Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin's Political Will
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Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin displayed enormous political courage in contrast to his predecessor Golda Meir.
While Sadat was willing to travel to Israel, it was Begin's administration that invited Sadat to speak at the Knesset. "Sadat recognized that Begin had very clear views and that he was someone Sadat could trust and with whom he could reach an agreement. Only someone like Begin – realized Sadat – could make such a great concession in return for true peace. As someone who for so many years had been vilified as a 'war monger,' a 'fanatic,' who 'believed in a policy of power,' Menachem Begin certainly wanted history to remember him as a leader who had brought peace to his nation, broken the circle of violence in the Middle East and put an end to bereavement in Israel." |
Above: Begin in response to the Sadat Initiative
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Begin's Realization
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"Why is this peace treaty so important?" he asked. "This is the first peace treaty Israel ever signed, the first peace treaty after five wars in which we have lost 12,000 of our people. Our aim, our yearning and our dream is to smash this helix of hatred. We must sign this treaty because it is a human act of the highest degree." (Begin) |
Desire for peace by both Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat set the stage for negotiations, but U.S. involvement was critical for an agreement.
