Abstract
The fraught relationship between the Arab nations, Israel and the Palestinians remains one of the 'powder kegs' of our time continuing to drive a wedge between the Muslim world and the west. Despite innumerable peace plans devised with the aid of third parties and recent bi-lateral talks, hostility and violence continue. In recent years relations have been marked by the intifadah and suicide bombings on the one hand and Israeli assassinations, the seizure of Palestinian property, and the Israeli wall on the other. The proposed US Roadmap has met with little success and the Bush administration's recent forays into the region give little indication of a more reflective US policy. The conflict provides a source of fierce resentment towards Israel, the United States, and the western world in general. It is perceived as a fertile breeding ground for terrorism, the tentacles of which have spread from the region to all corners of the globe. While Israel feels threatened and beleaguered, many in the region identify Israel as an occupying and oppressive power unquestioningly supported by the United States. With the threat of terrorism looming across the globe it is timely to review one partially successful peace negotiation that has taken place between Israel and an Arab nation, one that resulted in the return of a substantial amount of Arab territory from Israeli occupation but failed to deliver any progress to the Palestinians. A detailed analysis of the successes and failures of the Camp David Accords could indicate signposts for the roadmap and other attempts underway to gain a peaceful and just settlement in the region. This paper will examine contemporary accounts of the events leading up to the Camp David accords and the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty as well as the autobiographies of some of the key players that have further illuminated our understanding of the negotiating process. Factors crucial to success or failure will be evaluated for their relevance to the current situation.