For three decades, Egypt was Israel’s greatest enemy. Four wars – from 1948 to 1973 – shaped the relations between the countries. Egypt did not recognize Israel, worked for its destruction, and supported terrorist actions against it. Egypt was among the initiators of the wars in 1948, 1956, and 1973, and in 1967 led together with Syria and Jordan to a significant military threat to Israel. But in 1977, the unbelievable happened: Egypt’s President, Anwar Sadat, landed in Israel and declared he was ready for peace.

From War to Peace: The Path to Agreement After the Yom Kippur War (1973), Egypt understood that continuing the conflict was not beneficial: the country was in economic crisis and needed American aid, and Sadat wanted to recover the Sinai Peninsula, which was captured in the Six-Day War (1967), and understood that the way to do this was through peace.

After secret contacts, mainly through the United States, Sadat announced in the Egyptian parliament his willingness to come to Jerusalem. Prime Minister Menachem Begin formally invited him – a step that broke the rules of the game in the Arab world. The announcement and the visit led to discussions at Camp David in 1978 until the agreement was signed in 1979.

The Peace Agreement: On March 26, 1979, the historic agreement was signed. Israel withdrew from Sinai – an area of about 61,000 square kilometers (almost 3 times the current size of Israel) – and in return, Egypt established diplomatic relations with it. The Gaza Strip remained outside the agreement, an issue that later affected regional security.

A central component of the agreement was the demilitarization of Sinai, where the Egyptian army was limited in its deployment under international supervision.

Opposition in the Arab World Sadat’s visit to Israel and the peace agreement sparked strong opposition in the Arab world. Egypt faced harsh criticism, was suspended from the Arab League, and many Arab countries cut off relations with it. In 1981, Sadat was assassinated by Egyptian extremists who opposed the agreement, but the agreement remained in place and continues to exist.

The Impact of the Agreement on Israel Despite the challenges, the agreement yielded significant achievements: quiet on the southern border, economic and security cooperation, and Egyptian mediation in regional conflicts.

October 7 and the Iron Swords War – A Test for the Agreement The events of October 7, 2023, in which Hamas carried out an unprecedented deadly attack on Israel, shook regional stability. Egypt, despite internal criticism of Israel, continued to serve as a mediator and increased enforcement at the Rafah border. The agreement remained in effect, but relations are under constant test.In conclusion: More than 40 years after its signing, the peace agreement with Egypt represents a breakthrough – it proved that peace is possible even after decades of war. The agreement still stands despite the complexity of relations and its effects on the Middle East.