In the News

Today, Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced a House resolution marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace between Israel and Egypt and affirming the United States’ support for the treaty’s continued implementation. Signed on March 26, 1979 by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, the Treaty of Peace was the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab country.

“In crafting the Camp David Accords, which led directly to the historic signing of the Egypt-Israel Treaty of Peace, President Jimmy Carter demonstrated the power and possibility of U.S. diplomatic leadership,” said Connolly. “The agreement still stands strong today, and should serve as a reminder that longstanding peace between Israel and her neighbors is both necessary and possible.”

“The 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt remains an anchor of stability and security in the Middle East today,” said Wilson. “This historic peace treaty laid the groundwork for the eventual peace between Israel and Jordan in 1994 and continues to serve as a model of the Middle East’s untapped potential. I am grateful to work with Congressman Gerry Connolly on this important resolution, and I pray that peace can be achieved in the Middle East in our lifetime.”

The resolution states that the House of Representatives:

1. Recognizes the importance of the Treaty of Peace between Israel and Egypt on its 40th anniversary;

2. Reaffirms the critical role of Multinational Force and Observers for upholding peace and stability between Egypt and Israel, and in the Middle East broadly;

3. Encourages the United States to continue its important military, civilian, and financial commitments to Multinational Force and Observers;

4. Reaffirms the importance of establishing peace between Israel and its neighbors.

Full text of the resolution can be found here.