Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty

On 26 March 1979 an Egypt-Israeli Peace Treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. US President Jimmy Carter, who had mediated in the negotiations, witnessed the signing in Washington D.C. Israel promised to withdraw its forces from the Sinai (which they occupied in the 1967 Six Day war), Egypt would open the Suez Canal to Israeli ships and establish diplomatic relations with Israel. The parties fulfilled these provisions. The US promised Egypt support and has paid about $1.5 billion annually in military aid and subsidies.



Anwar el-Sadat, Jimmy Carter and Menachem Begin at the White House on 26 March 1979.

Background

Getting back Sinai was what Sadat had planned for years and now achieved. Carter was open for talks, and after becoming US President in 1977 he met with Begin, Sadat and other Middle East leaders. In November 1977 Sadat went to the Israeli Parliament Knesset and gave a historical speech. Sadat and Begin were invited by Carter to negotiate at the Presidential retreat Camp David in Maryland. They accepted and stayed for 13 days in September 1978. On the last day they made a framework agreement that resulted in the peace treaty. Begin and Sadat together were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1978.

Results

But the agreement was unpopular in both Egypt and the Arab world, and came with a heavy cost. Sadat’s popularity fell dramatically, also because of deep economic problems and he ordered repressive measures jailing over 500 people. Egypt was thrown out of the Arab League and Sadat was assassinated at a military parade on 6 October 1981 by Muslim extremists in the army. A Peace prize didn’t stop Begin from invading Lebanon in 1982 to drive out the Palestinians, and try to force Lebanon to make a peace treaty with Israel. They succeeded in that, but the Israeli army oversaw the Lebanese Phalangists massacre hundreds of Palestinian refugees in Sabra and Shatila. Criticism was massive, and Begin resigned the year after. In 1989 Egypt was readmitted to the Arab League and its headquarters moved back to the bank of the Nile.

Recent developments

Still the agreements have been kept even though the Sinai and Gaza strip has been through war and violence the last years. After the Arab Spring Sinai was in turmoil and Egypt wanted to strengthen the security and military force there. The treaty came with some limitations to how many troops Egypt could have in Sinai, and after President Morsi said he wanted to amend the agreements after he came to power in August 2012. But Egyptian Defence Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak later that Cairo was committed to keep the agreement.
 Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat at Camp David in 1978.

Sources and more information
http://www.mfa.gov.eg/Lists/Treaties%20DB/Attachments/645/Peace%20Treaty_en.pdf
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/foreignpolicy/peace/guide/pages/israel-egypt%20peace%20treaty.aspx
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/91061/Camp-David-Accords/284489/A-framework-for-peace
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/515786/Anwar-el-Sadat
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/58583/Menachem-Begin
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE78E5NT20110915
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/egypt-s-muslim-brotherhood-fate-of-israel-peace-treaty-may-be-decided-in-referendum-1.404889
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/elbaradei-u-s-egypt-in-secret-talks-on-fate-of-israel-peace-treaty-1.403913?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.216%2C2.217%2C
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/9504601/Mohammed-Morsi-vows-to-respect-Egypt-Israel-peace-treaty.html
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-new-triangle-of-egypt-israel-and-hamas
http://www.timesofisrael.com/barak-and-egyptian-counterpart-reportedly-come-to-terms-over-sinai-offensive/

I am open to your comments and proposals.

Warmly
Bjarte Bjørsvik