Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President

After Camp David

AFTER CAMP DAVID The most emotional time of all was after the agreement was reached. I read in the news that Israeli teachers who were out on strike, having heard about the Camp David agreement, voted unanimously to go back to work. DIARY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1978 In spite of the general euphoria in many places, there were still some immediate problems. I realized, of course, how important it was to involve the other Arab leaders as soon as possible, particularly King Hussein and the Saudi rulers. While at Camp David, President Sadat had told me that Hussein was willing to help us implement the agreement, and that he and Hussein had made arrangements to meet in Morocco when Sadat was on the way home to Egypt. Now, I learned that the King had interrupted his vacation in Majorca, canceling the visit with Sadat, and was returning to Amman. When I reached him by telephone, I discovered that he was under pressure from some of the other Arabs to reject any role in the forthcoming negotiations to implement the terms of our agreement. I explained the advantages to him and to the Palestinians of the accords we had signed, and he promised, somewhat reluctantly, not to make any public comment or decision until we had informed him thoroughly about the documents. I then asked Secretary Vance to go to Jordan and Saudi Arabia as soon as possible to brief the leaders there. When I contacted Crown Prince Fahd, he told me that he would welcome the visit, and suggested that Vance stop in Syria to give President Assad the same information. Surprisingly, Assad also seemed eager for the briefing. 413 I spent most of Monday afternoon working on my address to Congress about the Camp David negotiations. Begin was out making speeches, but I had Fritz go over to ask Sadat if he had any suggestions for statements or phrases that might help us with the Palestinians or other Arabs. Sadat’s only advice was, “Just do not aggravate the Israelis, some of whom are quite excitable and unpredictable people.” That same afternoon, we heard reports that Prime Minister Begin was making negative statements to Jewish audiences concerning the arrangements for Jerusalem, withdrawal from the West Bank, new settlements in the occupied territories, Palestinian refugees, and future relationships with Israel’s other neighbors. When we were together at the Capitol for my report to Congress, I discussed with Sadat and Begin what a serious problem this was. Begin’s statements were certain to alienate the moderate Arabs and the Palestinian leaders, and to impede any further progress on the Palestinian and West Bank issues. It seemed that suspicions at Camp David were proving well founded. Begin wanted to keep two things: the peace with Egypt—and the West Bank. When my report to Congress was delivered, President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin were in the balcony of the House Chamber. It was a warm and enthusiastic session, even emotional at times. I had had to prepare the speech hurriedly, and in the car on the way to the Capitol, I had decided to add a Bible verse from the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for—?” I could not remember whether “they shall be called the children of God” or “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Luckily, I guessed right, and made them God’s children. That quote got most of the headlines. • • • Had a meeting of key Jewish leaders, along with Fritz and others.We reminisced about the extreme strain between them and me and the rest of the Jews in the United States. I pointed out in a nice way that the controversies that I had put on the table that caused the strain had been the source of ultimate success, and hoped that they would not only work to repair the political damage, but to restrain Begin, who is acting in a completely irresponsible way. DIARY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1978 This meeting was delightful, full of fun and good cheer, and we welcomed it because it was so rare. All of us were happy about the Camp 414 NO MORE WAR David accords. But the respite was to be quite brief, because Begin continued to disavow the basic principles of the accords relating to Israel’s withdrawal of its armed forces and military government from the West Bank, negotiations on an equal basis with the...