Yitzhak Rabin

{{Audio|He-Yitzhak_Rabin.ogg|Yitzhak Rabin}} (or Yitschak Rabin) (???? ???? in Hebrew), (March 1, 1922 – November 4, 1995) was an Israeli politician and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel from 1974 until 1977 and again from 1992 until his assassination in 1995 by Yigal Amir. He was the first Israeli-born Prime Minister of Israel, the only Prime Minister to be assassinated and the second to die in office. (First was Levi Eshkol).

Second term as prime minister

In 1992 he was once again successfully elected Prime Minister. He played a leading role in the signing of the Oslo Accords, which created the Palestinian Authority and granted it partial control over parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Prior to the signing of the accords, Rabin received a letter from PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat renouncing violence and officially recognizing Israel, and on the same day Rabin sent Arafat a letter officially recognizing the PLO on September 9, 1993. (See: Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization letters of recognition.) During this term of office, Rabin also oversaw the signing of the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace (1994).

Related Topics:
1992 - Oslo Accords - Palestinian Authority - Gaza Strip - West Bank - Yasser Arafat - September 9 - 1993 - Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization letters of recognition - Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace

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For his role in the creation of the Oslo Accords, Rabin was awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, along with Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres. The Accords greatly polarized his image in Israeli society, some seeing him as a hero for advancing the cause of peace and some seeing him as a traitor for giving away land they saw as rightfully belonging to Israel. Also, Rabin's government was kept in office with the (somewhat concealed) assistance of Arab-Israeli parties in the Knesset.

Related Topics:
1994 - Nobel Peace Prize - Yasser Arafat - Shimon Peres - Knesset

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