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30th Anniversary of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty
[Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs] Thirty years ago, on March 26, 1979, the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed at the White House. Today, the peace treaty is considered a watershed event in the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, opening the gateway to peace between Israel and the Arab world, and ushering in a new agenda of diplomatic relations in the region. The two countries cooperate on a wide range of issues. The Joint Military Committee holds regular meetings to coordinate military-defense issues, thus ensuring continual communication between the armies. The Joint Economic Committee meets to promote economic trade cooperation between the two countries. Cooperation under the Joint Agricultural Committee has produced dozens of agricultural farms and training programs for which thousands of Egyptian agricultural trainees have come to Israel. In 2007, approximately 200 Egyptian farmers underwent training in Israel. The Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) agreement, signed in 2004, permits Egyptian companies using Israeli agricultural products tax-free exports to the U.S. The mutual trade between the two countries in 2008 amounted to $271 million, compared with $59 million in 2004 prior to the agreement. The peace between Israel and Egypt has proved to be solid and stable. There is an ongoing dialogue between Egypt and Israel on various issues, including problematic and sensitive matters. Despite the solid foundations of Israeli-Egyptian relations, there are still many goals to be achieved. The primary objective is building stronger bonds of mutual understanding and tolerance between the two peoples, fostering a broader cultural dialogue, and the development of a culture of peace. Israel yearns to see the peace with Egypt become a vibrant, prolific peace in all fields.