A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

35 Years Since the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty

It was 35 years ago today, March 26, 1979, that Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menahem Begin of Israel signed the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty with US President Jimmy Carter looking on, after a year and a half of negotiations following Sadat's visit to Jerusalem in 1977 and the first Camp David Summit the following year. It was the first formal Arab peace with Israel and led to Egypt's exclusion from the Arab League for a decade.Despite skepticism among many, it has endured through multiple changes of leadership in both countries, including Muhammad Morsi's tenure in Egypt. Relations have not always been smooth, but the treaty has endured for three and a half decades.

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