What Really Happened at the Camp David Summit

What Really Happened at the Camp David Summit

In July 2000, President Bill Clinton invited Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasser Arafat back to the negotiating table at Camp David to negotiate a final peace plan in accordance with the 1993 Oslo Accords. After 13 days at the summit, no agreement was reached. In December 2000, the parties met again at the White House to negotiate. Again, no agreement was reached.

At the initial summit in July, the Israelis and the Americans suggested ideas for compromise surrounding Jerusalem, land for peace, and the borders of a Palestinian state. Ambassador Dennis Ross reported that Arafat rejected every suggestion while putting forward none of his own.

After the failure of the first summit, Arafat requested another meeting. The Israelis generously offered the Palestinians 97% of the West Bank/Judea and Samaria, a capital in East Jerusalem, full control of the Gaza Strip, and the right of return for Palestinians to the new Palestinian state. Arafat rejected the incredible offer and made no counteroffer of his own; instead he initiated a gruesome four-year wave of terror that would claim thousands of lives.