Exchange of Letters


                             CAMP DAVID ACCORDS



                             September 17, 1978



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Annex to the Framework Agreements



United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.



Exchanges of Letters



All letters from Mr. Carter are dated September 22, 1978, all the other

letters are dated Sept. 17, 1978.



The President

Camp David

Thurmont, Maryland



September 17, 1978



Dear Mr. President:



I have the honor to inform you that during two weeks after my return home I

will submit a motion before Israel's Parliament (the Knesset) to decide on

the following question:



If during the negotiations to conclude a peace treaty between Israel and

Egypt all outstanding issues are agreed upon, "are you in favor of the

removal of the Israeli settlers from the northern and southern Sinai areas

or are you in favor of keeping the aforementioned settlers in those areas?"



The vote, Mr. President, on this issue will be completely free from the

usual Parliamentary Party discipline to the effect that although the

coalition is being now supported by 70 members out of 120, every member of

the Knesset, as I believe, both of the Government and the Opposition

benches will be enabled to vote in accordance with his own conscience.



Sincerely yours,

Menachem Begin



His Excellency

Anwar Al-Sadat

President of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Cairo



September 22, 1978



Dear Mr. President:



I transmit herewith a copy of a letter to me from Prime Minister Begin

setting forth how he proposes to present the issue of the Sinai settlements

to the Knesset for the latter's decision.



In this connection, I understand from your letter that Knesset approval to

withdraw all Israeli settlers from Sinai according to a timetable within

the period specified for the implementation of the peace treaty is a

prerequisite to any negotiations on a peace treaty between Egypt and

Israel.



Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter



Enclosure: Letter from Prime Minister Begin



His Excellency

Jimmy Carter

President of the United States



September 17, 1978



Dear Mr. President:



In connection with the "Framework for a Settlement in Sinai" to be signed

tonight, I would like to reaffirm the position of the Arab Republic of

Egypt with respect to the settlements:



  1. All Israeli settlers must be withdrawn from Sinai according to a

     timetable within the period specified for the implementation of the

     peace treaty.



  2. Agreement by the Israeli Government and its constitutional

     institutions to this basic principle is therefore a prerequisite to

     starting peace negotiations for concluding a peace treaty.



  3. If Israel fails to meet this commitment, the "framework" shall be void

     and invalid.



Sincerely,

Mohamed Anwar El Sadat



His Excellency

Menachem Begin

Prime Minister of Israel



Dear Mr. Prime Minister:



I have received your letter of September 17, 1978, describing how you

intend to place the question of the future of Israeli settlements in Sinai

before the Knesset for its decision.



Enclosed is a copy of President Sadat's letter to me on this subject.



Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter



Enclosure: Letter from President Sadat



His Excellency

Jimmy Carter

President of the United States



September 17, 1978



Dear Mr. President:



I am writing you to reaffirm the position of the Arab Republic of Egypt

with respect to Jerusalem.



  1. Arab Jerusalem is an integral part of the West Bank. Legal and

     historical Arab rights in the city must be respected and restored.



  2. Arab Jerusalem should be under Arab sovereignty.



  3. The Palestinian inhabitants of Arab Jerusalem are entitled to exercise

     their legitimate national rights, being part of the Palestinian People

     in the West Bank.



  4. Relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolutions 242

     and 267, must be applied with regard to Jerusalem. All the measures

     taken by Israel to alter the status of the City are null and void and

     should be rescinded.



  5. All peoples must have free access to the City and enjoy the free

     exercises of worship and the right to visit and transit to the holy

     places without distinction or discrimination.



  6. The holy places of each faith may be placed under the administration

     and control of their representatives.



  7. Essential functions in the City should be undivided and a joint

     municipal council composed of an equal number of Arab and Israeli

     members can supervise the carrying out of these functions. In this

     way, the city shall be undivided.



Sincerely,

Mohamed Anwar El Sadat



The President

Camp David

Thurmont, Maryland



17 September 1978



Dear Mr. President:



I have the honor to inform you, Mr. President, that on 28 June 1967 -

Israel's parliament (The Knesset) promulgated and adopted a law to the

effect: "the Government is empowered by a decree to apply the law, the

jurisdiction and administration of the State to any part of Eretz Israel

(Land of Israel - Palestine), as stated in that decree."



On the basis of this law, the government of Israel decreed in July 1967

that Jerusalem is one city indivisible, the capital of the State of Israel.



Sincerely,

Menachem Begin



His Excellency

Anwar al-Sadat

President of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Cairo



Dear Mr. President:



I have received your letter of September 17, 1978, setting forth the

Egyptian position on Jerusalem. I am transmitting a copy of that letter to

Prime Minister Begin for his information.



The position of the United States on Jerusalem remains as stated by

Ambassador Goldberg in the United Nations General Assembly on July 14,

1967, and subsequently by Ambassador Yost in the United Nations Security

Council on July 1, 1969.



Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter



His Excellency

Jimmy Carter

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, D.C.



September 17, 1978



Dear Mr. President:



In connection with the "Framework for Peace in the Middle East," I am

writing you this letter to inform you of the position of the Arab Republic

of Egypt, with respect to the implementation of the comprehensive

settlement.



To ensure the implementation of the provisions related to the West Bank and

Gaza and in order to safeguard the legitimate rights of the Palestinian

people, Egypt will be prepared to assume the Arab role emanating from these

provisions, following consultations with Jordan and the representatives of

the Palestinian people.



Sincerely,

Mohamed Anwar El Sadat



His Excellency

Menachem Begin

Prime Minister of Israel



Dear Mr. Prime Minister:



I hereby acknowledge that you have informed me as follows:



  A. In each paragraph of the Agreed Framework Document the expressions

     "Palestinians" or "Palestinian People" are being and will be construed

     and understood by you as "Palestinian Arabs."



  B. In each paragraph in which the expression "West Bank" appears it is

     being, and will be, understood by the Government of Israel as Judea

     and Samaria.



Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter