It was 40 years ago this week, November 19, 1979, that Egyptian president Anwar Sadat made his historic visit Israel to end a generation of war.
Before the birth of Israel in 1948 there was a 2500 year old Jewish community of some 80,000 people living peacefully with Egyptians. Throughout the Arab world there were 850,000 Jews in similarly ancient communities. Then came independence for Israel and the persecution began. Jews were attacked by mobs, robbed, burned out, and forced to flee for their lives. Today only about 4000 Jews remain in the Arab countries.
The Arab countries attacked Israel from the moment of its birth in 1948. In 1967 Egypt, Syria, and Jordan planned to overwhelm Israel with a three front war. When it came it took only six days for Israel to expanded its borders, take Jerusalem and humiliate the Arabs. Egypt in Syria joined forces again in 1973 to mount a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, but after initial success, were humiliated again by Israel. The survival of Israel against the overwhelming numbers of its enemies can only be attributed to the power of God.
During the Yom Kippur war the United States, for the first time, had provided intelligence and material support to Israel. After the war the US negotiated a cease fire and initiated a search for a permanent piece. In 1979 the Egyptians and Israel is signed a historic peace treaty. Egyptian President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Prior peace treaties had only signaled a pause in the fighting, but this time Egyptian president Sadat took action to show goodwill and the desire for a lasting peace. So on November 19, 1979 he did what no other Arab leader had done. He went to Israel.
Two years later the courageous Sadat was assassinated by the radical Muslim Brotherhood. But peace had taken hold, and even when the Muslim Brotherhood got temporary control of Egypt, the peace was not violated. Egypt has even cooperated with Israel to combat the terrorists in Gaza.
We do not know what the future holds, but for now we can thank God that Israel’s southern border with Egypt is secure thanks to the peace sealed by President Anwar Sadat 40 years ago this week.
Even so, let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.