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Fourty years ago, on Saturday night the 19th of November 1977, the plane of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat landed at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. This courageous, historic first visit by an Arab leader to Israel is to this day credited with changing the geopolitics of the entire Middle East, opening the path for peace between Israel and the Arab world, and shaping a new agenda of political relations in the region.
“There are moments in the life of nations and peoples when it is incumbent on those known for their wisdom and clarity of vision to overlook the past, with all its complexities and weighing memories, in a bold drive towards new horizons. […]
If I said that I wanted to save all the Arab People the horrors of shocking and destructive wars, I most sincerely declare before you that I have the same feelings and bear the same responsibility towards all and every man on earth, and certainly towards the Israeli People. […]
Today I tell you, and declare it to the whole world, that we accept to live with you in permanent peace based on justice. We do not want to encircle you or be encircled ourselves by destructive missiles ready for launching, nor by the shells of grudges and hatred. I have announced on more than one occasion that Israel has become a fait accompli, recognized by the world. […] As we really and truly seek peace, we really and truly welcome you to live among us in peace and security.”
“The duration of the flight from Cairo to Jerusalem is short but, until last night, the distance between them was infinite. President Sadat showed courage in crossing this distance. […] We seek a true, full peace, with absolute reconciliation between the Jewish People and the Arab People. […] Today, Jerusalem is bedecked with two flags - the Egyptian and the Israeli. Together, Mr. President, we have seen our little children waving both flags. […]
Let us sign a peace treaty and establish such a situation forever, both in Jerusalem and in Cairo. I hope the day will come […] when you, Mr. President, will be represented by a loyal Ambassador in Jerusalem, and we, by an Ambassador in Cairo and, should differences of opinion arise between us, we will clarify them, like civilized peoples, through our authorized emissaries. […] Our border will be open to you, just as will be all the other borders, for, as I noted, we would like the same situation to prevail in the south, in the north and in the east. […]
Therefore, I renew my invitation to the President of Syria to follow in your footsteps, Mr. President, and to come to our country to begin negotiations on the establishment of peace between Israel and Syria and on the signing of a peace treaty between us. […]
I invite King Hussein to come here and we shall discuss with him all the problems that exist between us. I also invite genuine spokesmen of the Palestinian Arabs to come and to hold talks with us on our common future, on guaranteeing human freedom, social justice, peace and mutual respect. […]
And, if they should invite us to come to their capitals, we shall respond to their invitation. Should they invite us to begin negotiations in Damascus, Amman or Beirut, we shall go to those capitals in order to negotiate there. We do not wish to divide. We seek true peace with all our neighbours, to be expressed in peace treaties.”
Two years after President Sadat's visit, in March 1979, Israel and Egypt signed a comprehensive peace agreement. As we mark this historic visit, our nations have known more years of peace than of confrontation and conflict, years in which open dialogue and cooperative ventures have been possible.
In the present reality, and in the spirit of President Sadat's vision, the two states enjoy cooperation in a wide range of fields. Israel and Egypt share a strategic and important geopolitical relationship that continues to bring stability to the region.
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