Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat sign land-for-peace deal

On October 23, 1998, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a ‘land against peace’ memorandum at the White House. The agreement was the result of negotiations held at the Wye River plantation in Maryland, facilitated by United States President Bill Clinton.

The memorandum outlined plans for additional Israeli withdrawals from parts of the West Bank, measures to curb violence, and the resumption of negotiations regarding a final status agreement. During the summit, President Clinton made multiple trips to the site to press both leaders toward a conclusion, even inviting King Hussein of Jordan to assist in easing tensions.

The negotiations nearly collapsed due to a dispute regarding the release of Jonathan Pollard, a U.S. naval intelligence officer serving a life sentence for providing classified information to Israel. While Netanyahu claimed Clinton had promised Pollard's release, Clinton maintained he had only promised to ‘review’ the case. Despite these tensions, the document was signed with Clinton serving as a formal witness in an effort to implement the Oslo Accords.