Bias in Mediation: Exploring the American Role in the Camp David Summit 2000

Abstract

This research aims to critically analyse the American mediation during the Camp David Summit in the year 2000, specifically whether the United States was biased in favour of Israel to the prejudice of Palestine. The central aim is, therefore, to establish whether the US could be deemed neutral and, therefore, efficient in the process of its diplomatic process within this critical phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To achieve this, the research retraces the historical trajectory of US-Israeli diplomatic relations since 1948, in order to critically analyse the way strategic, political, and economic variables influenced American intervention within the Middle East Peace Process. The methodology used is qualitative method. This research method provides a suitable tool to analyse critically the US intervention's motives at the Camp David Summit, strategies used during the negotiation of the mediation, and the techniques of negotiation and diplomatic moves that ensued. The results indicate an apparent bias in the US approach in favour of Israel. Such bias is, however, evident in the strategies, diplomatic paths, and narratives of American mediators during the summit. The research shows that the US Israeli relationship, which is characterized by closeness due to strategic, political, and economic support, actively shaped the process of peace overall and most of the time disadvantaged the interests of Palestine