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The two leaders, who seemed unlikely to form a connection, exchanged a friendly handshake in the presence of President Jimmy Carter at Camp David, Maryland. The sun shone through the trees as Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin solidified a significant agreement that has maintained peace between their countries for over four decades. This agreement has been a crucial factor in providing stability in an unstable region.
The agreement has successfully maintained peace during two uprisings by Palestinian forces and several conflicts between Israel and Hamas. However, current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise to deploy Israeli soldiers to Rafah, a Gaza city near the Egyptian border, has caused the Egyptian government to consider revoking the agreement.
Take a glance at the past events surrounding the treaty and consider the potential consequences if it is invalidated.
What initiated the treaty?
In 1977, Israel’s newly elected prime minister, Begin, was against giving up any of the land that Israel had gained during the 1967 Mideast conflict, which included Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
In the past, Egypt and Israel engaged in four significant wars, with the most recent one occurring in 1973. Therefore, it was surprising to the global community when Egyptian leader Sadat deviated from other Arab leaders and chose to establish relations with the Israelis.
The discussions ended with the Camp David Agreements in September 1978 and a peace deal the next year.
In accordance with the peace agreement, Israel made the decision to pull out of the Sinai region while Egypt would maintain a demilitarized presence. Additionally, Israeli vessels were given permission to pass through the Suez Canal, an important trade passage. This marked the establishment of full diplomatic ties between the two nations, making it Israel’s initial peace deal with an Arab nation.
Paige Alexander, the chief executive of the Carter Center, stated that the Camp David Accords were spearheaded by three courageous individuals who took a courageous stand because they understood the long-term impact on peace and security. She believes that similar leadership is needed in today’s world, which is currently lacking.
The document – President Jimmy Carter of the United States, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, and President Menachem Begin of Israel
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What is the current location of Egypt?
According to two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat, Egypt is considering suspending the peace treaty in the event of an Israeli invasion of Rafah.
According to Netanyahu, Rafah is currently the only stronghold left for Hamas after a conflict lasting over four months. He believes that deploying ground troops is necessary in order to defeat the group.
Egypt is against any action that could result in Palestinian refugees seeking shelter on their land. The Rafah border crossing is crucial for the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged area, and an Israeli assault could hinder the delivery of essential resources.
The number of residents in Rafah has increased significantly from 280,000 individuals to approximately 1.4 million as Palestinians seek refuge from conflict in other parts of Gaza. Many of these displaced individuals are currently residing in large tent settlements.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed the armed forces to develop a strategy for relocating all Palestinian civilians prior to the attack. However, it is uncertain where they will be relocated to.
On Sunday, Netanyahu stated that there was potential for people to go back to open areas further north. However, these locations have suffered severe destruction from the Israeli attack.
A girl takes a photo of a rainbow in the sky after it rained, in Cairo, Egypt
What consequences would arise if the peace treaty between Egypt is nullified?
The agreement substantially restricts the troop count on either side of the border, although the nations have previously consented to adjusting those terms in light of particular security concerns. This has enabled Israel to concentrate its armed forces on different sources of danger.
In addition to the conflict in Gaza, Israel is frequently involved in clashes with the Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon, and is also heavily present in the occupied West Bank with its security forces.
Should Egypt cancel the agreement, it may result in Israel losing the stability of its southern border. Strengthening troops along the border with Egypt would present a difficult task for the already thinly spread Israeli military.
However, this would have significant consequences for Egypt. The country has received large amounts of military aid from the U.S. since the peace agreement was established.
If the contract is cancelled, it could put the funding at risk. A significant increase in military spending would further strain Egypt’s already struggling economy.
According to Alexander, taking any action that could involve Egypt in the conflict would have disastrous consequences for the entire area.
The source is from the Independent, a British news publication.
