Anwar
Sadat was born in Egypt
in 1918. He joined the Egyptian Army but in 1942 was arrested by the
British authorities and charged with having contact with the German
Army.
Sadat
held republican views and joined the Free Officers Movement. In 1952
Sadat joined General Mohammed Neguib and
Colonel Gamal
Abdel Nasser
in the overthrow of King Farouk
I.
In 1955
Sadat became editor of Al-Jumhuriya
and later served as vice president of Egypt (1964-70). After the death
of Gamal
Abdel Nasser
in 1970
Sadat became President of the United Arab Republic. He also served
as Military Governor General during the October
War.
Defence
spending severely damaged the Egyptian economy and in 1977 Sadat decided
to obtain a peace settlement with Israel.
He announced the Sadat Initiative and
offered to go to Jerusalem and plead the Arab cause before the Knesset.
This offer was accepted and Sadat visited Israel to meet Menachem
Begin (19th
- 21st November).
Although
criticised by the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) and the governments of Syria, Libya and Algeria, Sadat had discussions
with Begin at Leeds Castle and Camp David. In September 1978, with
the support of Jimmy
Carter,
the president of the United States, Sadat and
Begin signed a peace treaty between the two countries. As a result
both men shared the Nobel Peace Prize in
1978.
On 6th
October 1981 Anwar
Sadat
was assassinated
by a Muslim extremist.
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