Volume III in the series Israel's Foreign Relations covers the years of the Rabin Administration. The documents presented here focus on the negotiations that led to the 1975 Israel-Egypt Interim Agreement, which paved the way to the 1978 Camp David accords and a year later, to the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. The documents also tell the story of the constant onslaught against Israel in the United Nations and its various forums, and the Israeli reaction to these attacks. Special attention is paid throughout to Israel-American relations.
Although all the documents have been published before elsewhere, they are brought together and placed in a historical context with the help of editorial notes placed before each one of them. Most of the documents were, in their original form, Press Bulletins issued by the Israel Government Press Office, and translated by the staff of its English Publications Division. Others were issued by the Press Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Others, chiefly those dealing with American policy, appeared as Official Texts and were distributed by the International Communications Agency of the United States.
There has been virtually no editing of texts, and most of the documents are reproduced as they first appeared. As in the first two volumes in this series, no effort has been made to impose on the different translations uniformity of style or even consistency of spelling. Hence, English and American spelling often interchange. With some exceptions, entire documents are reproduced. To the extent that excerpts were made, it is so indicated in the introduction to the document.
Mention must be made of the late Ambassadors Arthur Lurie and Moshe Yuval, who served as an Editorial Board for this volume and contributed much of their valuable advice.
This volume is dedicated to the memory of Yigal Allon, who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Rabin government. Soldier and statesman, he was one of the key architects of Israeli policy during these crucial years and played a major role in its implementation. Wise, patient, possessed of an original mind, Yigal Allon earned the friendship and respect of those with whom he worked at home, and negotiated abroad. His early death removed from the scene a major personality who worked ceaselessly for peace and security.
The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Meron Medzini
June 1982