JIMMY CARTER AND THE CAMP DAVID ACCORDS
- Vaishnavi Bhaskar
- Mar 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 16
What are the Camp David Accords and what is their Relevance:
Camp David Accords also known as the “Framework for Peace in the Middle East”, were agreements between Egypt and Israel signed on September 17, 1978. The Accords led to the first formal recognition of Israel as a state and the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979, a first between Israel and any of its Arab neighbours. The Camp David Accords also paved the way for the Oslo Accords in 1994 which further cemented the United States of America as a diplomatic authority. The Camp David Accords marked a watershed moment in the region’s history.
The agreements were negotiated by the late U.S. President James Earl Carter, more popularly known as Jimmy Carter, between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The agreements came to be known as the Camp David Accords as the negotiations took place at the U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. Both Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 for their contributions.
Background of the Camp David Accords Summit:
In 1917, a letter, which later came to be known as the Balfour Declaration, was written by the British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild. Rothschild was a Jewish leader. The letter expressed Britain’s support for the establishment of a “national home” for the Jews in Palestine. It is considered a pivotal moment in history as it led to the eventual creation of Israel. Following the end of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations empowered Britain through the British Mandate of Palestine to administer Palestine in 1922. It was a dual mandate, including obligations to the inhabitants of Palestine and the international society. The 1930s were marked by increasing Jewish Immigration, Arab resistance and reduced British control over the conflict in the region.
In 1947, the UN voted for the partition of Great Britain’s Palestine mandate to establish a Jewish state, an Arab state and an independent Jerusalem under UN trusteeship. After the end of the mandate on May 15, 1948, Israel proclaimed its independence and soon had to counter its aggressing Arab neighbours who had opposed the creation of Israel. Egypt took over the Gaza Strip and Jordan assumed control over the territory between Israel’s eastern border and the Jordan River. In response, Israel fought the historic Six-Day War in June of 1967. Israel took back these areas along with the Golan Heights and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
After Jimmy Carter’s election as U.S. President, he prioritised working towards a vision of peace in the Middle East based on UN Resolution 242 adopted after the Six-Day War. The resolution called for Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories and Arab recognition of Israel.
President Sadat encouraged President Carter to broker peace in the region; he wished that the Sinai peninsula be returned to Egypt (for which he had earlier waged the Yom Kippur War in 1973). President Carter then met with Begin, who had just become Prime Minister and was ready to negotiate with Sadat. On September 5, 1978, both leaders arrived at Camp David and initiated the summit which lasted for 13 days.
Jimmy Carter as a Facilitator:
Carter was met at Camp David by two leaders with very different personalities. Begin was pessimistic and formal in attire. He spoke formally and was careful about the ramifications of the negotiations. On the contrary, Sadat wore modern clothes and was relaxed and forthcoming. He was willing to settle all controversies with Begin in the short duration of their stay. Although both leaders were accompanied by a team of foreign policy advisors, Carter preferred to work privately with Begin and Sadat in a small office in Aspen.
Jimmy Carter has been credited for driving the Camp David negotiations successfully. He reminded Sadat and Begin of the urgency of coming to a conclusion and the consequences of failure, which were two-fold. The geopolitical aftermath would have included the prolongation of hostility between Egypt and Israel and the possibility of another war in the region. The U.S. feared a strategic setback in West Asia as Arab rejectionism of Israel was at an all-time high. The personal repercussions of political failure for all leaders were massive, Jimmy Carter himself would have lost support from the Democrats and would not have been allowed to contest for re-elections in 1980.
He consistently prevented impasses due to heated discussions from occurring. Carter was persistent and by emphasising the costs of walking away, he was able to get both leaders to manage their differences. He prioritised having a personal connection despite the seniority and formal nature of the offices involved. This is evidenced by the fact that he wrote personalised letters to each leader, highlighting the human cost of protracted conflict. He also took Sadat and Begin to visit the Gettysburg National Military Park to illustrate using the American Civil War the struggles faced by the people of both Egypt and Israel.
The American President meticulously worked through complex details of the negotiations and uncovered areas of agreement and compromise. His deep knowledge of the conflict helped him retain a granular focus which proved to be more effective than the typical big-picture strategy. Although Carter was prepared to be passive and allow Sadat and Begin to organically come to terms, he took charge when both threatened to leave after several disagreements. He assumed an active role and prepared a detailed peace framework which became the grounds for further rounds of deliberations.
Reflections and Conclusion
The Camp David Accords remain a significant milestone in the Middle Eastern peace efforts and the U.S. diplomatic history. They represented a high-water mark for the Carter Presidency and aided his efforts when he ran for a second term greatly.
Jimmy Carter’s role as mediator and facilitator was crucial in bringing previously oppositional countries to the negotiation table. His proactivity in relaying proposals, clarifying positions and addressing misunderstandings was critical for the success of the peace efforts. His persistence and personal determination encouraged both leaders to compromise and come to a consensus. The eventual outcome, “Framework for Peace in the Middle East” consisted of three separate parts (1) processes for creating a Palestinian self-government (2) a framework for a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and (3) a similar framework for peace treaties between Israel and other neighbours. The framework for peace as suggested by Carter inspired the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt which was signed in March 1979.
References:
Carter, Jimmy. 2024 (last updated). “Camp David Accords”. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Camp-David-Accords (last accessed: 18 December 2024)
Fisher, Roger and Ury, William. 1981. “Don’t Bargain Over Positions in Getting to Yes”
Monson, Lauren. 2018. “Camp David Accords, 40 years later”. U.S. Embassy in Israel. https://il.usembassy.gov/the-camp-david-accords-40-years-later/ (last accessed: 18 December 2024)
Shonk, Katie. 2004. “In Conflict Resolution, President Carter Turned Flaws into Virtues”. Program on Negotiation - Harvard Law School. https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/conflict-resolution/in-conflict-resolution-president-carter-turned-flaws-into-virtues/ (last accessed: 18 December 2024)
Sher, Gilead. 2018. “Israel, Egypt, The Palestinians and the Legacy of the Camp David Accords, 40 Years Later”. https://warontherocks.com/2018/09/israel-egypt-the-palestinians-and-the-legacy-of-the-camp-david-accords-40-years-later/ (last accessed 18 December 2024)
The Office of the Historian. “Camp David Accords and the Arab Israeli Peace Process”. Department of State, United States of America. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1977-1980/camp-david (last accessed: 18 December 2024)
Quandt, William. 1986. “Camp David and Peacemaking in the Middle East”. Political Science Quarterly Vol. 101. Number 3. Centennial Year 1886-1986.