Camp David Accords: Jimmy Carter's Role In Historic Israel-Egypt Peace Deal

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100. Mr Carter, a Democrat and former Georgia peanut farmer, served as president from 1977 to 1981. His most notable achievement was brokering the historic Camp David Accords in 1978, which led to a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

What are the Camp David Accords?

The Camp David Accords, brokered by former President Jimmy Carter, was a historic agreement between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Signed on September 17, 1978, after nearly two weeks of secret negotiations at the US president's retreat, the accords helped ease the strained relations between Israel and Egypt.

From the beginning of his administration, Mr Carter, alongside Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, led thorough efforts to mediate between Arab and Israeli leaders. Their goal was to revive the Geneva Conference, established in December 1973, as a platform to resolve the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict.

The Egyptian President and the Israeli Prime Minister later received the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts, while Jimmy Carter was honoured for his ongoing pursuit of peaceful solutions.

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Camp David Accords: Objective

The Camp David Accords aimed to establish a lasting framework for peace in the Middle East. Key objectives included formalising Arab recognition of Israel's right to exist, outlining the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank to pave the way for Palestinian statehood, and safeguarding Israel's security.

Egypt and Israel had been embroiled in conflicts since Israel's establishment in 1948, with tensions escalating after the Six-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. During the 1967 conflict, Israel seized the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt.

UN Resolution 242

The Camp David Accords were the result of months of diplomacy initiated by President Carter in January 1977. His long-standing issue had dominated international diplomacy since the UN adopted Resolution 242 in 1967, which condemned territorial expansion through war, specifically the Six-Day War, and called for lasting peace in the Middle East.

Despite Mr Carter's efforts, Israel and Egypt initially resisted negotiations. In November 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat broke the deadlock by addressing Israel's parliament, signalling a willingness to engage. Informal peace talks soon began, ultimately leading to the Camp David Accords - the first formal agreement between Israel and an Arab nation.

Agreements Reached

Framework for peace in the Middle East

• Proposed Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza.
• Called for full implementation of UN Resolution 242, including Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories.
• Acknowledged Palestinian rights and outlined steps to grant autonomy within five years.

Framework for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty

• Paved the way for the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, with Israel withdrawing from the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt establishing diplomatic ties.
• Allowed Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran.
• Secured US financial aid commitments of $1.3 billion annually for Egypt and $3 billion for Israel, along with added support and investments.