Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty
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The 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty (Arabic: معاهدة السلام المصرية الإسرائيلية, Mu`āhadat as-Salām al-Masrīyah al-'Isrā'īlīyah; Hebrew: הסכם השלום בין ישראל למצרים, Heskem HaShalom Bein Yisrael LeMitzrayim) was signed in Washington, DC on the 26th of March 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords. The main features of the treaty were the mutual recognition of each country by the other, the cessation of the state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the complete withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians from the rest of the Sinai Peninsula which Israel had captured during the Six-Day War in 1967. The agreement also provided for the free passage of Israeli ships through the Suez Canal and recognition of the Strait of Tiran, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Taba—Rafah straits as international waterways.
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Compliance
On 18 May 1981, the President of the UN Security Council indicated that the United Nations would be unable to provide an observation force, due to the threat of a veto of the motion by the Soviet Union. As a result of the United Nations Security Council impasse, Egypt, Israel and the United States opened negotiations to set up a peacekeeping organization outside the framework of the UN. On 3 August 1981, the Protocol to the Treaty of Peace was signed, establishing the Multinational Force and Observers.1 This observation force monitors the Parties to the treaty compliance to the terms of the treaty.
Importance
- The peace treaty was based on Anwar Sadat recognizing Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.citation needed
- The agreement notably made Egypt the first Arab country to officially recognize Israel.
- The peace treaty was signed sixteen months after Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's visit to Israel in 1977 after intense negotiation.
- In return for making peace with Israel, the US began economic and military to aid to Egypt, and political backing for its subsequent governments
Consequences
This treaty was welcomed with controversy. The Arab nations, and especially the Palestinians, condemned it and considered it as a stab in the back. PLO Leader Yasser Arafat said "Let them sign what they like. False peace will not last."2 On the other hand, the treaty led both Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to share the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for bringing peace between the two nations. However, Anwar Sadat became unpopular in the Arab circle as well as within his own country. Egypt was suspended from the Arab League as a result of the treaty for 1979-19893. His unpopularity grew, leading to his assassination on 6 October 1981 by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad.4
Friction
The current peace is at best an uneasy peace. The Arab-Israeli conflict has kept relations cool. The Egyptian army, supplied by the U.S with modern weaponry as part of the peace deal, is also know to conduct yearly military exercises in the Sinai against their 'Enemy', Israel.5
See also
Arab-Israeli peace diplomacy and treaties
- Paris Peace Conference, 1919
- Faisal-Weizmann Agreement (1919)
- 1949 Armistice Agreements
- Camp David Accords (1978)
- Madrid Conference of 1991
- Oslo Accords (1993)
- Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace (1994)
- Camp David 2000 Summit
- Peace process in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Projects working for peace among Israelis and Arabs
- List of Middle East peace proposals
- International law and the Arab–Israeli conflict
References
- ^ 10 Tactical Air Group: Canadian Contingent Multinational Force and Observers Handbook (unclassified), page A-1. DND, Ottawa, 1986.
- ^ 1979: Israel and Egypt shake hands on peace deal BBC News
- ^ BBC Timeline: Arab League
- ^ http://news.egypt.com/en/sadat-as-a-president-of-egypt.html
- ^ http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/38391
External links
- Text of the Treaty, at the site of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Text of the Treaty, at the site of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Crisis hurts Israeli-Egypt ties Sally Buzbee, Associated Press January 23, 2008