"The Middle East from distant times till now is a cautionary story of the failure of war to impose a lasting and just peace. The struggle for peace at Camp David is a testament to the enduring force of religion in modern life, as seen in the ability to mold history and in the difficulty of shedding the mythologies that continue to lure societies into conflict." Carter was a very religious Baptist who believed God wanted him to make peace in the Middle East. Begin was an extreme right-winger, considered a terrorist by many and focused on the destruction of Arabs. Sadat was considered a visionary, bold yet capable of being flexible. Indeed, he had taken the first step on the road to peace when he visited Israel in 1977. Carter invited Begin and Sadat to meet in September, 1978. Absolutely no one thought there was one chance in a million anything would come of the conference. And the opening discussions appeared to be fruitless. Neither side would give an inch. Carter had hoped to be an intermediary, and realized he had to place a proposal on the table and facilitate an accomodation. A week into the summit, Carter and Sadat had reached the outlines of an agreement, but Begin fought every issue tooth and nail. Carter was convinced Begin was unbalanced and had never intended to agree to anything. Israel had occupied the Sinai since 1967, fortified it and allowed a modest number of civilian settlements. Returning the Sinai without removing the settlements was pointless for Sadat, and unimaginable for Begin. Begin eventually, literally at the 11th hour, relented. He also accepted Carter's nebulous side letter on the West Bank and Jerusalem. There would be peace between Israel and Egypt and a framework for discussions with the Palestinians. The three men signed the documents in the East Room of the White House. Six months later, they met again and signed the formal peace treaty. Egypt recognized Israel's right to exist and the two countries have been at peace for over four decades. Many in the Arab world were unhappy with Sadat. He was assassinated four years later. Begin ignored the framework on the West Bank and Jerusalem and aggressively allowed more and more settlers in. Today, there are half-a-million Jews in what most of the world considers the occupied territories. It is of course why the conference failed one of its two objectives, and the reason for ongoing and endless violence in the area. Begin resigned in 1982 after his invasion of Lebanon dragged on in stalemate. The Carter presidency is oft-derided and mostly forgotten, but he soared at Camp David. This book is an excellent primer on the problems of the region. The Bible stories of the Israelites and Egyptians are retold, as is the history of the Zionist movement, the British occupation and Israeli independence. Begin's story recounts his time in Poland, Siberia and as the mastermind of Irgun's terrorist activities. Sadat's history focuses on the degradations of the British occupation and the USSR's heavy-handed friendship. The wars fought, particularly the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War, are related. In essence, this is a history of the Middle East's conflicts viewed through the prism of the Camp David summit. This book is worth the effort. The author is one of our finest writers and it weighs in under 300 pages. Once again, thanks to my brother.
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