South Bend, September 12, 1978
The Summit Meeting at Camp David
President Carter had invited President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David in order to restart the stalled peace negotiations between Egypt and Israel. Now everyone is keenly looking forward to whether an agreement can be reached.
[The original military Camp David was converted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt into a second official residence where the American President with his family and guests can withdraw to a secluded area. Camp David is located 70 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. From the White House, it can be reached by helicopter in short time.]
September 17, 1978
Camp David Accords
In a special report, NBC broadcast this evening the historic ceremony from the East Room of the White House, in which President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Menachem Begin together with President Carter signed a preliminary peace agreement for the Middle East. In moving words, all three expressed their satisfaction about the successful conference. The peace treaties between Egypt and Israel should be concluded in three months hence. Prime Minister Begin called the accords of Camp David a kind of Congress of Vienna for the Middle East; for there is hope that they will become the carrying pillar for a comprehensive peace in the region.
The essential items of the accords are: 1) The Sinai Peninsula is returned to Egypt; 2) the borders of Israel with Egypt are guarantied; 3) in an interim phase of five years, autonomy status should be given to the Palestinians on the West Bank.
President Jimmy Carter has shown great courage with this conference. He brought all the power of the American presidency to bear. A failure would have damaged his political career, while its success now gives him the enhanced image of a statesman and the prestige of the peacemaker.
September 24, 1978
The news of the Camp David accords had hardly broken when reservations came to the fore. The other Arab countries rejected Egypt’s unilateral action. Furthermore, the problem of the Palestinians seemed in no way having been solved. Nonetheless, Anwar Sadat was given an enthusiastic hero’s welcome on his return to Cairo. Here in America, the success of the Camp David summit meeting is seen as the best moment of the Carter Presidency so far.
South Bend, September 29, 1978
In Disbelief
In disbelief and dismay the world received the news this morning that John Paul I, only 33 days after he had been elected Pope, died of a heart attack during the night.
September 30, 1978
A Minute of Silence
In the Notre Dame Football Stadium, full of the resounding voices of 60,000 fans, a minute of silence was observed in memory of John Paul I. The stadium was so quiet that one could have heard a needle drop. While the national anthem was sung, which is intoned before every football game, the American flag was raised to half-staff.