Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat

Anwar Sadat was born on December 25, 1918, in the village of Mit Abu al-Kum, Monufia Governorate, Egypt. He was one of thirteen children in a family that was part of the rural lower middle class. Sadat's upbringing was modest, and he showed great academic promise early on, which eventually led him to a career in the military. His early experiences and exposure to the political landscape of Egypt during the interwar period shaped his future political ideology and leadership style.

The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 led by the Free Officers Movement, of which Anwar Sadat was a member, resulted in the abdication of King Farouk and the establishment of a republic. This movement, initially driven by the desire to remove British influence, transformed Egypt’s political structure. Sadat played significant roles in the broadcast that announced the revolution, leading to his rise in prominence within Egypt’s new ruling class. The new regime was led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, who eventually appointed Sadat to several key positions.

On October 15, 1970, following the death of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat was sworn in as the third President of Egypt. Initially considered a transitional leader and a compromise candidate, Sadat proved to be a formidable political figure. He began to implement significant changes in both domestic and foreign policies, shifting Egypt’s alignment more towards the United States and the West, a move that later played a critical role in regional geopolitics.

On October 6, 1973, Egyptian forces under President Anwar Sadat launched a surprise attack across the Suez Canal, starting the Yom Kippur War against Israel. The goal was to reclaim the Sinai Peninsula, which had been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967. Sadat's strategic move succeeded in recapturing parts of the Sinai, restoring Egyptian pride and altering the regional balance. This pivotal conflict set the stage for future peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt.

On November 19, 1977, Anwar Sadat became the first Arab leader to make an official visit to Israel. This groundbreaking moment marked the beginning of a new era in Middle East relations. Sadat's visit to Jerusalem and his address to the Israeli Knesset astonished the world, paving the way for negotiations that would eventually lead to the Camp David Accords and the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. This act of diplomacy earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 but isolated him from many Arab nations.

The Camp David Accords were signed on September 17, 1978, following twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David, the country retreat of the President of the United States. The accords were brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and led by Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Menachem Begin of Israel. The agreements laid the groundwork for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, making Egypt the first Arab country to officially recognize Israel. This major diplomatic breakthrough reconfigured Middle Eastern politics.

On March 26, 1979, Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, facilitated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, signed the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty at the White House. This treaty followed the framework of the Camp David Accords and officially ended the state of war between the two countries. The treaty included mutual recognition, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Sinai Peninsula, and free passage of Israeli ships through the Suez Canal. It was a landmark event in Arab-Israeli relations.

On October 6, 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated during the annual victory parade in Cairo, commemorating Egypt’s crossing of the Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War. Sadat was shot by a group led by Lieutenant Khalid Islambouli. His assassination was shocking yet not entirely unexpected, given the widespread domestic and international criticism of his peace treaty with Israel and his crackdown on Islamist movements. Sadat’s death marked the end of an era in Egyptian politics.