The impact of the 1978 Camp David Agreement on US-Saudi relations Documentary study

Abstract

The research aims to shed light on the impact of the Camp David agreement in 1978 between Egypt and Israel on the relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Although Washington and Riyadh enjoyed good and close relations at many times, especially during the Cold War. However, this did not mean that their relations were not negatively affected due to some of their positions in support or opposition to international issues. Hence, many international events, especially those related to the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict, had their repercussions on the course and nature of those relations. This was not done in isolation from the size and weight of the two internationals at the regional and international levels. Hence, Riyadh’s position on the Camp David accord was very influential at the Arab level on the one hand, and on its relations with Washington on the other hand. This is what made Saudi Arabia's position on the agreement characterized by duality and contradictions, as the latter’s announcement of its rejection of the agreement was not linked to its pursuit of an escalation policy with the United States of America, which is responsible for concluding the agreement, which was carried out under its supervision and under its auspices. However, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia could not resist the pressures and deviate from the Arab vision, which saw in the agreement a prejudice to the rights of the Palestinian people and normalization with a state usurping Arab lands, which negatively affected relations between Washington and Riyadh. However, the rift in relations between the two countries did not last for long in light of the changes in the Middle East region, especially the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979, the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan at the end of that year, as well as the outbreak of the war between Iraq and Iran in 1980, which led to the correction of the course Relations between the two sides, especially in the military and security fields.