Camp David Accords

Accords agreed to by Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin on March 26, 1979, in Washington, DC, with U.S. president Jimmy Carter signing as a witness. The Camp David Accords addressed the control of the region of Palestine and outlined a framework for future negotiations between Israel and Egypt. Conflict between Jews and Arabs over this region has caused a series of wars since 1948.

In the agreement, Israel agreed to return Sinai to Egypt, and Israel transferred that power in 1982. In a joint letter, Egypt and Israel also agreed to negotiate Palestine's autonomy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Progress on this issue, however, did not occur until the 1990s.

The accords were named for the location of the conference at which the agreement was formulated, the presidential retreat of Camp David, located outside Washington, DC. President Carter invited the Egyptian president and Israeli prime minister, along with their top advisers, to Camp David from September 5–17, 1978. The conference attendees were isolated within Camp David, and little information leaked out during deliberations. On September 17, however, news emerged that an agreement had been reached on two frameworks for future negotiations between Egypt and Israel regarding Palestine. The first framework consisted of the principles of an Egyptian–Israeli agreement regarding Sinai and peace between the two countries, which was to be completed within three months of the signing of the Camp David Accords. The second framework consisted of a format for negotiations regarding the establishment of an autonomous regime in the West Bank and Gaza.

Each party entered the negotiations with ultimate hopes and priorities. Prime Minister Begin wanted to avoid addressing any resolution of the Palestinian question with Sadat. President Sadat sought to avoid any subsequent charges that he had abandoned the Palestinian people by accepting a separate peace with Israel. President Carter served as a go-between to the two leaders; Begin and Sadat were kept apart and Carter shuttled between them as the negotiations unfolded. The Egyptian and Israeli delegations also sought proposals from the Americans.

Sadat and Begin received the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts. On October 6, 1981, Sadat was assassinated by Egyptian fundamentalists. In 1982, Begin invaded Lebanon to destroy military bases run by the Palestine Liberation Organization; he resigned from office in 1987.