There is little dispute over Palestinian statehood. The real dispute concerns the level of Israeli control over this state, and the resolution of the crucial issues of land, refugees and Jerusalem. Arafat has been publicly reluctant to attend the summit because he does not want to enter history as the first Arab leader to legitimize Israeli military conquest. During the interim phase of the Oslo process, differences between the two sides have consistently been resolved by Israeli diktat followed by Palestinian complaints. All disputes over central issues such as Israeli military withdrawal, construction of settlements and bypass roads, cantonization of Palestinian land, imposition of closure and travel restrictions and refusal to release all political prisoners have been settled in this fashion.
Israeli dominance is an inevitable result of the structural logic of the Oslo process.
Indeed, seven years after the famous handshake on the White House lawn, Oslo's balance sheet is decidedly skewed in favor of Israel. While Palestinians today retain few bargaining chips beyond the threat of sporadic violence, Israel continues to occupy Palestinian land and deny Palestinian self-determination. Despite Israel's advantages, the Camp David summit is unlikely to secure a total Palestinian surrender. Arafat's room for maneuver on the domestic front has been limited by recent events, notably Hezbollah's success in driving Israeli forces out of South Lebanon. Despite Arafat's effort to muzzle media coverage, Hezbollah's victory galvanized the Palestinian street and placed an unflattering spotlight on the meager territorial returns of the Oslo process.