Nation: Ordeal In the Mountains

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Isolation from the world was a key element in the Camp David summit, and only after it was over did the participants start to tell bits and pieces of this extraordinary two-week confrontation. The pieces add up to a dramatic chronicle of clashes and near breakdown before the final accord.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 5. Bright sunshine for opening day. Jimmy Carter, who arrived the day before, gets up early, plays tennis with Rosalynn. The Carters greet Anwar Sadat in afternoon. He's weary from Paris flight. Menachem Begin, rested from his two-day stay in New York, holds first meeting with Carter in President's Aspen Lodge. Begin worried about new violence in Lebanon. The two discuss how conference will proceed.

WEDNESDAY. Sadat visits Carter at Aspen. They sit on back porch overlooking pool. First surprise of conference: Sadat has detailed, ten-page proposal for West Bank and Gaza problems. Some points old and often rejected by Israel: total Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories, even the flying of Arab flags over Jerusalem. But Sadat also offers security provisions for Israel. Americans see hope.

Carter tells Begin that Sadat has a proposal. The three convene for first time. Sadat and Begin keep addressing each other as "my dear friend." Sadat puts on black-rimmed glasses, reads his proposal for an hour and a half. Begin several times throws hands up in disgust. Mutters disagreement. Carter invites Begin to respond immediately. Begin declines, asks for time to study whole paper. Begin summons other Israelis to his Birch Cabin. Appalled at Sadat proposal. Some of Begin's advisers figure Sadat wants to blow up the conference, blame Israel. Others see it as tough opening ploy.

THURSDAY. Americans gather in Aspen at 7:30 a.m. They see Sadat, who has heart problem like Begin, stride past with walking stick. Carter and Aides Cyrus Vance and Zbigniew Brzezinski sound out Begin and Aides Moshe Dayan and Ezer Weizman on their reaction to Sadat proposal. Israelis very critical.

The three leaders meet alone. Begin blisters Sadat proposal, point by point. Keeps jabbing his finger at the paper in front of him. Begin accuses Sadat of purposely attacking while Israelis worshiped for Yom Kippur in 1973. Sadat, stung, calls the attack a "strategic deception." Retorts Begin: "It's still deception." Sadat and Begin keep interrupting each other, sometimes shouting. "Please let him finish, Mr. President," Carter pleads with Sadat during one exchange. Emotions subside after more than three hours. An Israeli later warns an American that Begin and Sadat should not meet for a while. Begin worries own delegation by seeming pleased — he feels that Sadat proposal is so unacceptable that world will not blame Israel if summit fails.