Sadat’s visit that changed history
There was a mixture of optimism and pessimism on Tuesday, as the Knesset marked the 40th anniversary of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat’s historic visit to Jerusalem.
THERE was a mixture of optimism and pessimism on Tuesday, as the Knesset marked the 40th anniversary of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat’s historic visit to Jerusalem.
Egypt’s ambassador to Israel Hazem Khairat said that the trip, which led to the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty of 1979, should provide inspiration for peacemakers today.
Then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressed Knesset, and his speech “was and will remain a pact for all those who call for peace,” Khairat said.
The ambassador declared, “After 40 years, this speech should be read over and over again so that we can take from it what we have been unable to implement until now.”
But while Khairat presented a message of hope, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that the success at peacemaking with Egypt highlights the difficulties in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship.
Netanyahu said “with great sadness” that he has “not yet met the Palestinian Sadat, who will declare his desire to end the conflict, who will recognise the State of Israel in any borders and our right to security and peace”.
Netanyahu’s ally Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely quashed parallels between the Egyptian and the Palestinian cases by insisting that Israel and Egypt had a territorial dispute while Israel and the Palestinians don’t — they have an “existential” conflict instead.
Despite his reservations on prospects with the Palestinian issue Netanyahu spoke enthusiastically about the Sadat visit, saying, “It was like seeing the first person on the moon. In the 40 minutes it took for him to [fly from Egypt to Israel], he changed history. It was much shorter than the 40 years our people roamed the Sinai desert, but it was just as dramatic.”
Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein used the anniversary to urge Arab leaders in the Middle East today to visit Israel.
”I call here today on the leaders of our neighbours: Follow in the footsteps of Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin,” he said.
“Colleagues, parliament speakers in Arab countries – you are invited. Our hand is extended in peace – to all our neighbours.”
Edelstein said that “those of you who will be willing to take a bold step, who will recognise the State of Israel and ask to speak at the Knesset, will find the Knesset building`s doors open.
Open not only to a frantic rush to a peace agreement, but to the beginning of any process; open to trust-building; open to a joint discussion on the real interests of the citizens of all the countries.”
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