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March 26

Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty Signed in Washington, D.C. (1979)


On March 26, 1979, Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and US President Jimmy Carter signed the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in Washington, D.C. The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty marked a turning point in Arab-Israel relations as Egypt became the very first Arab country to officially recognize the sovereignty of Israel.

President Jimmy Carter reinitiated the Middle East peace process during his administration. In 1978, Carter brought together Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David for nearly two weeks of secret negotiations. After the lengthy negotiations, Sadat and Begin signed the Camp David Accords in an effort to improve Egyptian-Israeli relations. Shortly thereafter, Sadat, Begin, and Carter signed the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty on March 26, 1979.

The Israel-Egypt Treaty contains nine articles and a number of annexes which set forth a number of provisions, including: (i) that both countries recognize and respect the sovereignty of each other; (ii) that both countries stop all hostile activities between each other; (iii) the establishment of a permanent international border between the two countries; (iv) that Israel withdraw its military forces from Egypt to the pre-1967 border and the Sinai Peninsula; and (v) that Egypt grant Israeli ships free passage through the Suez Canal.

The United States agreed to aid both Israel and Egypt with billions of dollars in annual subsidies to assist countries’ governments. And Egypt and Israel have generally stood by their commitments in the Treaty.

Sadat and Begin were recognized by the international community for their valiant efforts to bring peace to the Middle East, and both men shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for their achievements. However, Sadat’s actions were very unpopular in Egypt and other Arab countries, which eventually led to his assassination in 1981.