Miracle at Camp David

Abstract This chapter discusses the Middle East summit hosted by Carter at Camp David. Since for centuries Egypt and Israel had been at war with each other and none who had tried to end it had been successful, the framework for peace that Jimmy Carter, Menachem Begin, and Anwar Sadat drew up at Camp David seemed like a miracle. Carter’s ability to understand the personalities and to find a common ground in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism was the catalyst that helped it work. They also wanted it to work. During the summit they visited the Civil War Battlefield at Gettysburg, a dramatic reminder of the horrors of war. Carter increased security for Sadat at Camp David, shared a Sabbath celebration with the Begins, and welcomed Israel’s decision to make concessions about lands she had held since 1967. Carter’s personal diplomacy worked, and the three men went to the White House and initialed a plan for peace. The wives, especially Rosalynn and Jehan, played a significant role by encouraging their husbands not to give up.