Words that matter: The impact of language on the success and failure of peace agreements in the cases of Oslo Peace Accords II, national peace accords, and Belfast Good Friday Agreement

Why do some peace agreements fail while others succeed? This paper investigates the reasons for the failure of Oslo II Peace Accord by comparing it with two contemporary agreements: Belfast Good Friday Agreement and National Peace Accords. While all these agreements were signed in the 1990s, under broadly similar external conditions, they yielded different outcomes. The Oslo II Peace Accords signed in 1995, following years of conflict between the PLO and the Israeli government. Similarly, the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (BGFA) signed in April 1998, ending the Troubles, a conflict between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the government of the United Kingdom. Lastly, the National Peace Accords (NPA), signed in September 1991, played a role in dismantling racial segregation under apartheid in South Africa and resolving the conflict between the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African government., This study argues that the language used in peace agreements is critical to the successful implementation process. The more ambiguous the language in the terms of the peace agreement, the more likely there will be misunderstandings or disagreements between conflicting parties, especially when trust has not been established. This paper argues that the clarity and specificity of language within peace agreements are critical to their effectiveness by exploring both the similarities and differences that contributed to the success of the BGFA and NPA compared to the failure of the Oslo II Peace Accords. Through a mixed-methods comparative analysis of the textual content and implementation mechanisms of each agreement, and a one-way ANOVA test, this research highlights how ambiguity in the Oslo II agreement undermined its success, whereas the BGFA and NPA benefited from comprehensive provisions. This paper contributes to the field by using a new methodology in comparing these three cases and highlighting the importance of precise legal drafting of peace agreements.