Such an approach might help Israel feel secure enough so that its leaders would trade land for peace. Sign In or Create an Account. Advanced Search. User Tools. Sign In. Skip Nav Destination Article Navigation. Close mobile search navigation Article navigation. Volume 45, Issue 1. Previous Article Next Article. Article Navigation. Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms.
View comments Hide comments. Stay updated. The sight of the two leaders facing each other in open, honest debate changed attitudes at the street levels of both countries. The Egyptian President, an Arab, was sitting at a table among Jews in the Knesset, smiling and nodding and smoking a pipe. His listeners applauded vigorously. Since , there had been at least four wars in 29 years.
As Sadat spoke in , I stood on the streets of Tel Aviv, a foreign journalist seeking comment. To be sure, there was doubt. At a television store in Tel Aviv on that final day, crowds pressed against the glass and watched.
But an Israeli widow whose fighter pilot husband died in the Six-Day War told me she thought Begin and Sadat had talked boldly in public so they could agree quietly in private.
And at a school for immigrants learning Hebrew, an Israeli teacher told me classes had been stopped while students watched a man they had been taught to hate. They discovered "a smiling, somewhat paternal, soft-spoken, dignified idealist who clearly wanted peace and was willing to put his life on the line to achieve it. One final exchange in the Knesset had an indelible impact around the globe.
With Sadat sitting beside Moshe Dayan, the revered Israeli military leader, Golda Meir, the former prime minister, blurted out an affectionate gibe:. President, as a grandmother to a grandfather, may I give you a little present for the new granddaughter? Then, leaning forward, Meir pressed a small, wrapped package into Sadat's hand. The assembled Jews and Arabs broke into laughter and applauded together. To those of us watching, it seemed as if the notion of family and personal friendship had overcome the barriers of nationality and nationhood.
Several hours later, Sadat approached the steps of his jetliner to fly back to Cairo. Suddenly, he turned and leaned, smiling, toward his hosts. In Egypt, ordinary citizens reacted positively. Thank you for your personal interest in learning about modern Israel Contributions from people like you allow CIE to assemble and compose materials about Israel's rich and vibrant story.
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