ABSTRACT
I came back from my brief holiday in Sidi Abdel Rahman feeling revitalized and more energetic, and at once got down to the task of preparing for the Camp David Summit, together with my working group, composed of Ussama El Baz, Ahmed Maher El Sayid, Nabil El Araby, Abdel Raouf Al Ridi and a host of Foreign Ministry advisers and specialists. A series of protracted meetings and discussions followed, at which every possibility was explored, and at which every anticipated move and assumption was set down in the form of memos and research papers. The group worked with dedication, interspersed with lighter moments, and the team spirit prevailed at all times. We were fully aware of the importance of the Camp David meetings and the significance of what might come out of them, while realizing that, even if the results were inconclusive, no harm would be done to our cause, although we felt it highly improbable – failing a miracle – that the proceedings would culminate in a final, comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli dispute. There were, in fact, two possibilitites, both good: either President Carter would succeed in overcoming Israel’s stubborn resolve to hold on to the occupied Arab territories, thus achieving some progress with respect to the implementation of Resolution 242 and induce other Arab parties to join in the negotiations at a later stage – or the Conference would fail to achieve any progress in that direction. In the latter case, we would have lost nothing, provided it was made evident to the United States and the world at large that responsibility for the failure of the Summit lay solely with Israel, which was unlawfully occupying territory it had won by force of arms and which, by refusing to give it up, was rejecting our offer of a comprehensive peace. This in itself would constitute a gain for us and a point of departure for future moves, for Israel found itself baulked by the peace initiative, which was every day attracting new adherents. And, when all was said and done, the future lay before us!
