Office of the Historian

41. Memorandum for the Record1

Camp David, September 9, 1978

At his request, Weizman saw Sadat this morning.2 He asked the following questions:

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1. Can Egypt and Israel reach any kind of agreement just between the two of them (by implication, without the US as a party)? Sadat said no.

2. Will Sadat agree to an Israeli military presence in the West Bank/Gaza after five years? Sadat said no.

3. Will Sadat agree that the Yamit/Rafah area could be joined to Gaza district? Sadat said no.

4. Will Sadat agree to open borders and diplomatic relations? Sadat said he would recognize Israel, but that the other matters pertained to sovereignty and he would not agree to them.

5. Weizman asked if Israel could keep the Etzion airfield near Eilat if they gave up Eitan in the north? Sadat said no, but he would help them build a new airport in Israel and they could keep Etzion for the two years until withdrawal was completed.

Al-Baz told this to Quandt on September 9, 1978, at 2:45 p.m. He asked that it be conveyed to the President. Weizman will see Sadat again this afternoon.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 8, Camp David [Summary]: 9/6–9/78. Secret. Carter wrote that Begin had asked him at the end of their meeting on September 8 (see footnote 21, Document 28), “if it was possible for Weizman to meet with Sadat regarding the four items concerning the Sinai. I told him that all five items, including the settlements, should be discussed between them, that I was on my way to Sadat’s cabin and would arrange for the meeting he had suggested.” (Carter, Keeping Faith, p. 367) Quoting from his personal notes made at the time of the summit, Brzezinski wrote of the meeting in his memoirs: “In the meantime just had word that Weizman went to see Sadat to discuss the outstanding issues between the Egyptians and Israelis and also he proposed to them that they cut a deal leaving us out of it. Apparently, Sadat refused all of these requests.” (Brzezinski, Power and Principle, p. 259)↩
  2. For Weizman’s account of this meeting, see Weizman, Battle for Peace, pp. 359–362.↩