Bartlet has convinced Israel and Palestine to visit Camp David for a round of peace negotiations. Leo stays back in order to give the official okay to strike the Ein Hawa terrorist training camp in Syria.
Summary
In the wake of the attack on an American Codel in Gaza just a few days before, President Josiah Bartlet has organized a peace summit between the United States, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. Having just authorized an attack on a group of terrorist training camps near Damascus in Syria, Bartlet opens the summit between the parties by stating that "there can be no lasting peace, no regional stability, without a strong a secure Israel; and there can be no lasting peace, without a sovereign, viable state for the Palestinians".
The story then shifts to a briefing at the White House, where C.J. Cregg talks briefly about the summit, and General Alexander, the Chairman of the Join Chiefs, briefs the nation about the attack on the terrorist camps. Soon after, Bartlet does the same for those at the summit.
The White House senior staff is then shown working on their own over what needs to be discussed at the summit, as they write a statement to be released about the goings-on there. They express concern about the whereabouts of Leo, but it is largely left alone.
Returning to the White House, the Speaker of the House is on television discussing the problems with the summit, while C.J. and Leo meet to discuss media strategies during the summit.
Chairman Farad, Prime Minister Zahabi, and President Bartlet meet to discuss the topics for later sub-group meetings, and are shown to be short of patience, threatening to leave almost immediately. Bartlet manages to keep the meeting together, but this serves to foreshadow later turmoil between the groups in the meetings.
The four topics that are eventually chosen are the security for Israel after withdrawal from the Palestinian territories, then the disposition of Palestinian settlements, third, right of return for displaced people, and finally, the dismantling of terrorism by the Palestinian Authority.
Both sides discuss the importance of Jerusalem, but the topic is postponed to keep the peace between the parties and hold the summit together.
C.J. is then shown talking with her assistant Carol about television appearances, as Josh walks in, having returned from Germany, where he had been keeping his assistant Donna company, after she had been nearly killed by the attack in Gaza.
The two discuss the photojournalist that Donna met in Gaza shortly, and Josh then asks why Leo is at the White House instead of with the President. C.J. doesn't answer, and Josh enters Leo's office to get his marching orders. Leo tells him to go to Camp David, and also says that the Syrian reaction to the US bombings is not good.
C.J. is again seen briefing the press, sharing small bits of information on the summit talks thus far.
The story then returns to NSF Thurmont, where the first meeting on security for Israel is under way. The Israeli delegation shares their distrust of the Palestinian's ability to keep the peace themselves, and the Palestinians state a distrust of what they consider overbearing and controlling military occupation by Israel.
At the same time, another meeting is taking place, this meeting about a right of return for displaced Palestinians. Chairman Farad argues with the Israeli ambassador to the United States over the morality of displacing the Palestinians in order to create Israel. The argument becomes heated, but is stopped by the Deputy National Security Advisor, Kate Harper, who directs the conversation to more pressing, modern-day matters. The Chairman then asks, "If there is room, for a thousand Russian Jews in Israel, why isn't there room for Palestinian's who simply want to go home?".
The summit then enters Day Three.
C.J. is again seen giving a briefing, much the same as before, with only small bits of carefully controlled information.
Moving to the White House Senior Staff, they are all seen playing a basketball game at Camp David where they discuss the progress made thus far. Bartlet hears input on what has been done, and then states that they merely need to get an inch of movement, and that with that they can keep the summit going. Kate Harper and First Lady Abigail Bartlet watch the game going on, with both assisting the conversation.
The progress thus far includes:
- Israelis agree to exit the territories if they can keep a military presence.
- Israel agreeing to give some land if they can make other territorial acquisitions.
- Israel asking Farad to dismantle Hamas immediately, but the Palestinian Authority stating that they have already stated an aversion to terrorism.
- The Palestinian Authority asking for a complete right of return, but Israel showing reticence.
After the meeting and basketball game are both over, Bartlet sits with his wife on a nearby bench. Josh comes up asking where he should go, and then asking if they should be holding the summit at all. Bartlett ignores the second question, and tells Josh to work with Toby and Will. Josh leaves, deciding to leave the other topic alone for now. His wife looks over to him and asks where Leo is, but Bartlet does not answer.
Returning to the meetings, the Chairman and Ambassador are again arguing on the right of return, where the topic of compensation for displacement is brought. The Chairman states that they do not want money, and instead merely want to return home.
Back to the other meeting, the Israeli Prime Minister states that there must be some way to fill the power vacuum that will be created by Israeli troop withdrawal from the Palestinian territories. The Palestinians state that they would be forced to assert themselves, but the meeting is ended as they each group goes off for their own religious ceremonies. Just as they are leaving, the Palestinian Minister of Defense states that Palestinian children no longer want to be lawyers and doctors, but that "they all want to be martyrs".
Finally, Leo arrives at Camp David, walking in on another meeting between the Senior Staff. Things are moving slowly, with no real gains being made in any way. Bartlet says to work on security and settlements, but Toby states that things are near impossible at the moment. Josh and Toby talk to Leo, asking him to talk to Bartlet, and Leo agrees to do so. During the conversation, all three show fears about what will happen to them if they fail to broker some sort of agreement.
Moving then to a montage of Palestinian and Israeli religious ceremonies, Kate Harper says that the two sides are so similar, with so much hatred for each other all the same.
Now on to Day Four, C.J. is again shown highlighting the goings-on of the summit while yet another Senior Staff meeting is underway. They are all at a loss of what to do, with only Kate having an idea, a sort of early warning system for Israeli removal from the territories. Leo shows indifference, and Toby states that the Israeli Defense Minister has been getting in the way of any sort of agreement. Leo says to split them up, but Toby is unsure how. Finally, Leo tells Toby to "think of something".
Toby is next shown skeet-shooting with the Defense Minister. He attempts to shoot a shotgun, but falls over due to his lack of experience with a rifle. The Minister, on the other hand, has perfect form, due to his previous time in the military, which is compulsory for all Israeli citizens.
Josh and Kate are next shown meeting with Prime Minister Zahabi, where he finally agrees to their plan for early warning positions, there first concession from either side. Excited about this first success, they then set about gaining ground in the other three areas, and getting Farad to agree to their plan on security.
Bartlet is excited that they have gained ground, but in a private meeting with Leo, Leo says that it is still all a waste of time, because neither side will compromise on Jerusalem. Leo and Bartlet are tense with each other, and Leo leaves to work on estimates for compensation for refugees.
Kate meets with Farad, and after listening to a story from Farad about his childhood, gets an agreement from him on security forces in the territories. He is shown to be saddened by the fact that he may never return home, but makes an agreement on right of return.
They now agreements on all four of their main points, leaving only Jerusalem. Finally, Bartlet steps personally into the ring, meeting with the parties one on one. The Palestinian Chairman will not compromise at first, but Bartlet is eventually able to get an agreement from him.
Josh and Toby are seen arguing over the Palestinians, but are interrupted by Will, who tells them that Bartlet got Farad to compromise.
Now, Bartlet moves on to the Prime Minister, who is completely unwilling to give up any control over Jerusalem. Insulted by the suggestion that he give up the city, he says that he is leaving, and prepares to return to Israel.
The summit is now nearly dead, with the Israeli delegation only hours away from departure. Scrambling to salvage the talks, the Senior Staff meet one more time to think of some way they can create an accord between the two groups. They are unable to, and give up, themselves preparing now to leave.
In a conversation with Josh as he tries to call Donna in Germany, Kate comes up with a plan to give the Palestinians a custodial status over the Dome of the Rock, with the same power that the Saudis have over Meccah and Medina. There is a catch though, the US would have to send a peace keeping force to the territories to enforce the accord, and keep the two sides from attacking each other, which would destroy all agreements between them. Unsure of the the rationality of sending American troops to that war riddled area, Leo meets with Bartlet, and they again argue. Leo threatens to quit his job, and Bartlet becomes angry. They finally reach their breaking points, and Bartlet asks for Leo's resignation.
Leo, shocked, wanders into the woods outside the Camp, and suffers a massive heart attack, passing out between the trees.
Unaware that he has been fired, or of his heart attack, the rest of the staff continues without Leo to work out the finer details of the plan.
The next morning, Bartlet meets with Zahabi, and finally achieves an agreement.
C.J. announces it during a briefing, and the staff return to the White House, attempting to call Leo and get his input. The episode ends with Leo's phone ringing in the woods, and with Leo's body yet to be found.
Cast
Starring
- Stockard Channing as Abbey Bartlet
- Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
- Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
- Joshua Malina as Will Bailey
- Mary McCormack as Kate Harper
- Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
- John Spencer as Leo McGarry
- Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
- and Martin Sheen as President Jed Bartlet
Special Guest Stars
- Armin Mueller-Stahl as Eli Zahavy
- Makram J. Khoury as Chairman Nizar Farad
- and Lily Tomlin as Deborah Fiderer
Guest Starring
- Terry O'Quinn as General Nicholas Alexander
- Steven Culp as Jeff Haffley
- NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper
- Natalija Nogulich as Shira Galit
- Marcelo Tubert as Saeb Mukarat
- Eli Danker as Doran Mazar
Co-Starring
- Melissa Fitzgerald as Carol Fitzpatrick
- Kris Murphy as Katie Witt
- Ann Ducati as Maya Zahavy
- Cameron Steele as Garner
- Wadi Sadellah as Prayer Leader
Trivia
"Birnam wood" is referenced in "Macbeth": "SCENE IV. Country near Birnam wood." [1]
Quote: "We then heard from an anonymous source who said, "the gist is this: Macbeth is told he's safe until Birnam Wood shall come to Dunsinane Castle. He assumes that means he's safe forever, because the woods don't generally move (except in Tolkein, and this is Shakespeare, right?). But when Malcolm comes to fight Macbeth, he has each of his soldiers cut a bough from a tree and carry it with him. Thus his soldiers move to Dunsinane, Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, and Macbeth is defeated. "When Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane - when the impossible happens - and it does." [2]
Some interior scenes were shot at the Thorpewood Retreat Center, in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, MD - the actual "Camp David." Visit the Thorpewood site here: [3]
Goofs
General Alexander says that the U.S. has bombed a terrorist training camp "in the Kingdom of Syria". Syria is not a kingdom; it is a republic. [4]
There is a terrorist attack in the Turkish town of Antalya. On the TV screen we see a Tel-Aviv ambulance treating the injured.
Quotes
Leo McGarry: I can't support this decision...
President Bartlet: We can't keep having this argument.
Leo McGarry: No sir, we can't. If my counsel is no longer of use to you, perhaps--
President Bartlet: So, if I disagree with your advice, you have to threaten me?
Leo McGarry: This is your own League of Nations and it will ruin you like it ruined Wilson.
President Bartlet: Okay. I'll need your successor in place before you leave.
References
"The West Wing" The Birnam Wood (2004)
The West Wing Episode Guide http://www.westwingepguide.com/
The West Wing Unofficial Continuity Guide
The West Wing: The Birnam Wood