Camp David Accords: A Peace Treaty Between Israel and Egypt - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Camp David Accords refers to some agreements that were made in 1978 between Israel and Egypt. The agreements were part of the peace restoration measure that existed in the region. Israel and its Arab neighbors had been in a period of constant conflicts from time to time and this affected the way both parties carried out their internal and international duties. The Camp David Accords led to a signing of a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979 (Campbell 911). This particularly peace treaty was brokered by the then president of the United States, Jimmy Carter. The treaty was titled "Framework for Peace in the Middle East" and it later came to be called the Camp David Accords since the negotiation was conducted at the US presidential retreat at Camp David. This discussion looks at the effects that Camp David Accords had on the conflict between Arabs and Israel as well as its contribution to making peace in the region.

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To further expiate on the Camp David Accords, it is necessary to state that they were a series of agreements meant to restore peace and were signed by the president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat and his Israeli counterpart Menachem Begin (Pierre 183). The landmark agreement was a new wave for the two countries on matters relating to peace. These agreements between Israel and Egypt were key in stabilizing the fractious relations between Egypt and Israel. The major objective of Camp David Accords was to develop a framework for peace in the Middle East region. Besides, the Camp David Accords wanted to formalize Arab recognition of the right of Israel to exist. This was to thought to be a fertile ground for the development of a procedure for the withdrawal of Israeli forces as well as citizens from what was known as "Occupied Territories" of the West Bank (Campbell 911). With this, it was thought that it would pave way for the formation of a Palestinian state there. Having a Palestinian state there would have been a great way for safeguarding the security of Israel.

The establishment of the Camp David Accords follows a long historical tension between Egypt and Israel. In the past, these two countries have been involved in various military and diplomatic conflicts following the establishment of Israel in the year 1948 (Pierre 183). Besides, the two countries have experienced tensions between themselves. The conflict between the two countries was also fuelled by the possession of the Sinai Peninsula by the Israelis which had been under the control of Egypt for a very long time. In recognition of the efforts that were made to bring peace between the two nations, both Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize which they shared in recognizing their achievement. This was a step towards encouraging other leaders who were engaged in conflicts to follow the trend.

The Camp David Accords can be regarded as one of the greatest factors that led to the restoration of peace in both Egypt and Israel. Heading into the talks, there was great acrimony between the two nations. At first, it was not possible to speak to both leaders at the same time and Carter was forced to speak to each of the leaders at a time before meeting both of them together. The two leaders were able to resolve some otherwise controversial matters which had put the two nations apart for a very long time. One of the key achievements that ended the conflicts was the withdrawal of the Israeli forces and civilians from West Bank lands (Campbell 911). Besides, the Palestinian people were recognized and their legitimate rights respected. In connection to this, there began a process to grant the Palestinians full autonomy within the West Bank and Gaza.

Another contentious issue that separated Egypt and the Arabs were the behavior of the Israel troops who had been deployed in Egypt and the usage of the Suez Canal and Straits of Tiran. During the negotiations, it was resolved that Israel withdraws its troops from the Sinai Peninsula as well as restore full diplomatic relations with Egypt. On the part of Egypt, it was compelled to grant permission to the Israeli ships to use and pass through the Suez Canal (Pierre 183). This is a body of water which acts as the link between the Red Sea and Israel. The body had remained contested for a very long time and it affected the relationship between the nations.

Camp David Accords set essential precedents in the way that the Middle East peace is negotiated as well as the way in which peace in the region is negotiated and the various ways in which Arabs and Egyptians interests should be considered in a peace process. Both leaders, Sadat and Begin were able to understand and invoke their shared interests in putting an end to the hostilities (Campbell 911). If the two leaders were selfish and refused to come together, then it would have been almost impossible to have peace in the region and the two countries could have been at war even today. This would have negatively affected their diplomatic relations as well as their economic development s. However, following the Camp David Accords, both countries were able to build mechanisms that restored peace between them and put an end to the constant war that affected both nations constantly.

It is also essential to note the importance of Camp David Accords maintaining peace between countries and also regional peace and stability. Camp David had two letters where one focused on describing regional peace and solution, especially of Palestine while the other one was about the Egyptian-Israeli peace. The success of Camp David Accords offers important lessons on amicable resolutions of conflicts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Camp David Accords was effective in maintaining peace between the Arabs and Egypt. It is to be noted that these two regions had been in a state of conflict for the longest time possible seeming to disagree in almost everything. Camp David Accords was a landmark moment which shaped the politics of the Middle East forever. Egypt and Israel had stayed in a state of conflict for more than 30 years and there were signs that a major war was looming between them. Since the signing of the Camp David Accords agreement, both countries have remained at peace with both of them sharing some facilities that they could not share before. It would be erroneous to aver that after the agreement both countries experienced total peace. There have been some arising conflicts here and there but the two countries have enjoyed peace and coexistence that is mutually beneficial to them.

Works Cited

Campbell, John C. Foreign Affairs, vol. 65, no. 4, 1987, pp. 911-911. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20043168.Pierre, Andrew J. Foreign Affairs, vol. 70, no. 5, 1991, pp. 183-183. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20045016.