Anwar Sadat

Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat (???? ??????????? in Arabic) (December 25, 1918 – October 6, 1981) was an Egyptian politician and served as the President of Egypt from September 28, 1970 until his assassination on October 6, 1981.

Presidency

In 1973, Sadat, together with Syria, led Egypt into the Yom Kippur War with Israel, and succeeded in regaining parts of the Sinai Peninsula, which had been conquered by Israel during the Six-Day War. While the territorial gains of Egypt in this war were limited, Sadat's initial victories eventually led to regaining and reopening the Suez canal, and both restored Egyptian morale and shook Israeli confidence in their military supremacy, laying the ground for a peace settlement several years later. For many years after, Sadat was known as the "hero of the Crossing".

Related Topics:
1973 - Syria - Yom Kippur War - Israel - Sinai Peninsula - Six-Day War - The Crossing

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On November 19, 1977 Sadat became the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel when he met with Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and spoke before the Knesset in Jerusalem. He made the visit after receiving an invitation from Begin and sought a permanent peace settlement (much of the Arab world was outraged by the visit). In 1979, this resulted in the Camp David Peace Agreement, for which Sadat and Begin received the Nobel Peace Prize. However, the action was extremely unpopular in the Arab and Muslim World. In 1979, the Arab League suspended Egypt's membership in the wake of Egypt's peace agreement with Israel; the League moved its headquarters from Cairo to Tunis. It was not until 1989 that the League re-admitted Egypt as a member, and returned its headquarters to Cairo. Many believed that only a threat of force would make Israel negotiate over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the Camp David accords removed the possibility of Egypt, the major Arab military power, from providing such a threat. As part of the peace deal, Israel withdrew from the Sinai peninsula in phases, returning the entire area to Egypt by 1983.

Related Topics:
November 19 - 1977 - Arab - Menachem Begin - Knesset - Jerusalem - 1979 - Camp David Peace Agreement - Nobel Peace Prize - Arab League - Cairo - Tunis - 1989 - West Bank - Gaza Strip - 1983

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