Wye accord

The peace process suffered many setbacks in the first few years of Netanyahu's administration, a breakthrough was needed to keep the peace process alive.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat met at Aspen Institute's Wye River Conference Center on 15 October 1998 for intense peace negotiations. On 23 October 1998, the peace deal was signed, following a marathon 21 hour bargaining session and the mediation of US President Bill Clinton and King Hussein of Jordan. The land-for-security deal was hailed as a major breakthrough.

As one of the conditions set by the Wye Plantation agreement, on 14 December 1998 members of the Palestine National Council voted to remove clauses from the Palestine Liberation Organization's charter that call for the destruction of Israel.

In December 1998, the Netanyahu government failed to obtain a confidence vote by the Israeli Knesset. The Knesset voted to dissolve and hold early elections in May 1999, this was mainly in protest over the current government's handling of the peace process with the Palestinian authorities.

Israeli general elections were held on Monday 17 May 1999. Israelis elected a new Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, to lead them in the peace process with the Palestinians and neighboring states.