Camp David Accords

Setting the scene

The Camp David Accords were signed on September 17, 1978, by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, with President Jimmy Carter mediating at Camp David, Maryland. The accords followed 13 days of secret negotiations after Egypt and Israel had fought four wars in 30 years. Sadat had made a historic visit to Jerusalem in 1977, breaking Arab taboos.

What happened

The accords consisted of two frameworks: one for Egypt-Israel peace, and one for broader Middle East peace. Egypt became the first Arab state to recognize Israel, and Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula, which it had occupied since 1967, and dismantle settlements. The accords established diplomatic relations and demilitarized zones. The broader framework for Palestinian autonomy was never implemented.

Why it still matters

The Camp David Accords led to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty signed March 26, 1979. Sadat and Begin shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. The accords removed Egypt, the largest Arab military, from the Arab-Israeli conflict, making future wars less likely. But they isolated Egypt in the Arab world—Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by Islamists opposed to peace. The accords demonstrated that sustained presidential mediation could achieve breakthroughs but also showed the difficulty of comprehensive Middle East peace without addressing the Palestinian issue.

Background

Sadat and Begin shared a Nobel Prize.