A suicide bomber entered a hotel during a Passover seder, detonated his bomb and killed twenty Jews. Israel was outraged. Calling this the "Passover Massacre." Palestinian terrorist group Hamas took credit for the attack, saying they did it to prevent any peace deal with Israel. The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack.

A conference of Arab leaders in Lebanon agreed to offer Israel recognition in return for peace with the Palestinians. However, the Israelis consider the offer too vague and are especially against the stipulation that Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to Israel. Such a return would make Jews a minority in Israel.