CAMP DAVID ACCORDS

Source: Strategic Studies , SPRING & SUMMER 1993, Vol. 15, No. 3/4, SPECIAL ISSUE:
The Middle East Peace Process (SPRING & SUMMER 1993), pp. 103-110
Published by: Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/45182129

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms

is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Strategic Studies

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Documents 103
CAMP DAVID ACCORDS
for the Conclusion of a Peace Between Egypt and Israel, Camp
David, 17 September, 1978.
In order to achieve peace between them, Israel and Egypt agree to
negotiate in good faith with a goal of concluding within three months of the
signing of this framework a peace treaty between them.
It is agreed that:
The site of the negotiations will be under a United Nations flag at a
location or locations to be mutually agreed.
All of the principles of UN Resolution 242 will apply in this resolu-
tion of the dispute between Israel and Egypt.
Unless otherwise mutually agreed, terms of the peace treaty will be
implemented between two and three years after the peace treaty is signed.
The following matters are agreed between the parties:
a) the full exercise of the Egyptian sovereignty up to the inter-
nationally recognized border between Egypt and mandated
Palestine;
b) the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from the Sinai;
c) the use of airfields left by the Israelis near El Arish, Rafah,
Rasen, Nagb, and Sharm el Sheikh for civilian purposes
only, including possible commercial use by all nations;
d) the right of free passage by ships of Israel through the Gulf
of Suez and the Suez Canal on the basis of the
Constantinople Convention of 1888 applying to all nations;
the Strait of Tiran and the Gulf of Aqaba are international
waterways to be open to all nations for unimpeded and non-
suspendable freedom of navigation and overflight;
e) the construction of a highway between the Sinai and Jordan
near Elath with guaranteed free and peaceful passage by
Egypt and Jordan; and
f) the stationing of military forces listed below.

Stationing of Forces

a) No more than one division (mechanized or infantry) of

Egyptian armed forces will be stationed within an area lying
approximately 50 kilometres (km) east of the Gulf of Suez
and the Suez Canal.
b) Only United Nations forces and civil police equipped with
light weapons to perform normal police functions will be sta-
tioned within an area lying west of the international border and
the Gulf of Aqaba, varying in width from 20 km to 40 km.
c) In the area within 3 km east of the international border there
will be Israeli limited military forces not to exceed four

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
104 Strategie Studies
infantry battalions and United Nations observers.
d) Border patrol units, not to exceed three battalions, will sup-
plement the civil police in maintaining order in the area not
included above.
The exact demarcation of the above areas will be as decided during
the peace negotiations.
Early warning stations may exist to insure compliance with the terms
of the agreement.
United Nations forces will be stationed;
i) in part of the area in the Sinai lying within about 20
km to the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent to the
international border, and
ii) in the Sharm el Sheikh area to insure freedom of
passage through the Straits of Tiran; and these
forces will not be removed unless such removal is
approved by the Security Council of the United
Nations with a unanimous vote of the five perma-
nent members.
After a peace treaty is signed, and after the interim withdrawal is
complete, normal relations will be established between Egypt and Israel,
including: full recognition, including diplomatic, economic and cultural rela-
tions; termination of economic boycotts and barriers to the free movement of
goods and people; and mutual protection of citizens by the due process of law.
Interim Withdrawal

Between three months and nine months after the signing of the peace
treaty, all Israeli forces will withdraw east of a line extending from a point
east of El Aris to Ras Muhammad, the exact location of this line to be deter-
mined by mutual agreement.
DSB, Vol. 78, No. 2019, October 1978.

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Documents 105
"A Framework for Peace in the Middle East agreed at Camp
David", 17 September 1978.
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat, President of the Arab Republic of
Egypt, and Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, met with Jimmy
Carter, President of the United States of America, at Camp David from 5
September to 17 September, 1978, and have agreed on the following frame-
work for peace in the Middle East. They invite other parties to the Arab-
Israeli conflict to adhere to it.

Preamble

The search for peace in the Middle East must be guided by the fol-
lowing:
a) The agreed basis for a peaceful settlement of the conflict
between Israel and its neighbours is United Nations Security
Council Resolution 242, in all its parts.
b) After four wars during thirty years, despite intensive human
efforts, the Middle East, which is the cradle of civilization
and the birthplace of three great religions, does not yet enjoy
the blessings of peace. The people of the Middle East yearn
for peace so that the vast human and natural resources of the
region can be turned to the pursuits of peace and so that this
area can become a model for coexistence and cooperation
among nations.
c) The historic initiative of President Sadat in visiting
Jerusalem and the reception accorded to him by the
Parliament, government and people of Israel, and the recip-
rocal visit of Prime Minister Begin to Ismailia, the peace
proposals made by both leaders, as well as the warm recep-
tion of these missions by the peoples of both countries, have
created an unprecedented opportunity for peace which must
not be lost if this generation and future generations are to be
spared the tragedies of war.
d) The provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the
other accepted norms of international law and legitimacy
now provide accepted standards for the conduct of relations
among all states.
e) To achieve a relationship of peace, in the spirit of Article 2
of the United Nations Charter, future negotiations between
Israel and any neighbour prepared to negotiate peace and
security with it, are necessary for the purpose of carrying out
all the provisions and principles of Resolutions 242 and 338.
f) Peace requires respect for the sovereignty, territorial integri-
ty and political independence of every state in the area and

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
106 Strategie Studies
their right to live in peace within secure and recognized
boundaries free from threats or acts of force. Progress
toward that goal can accelerate movement toward a new era
of reconciliation in the Middle East marked by cooperation
in promoting economic development, in maintaining stabili-
ty, and in assuring security.
g) Security is enhanced by a relationship of peace and by coop-
eration between nations which enjoy normal relations. In
addition, under the terms of peace treaties, the parties can,
on the basis of reciprocity, agree to special security arrange-
ments such as demilitarized zones, limited armaments areas,
early warning stations, the presence of international forces,
liaison, agreed measures for monitoring, and other arrange-
ments that they agree are useful.

Framework

Taking these factors into account, the parties are determined to reach
a just, comprehensive, and durable settlement of the Middle East conflict
through the conclusion of peace treaties based on Security Council
Resolutions 242 and 338 in all their parts. Their purpose is to achieve peace
and good neighbourly relations. They recognize that, for peace to endure, it
must involve all those who have been most deeply affected by the conflict.
They therefore agree that this framework as appropriate is intended by them to
constitute a basis for peace not only between Egypt and Israel, but also
between Israel and each of its other neighbours which is prepared to negotiate
peace with Israel on this basis. With that objective in mind, they have agreed
to proceed as follows:

a) West Bank and Gaza

i) Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the representatives of the
Palestinian people should participate in negotiations on the
resolution of the Palestinian problem in all its aspects. To
achieve that objective, negotiations relating to the West
Bank and Gaza should proceed in three stages:
(a) Egypt and Israel agree that, in order to ensure a
peaceful and orderly transfer of authority, and tak-
ing into account the security concern of all the par-
ties, there should be transitional arrangements for
the West Bank and Gaza for a period not exceeding
five years. In order to provide full autonomy to the
inhabitants, under these arrangements the Israeli
military government and its civilian administration
will be withdrawn as soon as a self-governing

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Documents 107
authority has been freely elected by the inhabitants
of these areas to replace the existing military gov-
ernment. To negotiate the details of a transitional
arrangement, the Government of Jordan will be
invited to join the negotiations on the basis of this
framework. These new arrangements should give
due consideration both to the principle of self-gov-
ernment by the inhabitants of these territories and
to the legitimate security concerns of the parties
involved.
(b) Egypt, Israel, and Jordan will agree on the modali-
ties for establishing the elected self-government
authorities in the West Bank and Gaza. The delega-
tions of Egypt and Jordan may include the
Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza or other
Palestinians as mutually agreed. The parties will
negotiate an agreement which will define the pow-
ers and responsibilities of the self-governing
authority to be exercised in the West Bank and
Gaza. A withdrawal of Israeli armed forces will
take place and there will be a redeployment of the
remaining Israeli forces into specified security loca-
tions. The agreement will also include arrange-
ments for assuring internal and external security
and public order. A strong local police force will be
established, which may include Jordanian citizens.
In addition, Israeli and Jordanian forces will partici-
pate in joint patrols and in the manning of control
posts to assure the security of the borders.
(c) When the self-gorverning authority (administrative
council) in the West Bank and Gaza is established
and inaugurated, the transitional period of five
years will begin. As soon as possible, but not later
than the third year after the beginning of the transi-
tional period, negotiations will take place to deter-
mine the final status of the West Bank and Gaza
and its relationship with its neighbours, and to con-
clude a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan by
the end of the transitional period. These negotia-
tions will be conducted among Egypt, Israel,
Jordan, and the elected representatives of the inhab-
itants of the West Bank and Gaza. Two separate but
related committees will be convened, one commit-

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
108 Strategic Studies
tee, consisting of representatives of the four parties
which will negotiate and agree on the final status of
the West Bank and Gaza, and its relationship with
its neighbours, and the second committee, consist-
ing of representatives of Israel and representatives
of Jordan to be joined by the elected representatives
of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza, to
negotiate the peace treaty between Israel and
Jordan, taking into account the agreement reached
on the final status of the West Bank and Gaza. The
negotiations will be based on all the provisions and
principles of UN Security Council resolution 242.
The negotiations will resolve, among other matters,
the location of the boundaries and the nature of the
security arrangements. The solution from the nego-
tiations must also recognize the legitimate rights of
the Palestinian people and their just requirements.
In this way, the Palestinians will participate in the
determination of their own future through:
(i) The negotiations among Egypt, Israel, Jordan
and the representatives of the inhabitants of the
West Bank and Gaza to agree on the final sta-
tus of the West Bank and Gaza and other out-
standing issues by the end of the transitional
period.
(ii) Submitting their agreement to a vote by the
elected representatives of the inhabitants of the
West Bank and Gaza.
(iii) Providing for the elected representatives of the
inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza to
decide how they shall govern themselves con-
sistent with the provisions of their agreement.
(iv) Participating as stated above in the work of the
committee negotiating the peace treaty
between Israel and Jordan.
ii) All necessary measures will be taken and provisions made to
assure the security of Israel and its neighbours during the
transitional period and beyond. To assist providing such
security, a strong local police force will be constituted by the
self-governing authority. It will be composed of inhabitants
of the West Bank and Gaza. The police will maintain contin-
uing liaison on internal security matters with the designated
Israeli, Jordanian, and Egyptian officers.

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTCTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 Documents 109
iii) During the transitional period, representatives of Egypt,
Israel, Jordan, and the self-governing authority will consti-
tute a continuing committee to decide by agreement on the
modalities of admission of persons displaced from the West
Bank and Gaza in 1967, together with necessary measures to
prevent disruption and disorder. Other matters of common
concern may also be dealt with by this committee.
iv) Egypt and Israel will work with each other and with other
interested parties to establish agreed procedures for a
prompt, just and permanent implementation of the resolution
of the refugee problem

b) Egypt-Israel
i) Egypt and Israel undertake not to resort to the threat or the
use of force to settle disputes. Any dispute shall be settled
by peaceful means in accordance with Article 33 of the
Charter of the United Nations.
ii) In order to achieve peace between them, the parties agree to
negotiate in good faith with a goal of concluding within
three months from the signing of this Framework a peace
treaty between them, while inviting the other parties to the
conflict to proceed simultaneously to negotiate and conclude
similar peace treaties with a view to achieving a comprehen-
sive peace in the area. The Framework for the Conclusion of
a Peace Treaty Between Egypt and Israel will govern the
peace negotiations between them. The parties will agree on
the modalities and the timetable for the implementation of
their obligations under the treaty.

c) Associated Principles
i) Egypt and Israel state that the principles and provisions
described below should apply to peace treaties between
Israel and each of its neighbours - Egypt, Jordan, Syria and
Lebanon.
ii) Signatories shall establish among themselves relationships
normal to states at peace with one another. To this end, they
should undertake to abide by all the provisions of the Charter
of the United Nations. Steps to be taken in its respect
include:
(a) full recognition;
(b) abolishing economic boycotts;
(c) guaranteeing that under their jurisdiction the citi-
zens of the other parties shall enjoy the protection

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
110 Strategie Studies
of the due process of law.
iii) Signatories should explore possibilities for economic devel-
opment in the context of final peace treaties, with the objec-
tive of contributing to the atmosphere of peace, cooperation
and friendship which is their common goal.
iv) Claims Commissions may be established for the mutual set-
tlement of all financial claims.
v) The United States shall be invited to participate in the talks
on matters related to the modalities of the implementation of
the agreements and working out the timetable for the carry-
ing out of the obligations of the parties.
vi) The United Nations Security Council shall be requested to
endorse the peace treaties and ensure that their provisions
shall not be violated. The permanent members of the
Security Council shall be requested to underwrite the peace
treaties and ensure respect for their provisions. They shall
also be requested to confirm their policies and actions with
the undertaking contained in this Framework.
DSB, Vol . 78, No. 2019, October 1978

This content downloaded from

192.161.79.216 on Wed, 02 Mar 2022 01:31:48 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms