Amr Moussa, Ayman Nour, Nabil Al Arabi: Camp David Accords Expired

In recent weeks, several potential Egyptian presidential candidates and prominent officials expressed the opinion that the Camp David Accords, which paved the way for a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, have expired.

Leading presidential contender Amr Moussa has issued several statements to this effect. According to Memri

The Camp David Accords signed between Egypt and Israel have expired and no longer govern the situation, Arab League secretary-general and potential Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Moussa has said.
Moussa, who participated in the negotiations with Israel in 1978, made the statements during a discussion with Egyptian youth.
He added, “What governs the relationship between the two countries is the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 and the Egyptian-Israeli treaty.” (Source: Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, April 21, 2011)

Formerly jailed opposition candidate Ayman Nour holds a similar view

For all intents and purposes, Camp David is over, because it is an old treaty and its terms must be improved in a way that will correspond with Egypt’s interests,” said Nour, who is considered one of the more liberal opposition figures and has no ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. “The Egyptian rights must be improved, because these rights – as they appear in the Camp David accord – are very modest…”

Nabil Al-Arabi, presumptive foreign minister of Egypt explained:

We signed the peace treaty [with Israel], and we must abide by it. This is not open to discussion. We abide by it, but it must be properly implemented by both parties. We must implement it properly, and Israel must do the same.

I cannot say that Israel has violated the treaty. I really can’t say that. But there are things… Take, for example, the Camp David Accord, the Camp David Accord was also signed, and it was incorporated into the treaty. The peace treaty starts off by reaffirming the Camp David Accord. In the Camp David Accord, as well as in the preamble to the peace treaty, it is established that Israel should establish peace with all the countries that are prepared to establish peace with it. The Camp David Accord states that Security Council Resolution 242 will be implemented upon the countries prepared to establish peace with Israel.

Today, the Palestinians agree to establish peace with Israel, but Israel is not responsive. Furthermore, Israel is building settlements on lands from which it must withdraw, according to Resolution 242.
This is something that I want to reexamine. This is just an example, but I cannot say that Israel has violated any article of the peace treaty.

Another Presidential candidate, Mohamed El-Baradei, provided a potential scenario relevant to Egyptian rejection of the Camp David accords:

Former International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who had previously announced his inte[n]tions to run for the presidency of Egypt, said Monday that “if Israel attacked Gaza we would declare war against the Zionist regime.”
In an interview with the Al-Watan newspaper he said: “In case of any future Israeli attack on Gaza – as the next president of Egypt – I will open the Rafah border crossing and will consider different ways to implement the joint Arab defense agreement.” (Ynet, April 4, 2011)

The Muslim Brotherhood, viewed as one of the most powerful political forces in Egypt, also rejects the Camp David Accords, along with the Peace Treaty.

Moussa has consistently pushed this message. On Feb. 6 2010 in a friendly interview with David Frost on Al Jazeera, Moussa stated,

there is a growing feeling after the malicious assault against Gaza…this has a cast alot of doubt on the intentions of Israel…we have a lot of doubts about there real intentions, and about the will to establish peace with the arab countries, which is now under heavy doubt…[there] has to be two state solution or one state solution…
what happened in Gaza should not go unpunished… those crimes should be put before a court[Israel] hit the hospitals and schools with no mercy and no commitment to international law…our sad experience until now after so many years of the peace process…is really negative…we have to take a decision on the direction of our efforts…”

He was also quoted in another story byAl Jazeera on May 31, 2010 concerning an investigation into the flotilla incident:

It will focus on two things: The crime itself, this military attack against people… and the message that there is no use in making peace with Israel, because Israeli policy is not interested in peace.

The Jerusalem Post and Haaretz reported as well on Mar. 27, 2010 Moussa’s comments:
“We have to study the possibility that the peace process will be a complete failure”