Since 1973, the conflict has been punctuated by dramatic attempts at peace — one durable success, one hopeful framework that unravelled, and one summit whose failure reignited violence. Comparing them reveals what makes peace hold or collapse.
Camp David Accords (1978)
Brokered by US President Carter, the accords between Egypt's Sadat and Israel's Begin led to the Egypt–Israel peace treaty (1979) — Israel returned the Sinai; Egypt recognised Israel. It endured, but it addressed only the state-to-state dimension, leaving the Palestinian question unresolved. Sadat was later assassinated by opponents of the peace.
The Oslo Accords (1993)
For the first time, Israel and the PLO recognised each other. Rabin and Arafat agreed to a framework of Palestinian self-government and a staged path toward a final settlement. Hopes were high — but Oslo deferred the hardest questions (Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements), and Rabin's assassination in 1995 by an Israeli extremist gravely weakened the process.
Camp David Summit (2000) and the UN
The 2000 summit aimed to finalise a settlement on the Oslo framework. Israel offered significant concessions; the terms were rejected; the summit failed. Its collapse contributed to the outbreak of the Second Intifada, hardening positions on both sides. Throughout, the United Nations provided resolutions (242, 338) and humanitarian aid (UNRWA) but lacked the power to enforce peace and was often seen as biased by one side or the other.
Let's build the comparative table students will use for Tasks 6 and 7.
| Attempt | Scope | Outcome | Why it held / failed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp David Accords (1978) | Egypt–Israel (state-to-state) | Durable treaty | Clear, limited terms; superpower backing |
| Oslo Accords (1993) | Israel–PLO | Mutual recognition; later stalled | Deferred hard issues; Rabin assassinated |
| Camp David Summit (2000) | Final-status deal | Failure; Second Intifada | Terms rejected; mistrust; no fallback |
Discuss the proposition from the sample task: "Attempts to settle conflicts between Arabs and Israelis have always ended in failure." Marshal evidence for and against.
Q1. What did the Camp David Accords of 1978 achieve, and what did they leave unresolved?
Q2. Explain why the Oslo Accords raised hopes for peace but ultimately stalled.
Q3. "Attempts to settle conflicts between Arabs and Israelis have always ended in failure." With reference to at least two attempts, evaluate this proposition. (Practice for Tasks 6 and 7.)