The death of statesman Mohammed Anwar el-Sadat in 1981 shocked the Western world. Robert Strauss told him in 1979, "Thousands of years from today, when the nations of this region are living as one, it will be recorded that it began November 19 1977, when you had the courage to take that great step forward." Anwar Sadat forfeited his dream of becoming an actor by entering the military academy in 1936. He partook in the Nasserite revolution in 1952 which saw the Egyptian monarchy under King Farouk's rule, overthrown. Anwar Sadat told Peter Jennings in 1974 although King Farouk was very popular at the time, the coup d'état was necessary because "the country was not ours. We had only what I called 'the half per cent community'. It meant that ½% had got everything and 99½% had got nothing at all." Gamal Abdel Nasser, regarded as the idol of the Arab was then declared President of the United Arab Republic of Egypt.
In 1970, Gamal Abdel Nasser died. Anwar Sadat was sworn in as President. During Gamal Abdel Nasser's governance, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula in what known in history as the 1967 Six-Day War. When Anwar Sadat came to power, he captured the attention of the world's television cameras when he victoriously pushed Israeli troops back from the Suez Canal in what became known as the Yom Kippur war which took place on October 6, 1973. Anwar Sadat's historic flight to Jerusalem in 1977 to initiate the peace process in the Middle East by working to resolve the Arab-Israel dispute was hailed as "a new era of understanding" and "the nearest thing to a political miracle".
In 1976, Egypt held its first free election in 25 years. At the time, each term would run for 5 years. Of the Parliament's 360 seats, Anwar Sadat's National Democratic Party won 312 seats; the Socialist Labor Party won 20 seats; the National Unionist Progressive Party won 2 seats and 26 parliamentarians were independents. Anwar Sadat "was the single most stabilizing force in the most violent and volatile region of the world". His death - the highest profile of all in the history of the Middle East - meant under the Egyptian constitution an electon to seek his replacement must be held within 60 days after parliament had been dissolved. Hosni Mubarak was the only candidate in the Egyptian referendum. Hosni Mubarak told the press in 1982, Anwar Sadat "erupted the earthquake of peace and put the region into a new period which cannot judge with present events but must judge according to the vital changes that it had on the lives of people." Hosni Mubarak's presidency lasted until the Egyptian revolution in 2011.
An uprising in Saudi Arabia occurred in 1980. Anwar Sadat told the media, "Believe me, if I had been asked before what it happened, I would have said that what took place in Mecca could not have occurred in 20 or 50 years. Well it happened now and that proves that this is a very small world – the world of the transitory." In March 1979, a peace treaty brokered by Jimmy Carter known as the Camp David Accords ended 30 years of war between Israel and Egypt. In May 1979, Anwar Sadat visited Beersheba, home of Abraham's 2 sons - Isaac and Ishmael. Abraham initially resided in Iraq in 2100 BC. "We are calling the visit 'Operation Sons of Abraham,'" the mayor of Beersheba declared at the time. Anwar Sadat was said would be offered water not wine "because our common forefathers dug wells here." Standing at the base of the 7,500-foot Mount Sinai in 1979, Anwar Sadat told listeners, "In this place chosen by God Almighty (Moses), where the 3 faiths (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) descended, here we have the reaffirmation of the noblest values of men: tolerance and co-existence between peoples...I announce this place open as of today (Monday November 19 1979) to all believers, to all the faithful from 3 faiths, with no restrictions so that they may come and address the Lord."
Anwar Sadat began writing his memoirs in 1975. In 1978, 'In Search of Identity: An Autobiography', was published. His memoirs also became the basis of another book after his death. In 1983, the mini-series 'Sadat' was shown starring Louis Gossett Jr. in his Emmy-nominated role. In the 'Sadat Memoirs', Anwar recalled of his first meeting with the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi in 1938, "That year we both graduated as second lieutenant...The distance between us was very small, yet in reality it was great. For (the Shah was) the heir to the throne and I was a mere officer from an Egyptian village (he had) never heard of." In January 1978, Anwar Sadat met the Shah at Aswan airport. "A whole year passed," Anwar Sadat recounted, "And again I received the Shah in Aswan...on the same date, January in 1979...in the same city, at the same airport, with the same hotel as his residence. But the Shah was not the Shah I knew and Iran had become another Iran. He had come to Egypt to seek refuge. In the span of a single year, his situation had been transformed..."
In 1970, Gamal Abdel Nasser died. Anwar Sadat was sworn in as President. During Gamal Abdel Nasser's governance, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula in what known in history as the 1967 Six-Day War. When Anwar Sadat came to power, he captured the attention of the world's television cameras when he victoriously pushed Israeli troops back from the Suez Canal in what became known as the Yom Kippur war which took place on October 6, 1973. Anwar Sadat's historic flight to Jerusalem in 1977 to initiate the peace process in the Middle East by working to resolve the Arab-Israel dispute was hailed as "a new era of understanding" and "the nearest thing to a political miracle".
In 1976, Egypt held its first free election in 25 years. At the time, each term would run for 5 years. Of the Parliament's 360 seats, Anwar Sadat's National Democratic Party won 312 seats; the Socialist Labor Party won 20 seats; the National Unionist Progressive Party won 2 seats and 26 parliamentarians were independents. Anwar Sadat "was the single most stabilizing force in the most violent and volatile region of the world". His death - the highest profile of all in the history of the Middle East - meant under the Egyptian constitution an electon to seek his replacement must be held within 60 days after parliament had been dissolved. Hosni Mubarak was the only candidate in the Egyptian referendum. Hosni Mubarak told the press in 1982, Anwar Sadat "erupted the earthquake of peace and put the region into a new period which cannot judge with present events but must judge according to the vital changes that it had on the lives of people." Hosni Mubarak's presidency lasted until the Egyptian revolution in 2011.
An uprising in Saudi Arabia occurred in 1980. Anwar Sadat told the media, "Believe me, if I had been asked before what it happened, I would have said that what took place in Mecca could not have occurred in 20 or 50 years. Well it happened now and that proves that this is a very small world – the world of the transitory." In March 1979, a peace treaty brokered by Jimmy Carter known as the Camp David Accords ended 30 years of war between Israel and Egypt. In May 1979, Anwar Sadat visited Beersheba, home of Abraham's 2 sons - Isaac and Ishmael. Abraham initially resided in Iraq in 2100 BC. "We are calling the visit 'Operation Sons of Abraham,'" the mayor of Beersheba declared at the time. Anwar Sadat was said would be offered water not wine "because our common forefathers dug wells here." Standing at the base of the 7,500-foot Mount Sinai in 1979, Anwar Sadat told listeners, "In this place chosen by God Almighty (Moses), where the 3 faiths (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) descended, here we have the reaffirmation of the noblest values of men: tolerance and co-existence between peoples...I announce this place open as of today (Monday November 19 1979) to all believers, to all the faithful from 3 faiths, with no restrictions so that they may come and address the Lord."
Anwar Sadat began writing his memoirs in 1975. In 1978, 'In Search of Identity: An Autobiography', was published. His memoirs also became the basis of another book after his death. In 1983, the mini-series 'Sadat' was shown starring Louis Gossett Jr. in his Emmy-nominated role. In the 'Sadat Memoirs', Anwar recalled of his first meeting with the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi in 1938, "That year we both graduated as second lieutenant...The distance between us was very small, yet in reality it was great. For (the Shah was) the heir to the throne and I was a mere officer from an Egyptian village (he had) never heard of." In January 1978, Anwar Sadat met the Shah at Aswan airport. "A whole year passed," Anwar Sadat recounted, "And again I received the Shah in Aswan...on the same date, January in 1979...in the same city, at the same airport, with the same hotel as his residence. But the Shah was not the Shah I knew and Iran had become another Iran. He had come to Egypt to seek refuge. In the span of a single year, his situation had been transformed..."
