The Middle East: Ten Years after Camp David

Abstract

Within the Middle East, the Camp David Accords are the subject of great debate. Many in the Arab world, and even some in Israel, regard them with hostility. Others, especially in the United States, see in the Camp David formula the only hope for successful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict and lavish praise on the accords. But the broad impact of the accords on the Middle East and on the prospects for peace has never been fully analyzed by Middle Eastern or American specialists. This new work, published to mark the tenth anniversary of the accords, offers the comprehensive assessment necessary to discuss the next steps in the Middle East peace process. Now more than ever Americans need to understand how the Camp David Accords affected the entire Middle East region--not just Egypt and Israel--to deal with the complexities of future peace efforts. The authors provide an analytical basis for understanding the intricate links among domestic political forces, regional politics, and superpower policies as elements in the Arab-Israel peace process. By examining the past, the authors also show how to clarify choices that may confront Israelis and Arabs as they continue to work toward a settlement of their longstanding dispute.