Another step towards peace took place in 1977, when a new government in Israel took over. This was when Prime Minister Begin was elected, who was committed to working for permanent peace in the region and called upon other Arab leaders to negotiate. Jimmy Carter also came into office in the United States in January of that year, who sought to establish a set of principles that might serve as the basics for negotiations between the two sides. Begin and Carter however, had opposing ideas about the peace process. On October 1, 1977, the United States and the Soviet Union issued a joint statement on the Middle East that brought the Soviets back into the forefront of the peace process, to they dismay of both Israel and Egypt.
It was at this time that I decided to change what was happening and announced, on Novermber 9, 1977, to the Egyptian National Assembly that I was ready to go to Jerusalem to discuss the situation face-to-face with the Israelis. I thought that I would try to recover lands lost by the Arabs in 1967 and obtain recognition of the right of the Palestinians to a homeland. Begin welcomed my offer and invited me to Israel. On November 19, I arrived in Israel and met with the Israeli leaders. No immediate process was made during this trip, but I believe that the visit itself had a fundamental effect on both sides. In my opinion, the process of moving toward peace through direct negotiation had begun.
Since Israel could not be defeated militarily and the cost of continued conflict was becoming unbearable, I felt that the military option was no longer a viable one. Instead, I took what others called a dramatic action, and on November 26, 1977, I invited all parties in the Arab-Israeli conflict, plus the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Nations, to send representatives to Cairo to discuss the issue. My invitation was accepted by Israel, the United States, and the United Nations and rejected by all Arab states and the Soviet Union. The Cairo Conference opened on December 14 and various meeting took place. Negotiations continued over the following month.
Begin, on the other hand, was “a strong man and serious as far as his desire to act.”[1] In response to domestic pressures, he announced a proposal plan for the creation of 31 new settlements in the territories. The actions taken by Begin caused me a great amount of concern, and he was asked to choose peace with the Arabs over territory.
Then, in August of last year, Carter sent handwritten invitations to the leaders of Israel and Egypt to come to the United States to meet with him at Camp David, in Maryland, in early September. I was sure to give and immediate affirmative response, and later found out that Begin did the same. I was sure that the Camp David Summit was the last chance for a peaceful settlement.
There was no time limit set for the duration of the meetings, and we were isolated from the rest of the world (especially the press). After thirteen long days at the Summit, I went to the White House along with Carter and Begin on September 17, 1978, to announce the conclusion of two agreements. We signed a Framework for Peace in the Middle East Agreed at Camp David and a Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty Between Egypt and Israel. Together, the documents provided a basis for continuing negotiations leading to agreements between Israel and the Arab states.
And here today, the Peace Treaty is a product of the 1978 Camp David Accords. I felt nothing but relief, accomplishment, and pride as I signed the treaty at the White House today at the White House. The treaty has made Egypt the first country to formally acknowledge Israel as a nation. Among the conditions of the treaty were the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Sinai, the opening of the Suez Canal to Israel, and the deployment of United Nations troops along the Egypt-Israel border. I cannot hold in my happiness that as of today, the conflict is settled, and I’m sure that all the people of Egypt are relieved that fighting is over.
[1] Yoram Meital, Egypt’s Struggle for peace: continuity and change, 1967-1977 (United States: University Press of Florida, 1977), 165.
Watch Camp David at EncycloMedia.com
