sold Sadat: Went to Jerusalem “to destroy the psychological barriers obstructing the way towards…p

After the Yom Kippur War in 1973, President Sadat became convinced that continued war with Israel would only be harmful to Egypt and conversely that a settlement would yield an enormous "peace dividend." He thought that frozen attitudes were the main logjam, and determined to shatter the existing paradym by forcing a change. On Wednesday, November 9, 1977 Sadat startled the world by telling the People’s Assembly, Egypt’s parliament: “Israel would be astonished when they hear me say this. But I say it. I am ready to go even to their home…to the Knesset and discuss peace with them if need be.” Then on Friday, November 11, Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin took up Sadat’s offer and extended an invitation to the Egyptian leader in a message broadcast directly to the Egyptian people. Begin said: “Let us say to one another, and let it be a silent oath by the peoples of Egypt and Israel: no more wars, no more bloodshed and no more threats.”

Then followed a week of activity to formalize the invitation and the timing of a meeting, in an exchange of letters transmitted between Israel and Egypt by the U.S. ambassadors in Tel Aviv and Cairo. Sadat and Begin then announced the Egyptian would arrive in Israel Saturday night, November 19th. Advance planes from Egypt were met in Israel by cheering crowds. However, Sadat’s talks in Damascus with Syrian President Hafez Assad were unsuccessful in winning Syrian support for the mission, and Arab opposition to the trip was widespread.

On Saturday, November 19 Sadat’s jet – Egyptian One – brought him to Israel. He was greeted by the blare of trumpets and a 21-gun salute in a formal airport welcome by Begin, Israeli President Ephraim Katzir and many past and present Israeli leaders. Sadat drove to Jerusalem with Katzir and met briefly with Begin at the King David Hotel, his base for the 36-hour visit. On Sunday, Sadat prayed at the Al Aqsa Mosque and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Begin. That afternoon, Sadat mounted rostrum of the Knesset and speaking forcefully in Arabic he called his visit an "important juncture in the history of the world." As expected, Sadat restated Arab demands including Israeli withdrawal from war-won lands and a permanent home for the Palestinians. But then he declared: “I wish to tell you today and I proclaim to the whole world: We accept to live with you in a lasting and just peace.” As he spoke the world was mesmerized by the scene, literally unimaginable just a month earlier. Begin, following Sadat to the rostrum, called on Arab leaders to open peace negotiations and declared: “Everything must be negotiated and can be negotiated…We Jews appreciate courage, and we will know how to appreciate our visitor’s courage.”

Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp wrote Sadat after he returned to Cairo, and Sadat responded.

Typed Letter Signed on his letterhead, Cairo, December 12, 1977, to Shapp. “With deep recognition, I have received your message dated November 27, 1977, through which you have expressed firm support to the efforts we exert to promote peace based on justice in the Middle East area…I seize this opportunity to reaffirm that my visit to Jerusalem was part and parcel of our intense efforts to bring just peace to our area and to destroy the psychological barriers obstructing the way towards stability and peace. Once more, I wish to indicate that we fully appreciate the good offices of America and its leading role in solving the problem. The Arab Republic of Egypt, on its part, is eager to add further momentum to the peace process as well as to play an active role in realizing booming prosperity and welfare for man, in an atmosphere of constant peace and order.” This is the most significant letter of Sadat concerning his historic trip to Jerusalem that we have seen. Included is a cover letter from Egyptian Ambassador to the U.S., Ashraf Ghorbal, sending it. These items were obtained directly from the Shapp family and have never before been offered for sale.

Soon after this, Sadat was named "Man of the Year for 1977" by Time Magazine. And indeed less than two years later, a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was signed, and later one was signed with Jordan. However, Sadat was not ultimately successful in creating the type of psychological change he hoped for, as many Arabs, and indeed some Israelis, were unreconciled. In 1981, Sadat was assassinated for his attempts to bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East, and his goal remains elusive today.