Camp David
Peacemaking and Politics
Abstract
In September 1978, William Quandt, a member of the White House National Security Council staff, spent thirteen momentous days at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, where three world leaders were holding secret negotiations. When U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin emerged on September 17, they announced a monumental accomplishment: the first peace agreement between Israel and one of its Arab neighbors.
Praised by some for laying the foundations for peace between Egypt and Israel, the accords have also been criticized for failing to achieve a comprehensive settlement, including a resolution of the Palestinian question. But supporters and critics alike recognize the importance of what happened at Camp David, and both groups acknowledge the vital role played by the United States in reaching an agreement.
There are few eyewitness accounts of the Camp David negotiations. Of the three leaders present, only Jimmy Carter wrote specifically of the talks in Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President (1982). Neither Sadat nor Begin ever wrote about Camp David.
Quandt's book is not only an eyewitness account but a scholar's reconstruction of the event, with insights into the people, politics, and policies. His Camp David has provided a comprehensive and lasting guide to the difficult negotiations surrounding the talks, including the fraught scenario leading up to the meetings at the presidential retreat and the accord that would lead to Sadat and Begin jointly receiving the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize.
Praise for Camp David: Peacemaking and Politics "The most authoritative account of a major historic event, written with scrupulous scholarship by a key behind-the-scenes participant." Zbigniew Brzezinski, Adviser to the President for National Security Affairs, 197781
"An excellent piece of work... will represent a major contribution to the acade
- i–xxiv Preface i–xxiv
- 1–6 Introduction 1–6
- 139–171 Changing Course 139–171
- 244–266 Success 244–266
- 267–300 Interpretations 267–300
- 301–330 The Treaty 301–330
- 331–352 Conclusion 331–352
- 353–354 Appendix A 353–354
- 355–356 Appendix B 355–356
- 357–368 Appendix C 357–368
- 369–374 Appendix D 369–374
- 375–382 Appendix E 375–382
- 383–389 Appendix F 383–389
- 390–404 Appendix G 390–404
- 405–414 Appendix H 405–414
- 415–426 Appendix I 415–426
- 427–432 Chronology 427–432
- 433–462 Notes 433–462
- 463–466 Bibliography 463–466
- 467–1 Index 467–1