Nearly 30 years ago, a leader of a country that had been at war for the previous 30 years took the courageous stand of extending his hand in peace. That he was Anwar Sadat of Egypt and the person he extended his hand to was Menachem Begin, the Prime Minister of Israel, made it all the more courageous.
For the first time since the formation of the state of Israel, a peace treaty between them and an Arab nation existed. One of the five countries that had sworn to drive them into the sea had reversed its stand and opened the door to the possibility of peace for the region. While there can be doubt that for both parties this involved an immense leap of faith, Anwar Sadat was stepping the furthest into uncharted territory.
Just five years after the Yom Kippur war in which Israel had once again fought off a determined attempt to conquer their land by their neighbours, neither side could be blamed for mistrusting the other. But Egypt was truly on its own in this foray. Perhaps they had tacit understanding from Jordan, but publicly every other Arab League nation condemned them as traitors.
We may never know what truly prompted Sadat’s change of heart. Probably it was a combination of realizing how crippling continuous warfare was becoming, the need to establish better relationships with the U.S., and perhaps a little of “if you can’t beat them join.” Whatever the motivations, the fact remains that from that moment on, they have been the one Arab country within the region guaranteed to be not openly hostile towards Western and Israeli interests.
Certainly there have been falling outs at times, disagreements that have threatened the fragile peace, but it has never collapsed in spite of pressures on the Egyptians from countless sources. Even the assassination of Anwar Sadat by Islamic fundamentalists did nothing to shake their resolution.
Egypt has a long history of being a secular nation, and therein perhaps lies some of the answer to the desire for peace. Even prior to the signing of the Camp David Accord in March of 1979, it had experienced outbreaks of violence similar to those that ended up toppling the Shah of Iran in 1980.
Article comments
1 - RJ
The concession Egypt received for extending this olive branch was guaranteed billions of dollars in aid from the US every year.
2 - RJ
You're clearly correct that the US media's response to the London attacks was more ... heartfelt ... than the US media's response to the attack in Egypt. But the government response was similar:
The United States said it will stand firmly with the people of Egypt at this time of mourning. In a statement issued Saturday, the White House called the attacks "barbaric." It said President Bush spoke by phone to President Mubarak and offered assistance to help Egypt bring those responsible to justice.
Still coping with the London bombings, British officials responded by calling Saturday's attacks another terrible terrorist atrocity. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw expressed his government's full support to Egypt's fight against terrorism.
3 - gypsyman
I'm so glad to hear that about Bush and Blair. To be fair I had been so put off by the lack of any headlines reporting such statements that I did not read deeply into the body of the one story published here in Canada that I came across.
It is stll disheartening to see how few others saw fit to comment unlike the last time. The press, well the least said the better.
Thank you for pointing out those two statements, it does restore a little of my faith in people.
gypsyman
4 - gypsyman
I have decided to rewrite this post slightly to reflect the information that I had missed that was pointed out to me in the comments above. I feel it is only fair to give credit where credit is due.
Once again thanks to R.J. for pointing out my mistake.
gypsyman
5 - Bennett
Gypsyman, Nice writing as always. Your point is well made, there is a disparity between our anguish over Londoners and Egyptians, and there shouldn't be.
People are people, suffering is suffering, death is death.
We're becoming numb.
6 - Mihos
Being an American of Coptic Egyptian descent, I find the determined distance of press coverage on the Egyptian terrorism acts revolting. It turns my stomach that it matters more to the American press that a bunch of European white folks died than whole lot more in Darfur much less Egypt.
Let's face it. Colonial powers are still very much entitled to their views on the value of life. People of the regions negatively effected by British colonialization's wholesale exploitation
are still looked upon like worthless surfs unworthy of empathy.
Where are the heartfelt news stories and specials about the individuals blown up in Sharm el Sheik?
Im beginning to wonder if there is a mass conspiracy underway that helps to justify the different lenses placed on international news.
7 - beadtot
Don't England and Egypt, historically, number among nations that "cast out" vermin using displacement tactics?
8 - Mihos
You know, after England's cotton industry bankrupted Egypt's fertile agricultural lands and left her with the ills of a civil war brewing England just went home and had tea on cotton linens. The IRA blew up hal =f of England and nowhere do you get the idea that the IRA were the same sort of bloodthirty demons that the islamists are..
Now Egypt is hurting and no one in USA cares much less England.
Guess Egypt just doesnt matter. But then the UK has already cqaptured every one of their original four. We still cant find the anthrax sender.
9 - Amerigypt 1996
I read Jehan Sadat's autobiography and I respect Anwar Sadat. I totally agree with this article and am proud that Egypt (I'm Egyptian) tried to work with Israel. I wish Irael had not taken over Palestine though.......... My freind is palestinian and is now forced to live in Jordan. This is dissapointing. I'm now against Israel......... Egypt has harbored Palestinians long enough....... i wish we had enough to help Palestinians take their country back from the jews. I'm also muslim, so I hope God will help us all................ اللة اعلم ............... God Knows