by Andrew Flake
Remembering President Jimmy Carter on this national day of mourning, my thoughts turn to the historical achievement of the 1978 Camp David Accords. For nearly two weeks at Maryland’s Camp David, President Carter, Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat, and Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin, along with their respective teams, worked together toward a signed framework that became the basis for a wholly unexpected peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Their time at Camp David offers a number of enduring lessons beyond the diplomatic, ones we can apply in our work resolving civil conflict at the organizational and individual level. Here are a few of the approaches undertaken by President Carter and his team that, as a mediator, I’d highlight:
- Lay the Groundwork. Well before the leaders of Egypt and Israel arrived by helicopter in the Maryland mountains, President Carter had immersed himself in profiles of the two leaders. He knew their personal histories as well as that of the conflict. With the help of his advisors, he had considered in advance the elements of a potential deal, as unlikely as they may have seemed.
- Bring Cultural Sensitivity and Context: All three leaders came from different faith traditions and were of course from very different national and political contexts. The briefing that President Carter received and reviewed, and his own openness to understanding those differences, permitted him to see opportunities for agreement that might not have been obvious.
- Build Personal Relationships: A substantial part of their time at Camp David was in direct discussion between the leaders, often with President Carter stepping in only when facilitation was needed. That was in contrast to what had been the more common “shuttle diplomacy” approach exemplified by Henry Kissinger. While most of us mediating have neither a beautiful mountain compound for the mediation nor a continuous 12 days to negotiate, the lesson remains: the better the personal connection, the more solvable the issue. In mediation, while the private caucus is essential, there are still ample opportunities to build rapport.
- Look Past Formal Positions. Had any of the world leaders at Camp David in that fall of 1978 simply focused on the positions of the parties, it is unlikely we would have had an agreement. Both Sadat and Begin had been at the fore of armed and political conflict, and had taken with each other — even in the early going at Camp David — strident positions on issues like control of Sinai. As it turns out, when with President Carter’s help they came to understand the root concerns — territorial sovereignty in the Sinai for Egypt, and security for Israel — a lasting compromise was possible.
- Be Persistent. The summit went much longer than anyone had expected at the outset. Even the most optimistic members of the Egyptian and Israeli teams thought the two might agree on initial principles, and then after their summit, leave it to their teams to continue to negotiate and finalize the details. But President Carter saw the opportunity. He intended to obtain, and did obtain, a deal, confirmed by the signatures of all three participants. In the same way, I’ve seen time and again that staying with the process, even if it requires taking another day or following up an in-person mediation with additional calls or meeting, results in success. That requires commitment from the mediator and from the parties.
Just how consequential the work at Camp David has been, can be measured by the depth of the conflict preceding it, and its endurance through nearly fifty years. And as mediators and as advocates, we can take heart in the lessons of Camp David. With the right process in place, with patience, with understanding, and with hard work, no dispute is too intractable.
President Carter, the country will miss you. –ABF
The fuller story of how the Camp David Accords came together is involved and fascinating; if you are interested, I can recommend Lawrence Wright’s 13 Days in September.