54 | DECEMBER 17 • 2020
Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
The Camp David Accords
T
he historic “
Abraham Accords”
were announced on Aug. 13,
2020. Israel signed “normaliza-
tion agreements” with the United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain. Later, Sudan and
Morocco joined the process. This event
was significant and a source of reports
and essays for media in
the U.S., Israel and around
the world. Two weeks ago,
the JN featured an analysis
of the Accords by Dana
Regev and an essay from
former managing editor
of the Jewish Telegraph
Agency, Howard Lovy.
The overwhelming
majority of observers believe that the
Accords constitute a positive step for-
ward for Israel; however, the magnitude
of the agreements is still unknown. Will
the accords spur other Middle Eastern
nations to normalize relations with
Israel? Will the participants fulfill their
commitments? How does this affect
Israeli-Palestinian relations? Regardless
of the many questions surrounding the
implementation of the agreements, the
Abraham Accords are indeed a historic
moment in time.
The Accords represent the first peace
agreements for Israel with Arab nations
since it signed pacts with Egypt in 1979
and Jordan in 1994. This raised a ques-
tion — how were those two historical
events covered in the JN? So, I dove into
The William Davidson Digital Archive
of Jewish Detroit History for answers.
The blockbuster, pathbreaking agree-
ment was the one between Israel and
Egypt, the largest Arab nation in the
Middle East and the nation that fought
several major wars with Israel beginning
in 1948. This agreement, the “Camp
David Accords,” was reached during
negotiations between Israeli Prime
Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian
President Anwar Sadat, led by President
Jimmy Carter at the presidential retreat,
Camp David, in 1978. The normaliza-
tion pact was formally signed in 1979.
The JN covered the Camp David
Accords from start to finish. The front
pages in September 1978 were dominated
by headlines and photographs related to
the negotiations: “Wishes for Continuing
Talks Dominate Camp David Drama”
(Sept. 1); “Jimmy Carter Hails Begin
Before Camp David Summit” (Sept.
8); “Optimism Echoes at Camp David
Summit”(Sept. 15); and finally, on Sept.
22, the front page had a photo of Carter,
Begin and Sadat signing the agreements,
and page 2 featured an in-depth report
about the statements from each partic-
ipant and an essay from editor Philip
Slomovitz. The JN editorial for that week
was “‘Shalom, ‘Salaam,’ ‘Peace,’ Reality.”
The front page of the JN for Oct. 3, 1979,
was devoted to the formal signing of the
agreement.
It is interesting that, while certainly
important, Israel’s peace agreement with
Jordan did not receive extensive cover-
age. Of course, Jordan is a much smaller,
decidedly less powerful nation, and
Israel had already ongoing relations with
Jordan’s King Hussein. The first mention
of formal negotiations was a small item
on page 35 of the June 24, 1994, issue of
the JN: “Israel, Jordan Eye Agreement.”
Peace negotiations only made one
appearance on the front page of the July
7 issue of the JN. Otherwise, only a few
small items on the agreements can be
found.
Nevertheless, despite occasional
issues, peace between Israel, Egypt and
Jordan has held for many years. Let us
hope that the Abraham Accords do as
well, and that they are just the tip of the
diplomatic iceberg toward normaliza-
tion in the Middle East at-large.
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation
archives, available for free at www.djnfounda-
tion.org.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
pages in September 1978 were dominated
Israel had already ongoing relations with
Jordan’s King Hussein. The first mention
appearance on the front page of the July
. Otherwise, only a few
issues, peace between Israel, Egypt and
well, and that they are just the tip of the
Go to the DJN Foundation