by Douglas Black

Created on: August 20, 2009   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

Branded often, as being one of President Jimmy Carter's greatest triumphs during the course of his 4-year term in office, the infamous Camp David Accords, will forever be remembered as the "Framework for Peace in the Middle East." Unfortunately, though even the road to peace is not as easily traversed, especially when a majority consider it has been paved with nothing more than good intentions.

Events Leading up to the Camp David Accords:

On January 20, 1977, Jimmy Carter became the thirty-ninth President of the United States of America. During his inaugural speech he resounded his mission to rejuvenate the current ailing peace process in the Middle East, stating: "I would hope that the nations of the world might say that we had built a lasting peace, built not on weapons of war but on international policies which reflect our own most precious values." A few months later on May 17, Menchem Begin had also just won the Knesset (Israel legislature) elections, naming him the sixth Prime Minister of Israel.

Another pinnacle moment that brought about the paradigm shift in the ailing peace process, stemmed from the unprecedented actions of Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat, becoming the first and only Arab leader to officially visit Israel. On November 19, 1977 with the world stage transfixed, Anwar El-Sadat met with newly appointed Prime Minister Menchem, and spoke for the first time before the Knesset in Jerusalem, where he shared his idealism on Peace.

Shortly after, on August 05, 1978 President Carter sent the Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance to the Middle East, delivering personal invitations to both Sadat and Begin to meet with Carter at Camp David...They immediately accepted.

The Meeting at Camp David:

The secret summit began on September 05, 1978, and lasted for 13 days until a settlement was finally reached. The summit itself was held at the infamous Naval Support Installation in rural Maryland, known better as Camp David.

Upon their arrival, President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, set aside all their differences and sat down to discuss a mutual agreement to bring peace to their countries.

After only three days, the tumultuous discussions quickly reached an impasse, which neither leader were willing to negotiate. President Carter, already fearing the worse, compiled a single document that included a detailed resolution of the four major existing issues. Even

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