From the Archive of Arab Politics: Atlanta Library, United States

-        Published on: 1-6-2018

-        In a lecture he gave at an exhibition celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Camp David Accords held at the University of Maryland on October 25, 1998... Mr. Carter, who was elected for one term from 1977 until 1981 as President of the United States — the thirty-ninth — and who oversaw every detail of the Accords and their signing during his presidency, affirmed in response to a question about who was the best political leader he had met among all the world’s leaders during his time? He answered that it was "Anwar Sadat." Mr. Carter added, in response to a question about the position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the Camp David Accords at the time of their signing in 1979 between Israel — Menachem Begin, Prime Minister — and Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt — he answered that he flew in the spring of 1979 from Tel Aviv to Cairo to obtain Sadat’s approval of the draft text of the aforementioned agreement, and after he left Cairo for Washington then returned to it, the first message President Carter received regarding the Camp David Accords was from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its content read: "We feel deep happiness for the success you achieved in the peace agreement which we hope will end the violence in our region.".

-        However, the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia, boycotted Egypt at that time for signing this agreement, with the exception of three countries: King Hassan — Morocco, President Jaafar Nimeiry — Sudan, Sultan Qaboos — Oman.
And Mr. Carter commented on that in his lecture, saying that in politics there is a difference between public, overt rhetoric and private, confidential assurances. Mr. Carter affirmed in his university lecture that he had obtained private assurances from the Saudis, informally, of Saudi support and encouragement for signing the Camp David Accords. These are available in documents preserved in the Carter Library in Atlanta.
"We had strongly support privately from the Saudis"

-        Mr. Carter told those present at that lecture that he — Carter — gave a speech in Massachusetts in March 1977, in which he called for establishing a national homeland for the Palestinian people in Palestine to end their long period of suffering.

-        And Mr. Carter commented on a question about why Mr. Carter’s term was not renewed in 1980 for a second presidential term... despite his success in signing the Camp David Accords...where he explained that this statement of his about the Palestinians played a role in that, in addition to the fact that the signing of the agreement itself did not satisfy all Jewish groups in the United States...because, as he believes, it dismantled settlements that had existed in Sinai before the signing of the agreement.. Mr. Carter added that he was the second Democratic president after President Roosevelt who had the least favor and popularity among Jewish groups in the United States...

-        And in speaking about the Palestinians, Mr. Carter reported that President Yasser Arafat had expressed regret — according to what Carter said — for not participating in the Camp David treaty and not accepting its terms, because at the time it would have brought a better situation than the Oslo Accords.. That occurred in a meeting between Carter and Arafat in Yemen prior to the signing of the Oslo Accords..

-        President Carter clarified regarding President Sadat that Sadat told him that he would accept any offer Carter made except for two conditions: the first condition was that a comprehensive agreement be made for the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and the second condition was the withdrawal of the Israelis from Egyptian territory..

-        It is noteworthy that President Carter was asked during his presidency, when he received many leaders of Arab countries, what the demands of the Arab leaders were regarding the Palestinian issue.. and the resolution of the conflict in the Middle East — as it was then called — he answered that none of the Arab leaders uttered or discussed the issue of Palestine with him... in bilateral talks in the White House... despite their declarations in press conferences or Arab summit conferences.....the centrality of the Palestinian issue.!