Bill Clinton but failed to reach a deal, contributing to the second Palestinian uprising.

2007: Annapolis conference

Palestine and Israel came close to a deal at the US naval academy but internal political turmoil in Israel helped bury the talks.

2013-2014: Washington talks

US president Barack Obama pressed the two sides to resume talks but then decided it was not worth spending more political capital to pursue a deal unacceptable to Israel.

2019: Trump economic plan

The Palestinian leadership and its militant rivals reject US plans for $50 billion (Dh183.63bn) of investment to strengthen the Palestinian economy as part of Washington’s peace deal.