course material

1. 1. In the mid 1970’ s, what are the key interests for the Syria people?
#1-M4CThird Party IntervenerThe Egyptian and Israeli conflict of the mid 1970’ s posed
that kind of dilemma. There were also peripheral parties that also posed problems for the
negotiators. Syria had grave concerns about the Palestinian issue while Israel had no
particular desire to sit down and negotiate with the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Egypt had concerns about the growing influence of the Soviet Union in the MiIDle East
Region. This tangle of opposing interests posed quite a challenge to the negotiators to
overcome.However, extending the olive peace branch in hand, Anwar Sadat made his
memorable and historic trip to Jerusalem to hold talks with the Israeli Prime Minister,
Menachem Begin. President Sadat said he represented all of the Arab concerns in this
matter and stated that he wanted all the Israeli occupied areas to be returned before normal
peaceful relations could be established with Israel.Begin believed that a separate peace with
Egypt would offer Israel some stability and a possible military advantage. However the
issues were extensive and extremely complicated. It began to appear there was no
resolution possible in bringing some stability to the region. However, despite the ongoing
talks, the United States and in particular, President Carter and his Secretary of State, Cyrus
Vance, saw a possible opportunity to offer their services to act as third party intervener and
mediate a resolution.In the interim, most of Sadat’ s Arab allies had abandoned the peace
talks leaving Israel and Egypt to pursue their own talks. However, animosity began to build
between Sadat and Begin and the whole situation began to look hopeless. President Carter
and Cyrus Vance took the initiative and invited both Sadat and Begin to come to Washington
separately where they met with both parties to discuss their respective issues, concerns and
objectives in the MiIDle East.As negotiations went back and forth, it became apparent they
could not resolve this on an issue by issue basis. The U.S. negotiators, acting as third party
intervener’ s, began the process of presenting a resolution package that is often described
as ‘ single negotiating text’ , a device often used in multiparty negotiations. Each text is
revised and gradually makes both parties more comfortable with each improvement made,
thus allowing the contending parties to slowly find a miIDle ground upon which they both
can agree.Finding neutral ground was crucial to this process, so the meetings between
Begin and Sadat took place at Camp David in the United States. Eventually, both parties
found an effective means to resolve their seemingly insolvable dispute when both Sadat and
Begin signed the Camp David Accord. This historic agreement resulted in that poignant

2. moment when both leaders and President Carter shook hands for the entire world to
see.Please turn in a paper of one to two pages (page counting does not include cover nor
reference list) aIDressing the following questions,1. In the mid 1970’ s, what are the key
interests for the Syria people? What are the key interests for Israelis?2. Why they could not
solve their problem by themselves?3. What make US join and become the mediator? How do
you like this action and do you think it is beneficial to the US?4. What technique did US use
to reach an agreement? Do you own research, is it an effective tool?5. Any aIDitional
comments do you have regarding this case?