It has been 40 years since Egyptian President Anwar Sadat"s visit to Israel. At the invitation of then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Sadat visited Jerusalem on 19-20 November 1977. This move was a turning-point in relations between the two states, opening doors to the conclusion of the peace treaty two years later, in 1979.
On this occasion, a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the historic Sadat’s visit was held on 22 November in Jerusalem at the residence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. In his address, President Rivlin reminded that 40 years ago, the world watched "with open mouths, as enemies became friends", after 29 years of conflict. Rivlin said that Egypt is "an extremely important ally", the connection between Israel and Egypt is more important than words can say, and it can never be taken for granted. He added that the two states have found a way to live together in peace and friendship, which is a message to the whole region.
Egyptian Ambassador Hazem Khairat referred to President Sadat as one of the "founding fathers" of peace and stability in the region. He stressed that Egypt, "the cradle of civilization", has a responsibility to achieve a permanent and comprehensive peace in the region. The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt remains "partial" as long as a Palestinian state has not been created, Khairat said. He added that Egypt exerts tremendous efforts to achieve intra-Palestinian reconciliation, which should pave the way for revival of the peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. Khairat called on Israel to support the process of Fatah-Hamas reconciliation and to accept the framework of the Arab Peace Initiative.
The event was attended by representatives of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including nearly every Israeli diplomat who served in Egypt, senior Israeli figures, and diplomatic corps in Israel. On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia, Tina Krce, Chargée d"Affaires a.i., attended the ceremony.
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