[A series of African figures] (46) A giant who joined hands with the enemy to bring peace to the Middle East... egypt sadat

“For the sake of peace, I am willing to go to the private rooms of Israel’s homes.”

In 1977, when the bloody conflict between Arabs and Israel was at its peak, there was a person who shocked the world by making a surprise visit to Jerusalem, the heart of Israel, the enemy nation.

Muhammad Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), Egypt's third president, won the Nobel Peace Prize for breaking the vicious cycle of armed conflict and setting a new milestone for peace in the Middle East. He is a giant who left an indelible mark on the diplomatic history of the Middle East and Africa.

Sadat was born in 1918 as the son of a poor farmer in the Nile Delta in Egypt. After graduating from the Military Academy, he formed the 'Free Officers' Corps with Gamal Abdel Nasser and others.

He solidified his political position as a leading figure in the revolution that overthrew the corrupt monarchy in 1952, and took over the presidency when Nasser died suddenly of a heart attack in 1970.

Sadat's top priority in the early days of his power was to regain the Sinai Peninsula lost to Israel in the Third Middle East War (Six-Day War) in 1967 and to restore lost Arab pride.

To this end, on October 6, 1973, on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), the largest Jewish holiday, a surprise attack on Israel was launched, sparking the Fourth Middle East War. In this war, Egypt succeeded in suppressing the initial momentum and dealt a painful blow to Israel.

North Korea was deeply involved in this war and formed a special relationship with Sadat.

North Korean President Kim Il-sung, who had a close relationship with Egypt, which at the time followed an anti-imperialist, non-aligned line, secretly dispatched MiG-21 fighter pilots at Sadat's request. North Korean pilots engaged in direct combat with the Israeli Air Force over the Sinai Peninsula, and Sadat later expressed deep gratitude for North Korea's military support.

After the Fourth Middle East War, Sadat's actions took a major turn.

They faced the reality that Israel could not be completely subdued by force alone and that it would only result in a huge waste of national power.

He boldly abandoned the pro-Soviet line and turned to a pro-American country. In 1977, he became the first Arab head of state to speak for peace in the Israeli Knesset.

Then, in 1978, through the mediation of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the historic 'Camp David Agreement' was signed with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and the following year, a peace treaty was officially signed and the Sinai Peninsula was returned. For this achievement, he and Israeli Prime Minister Begin were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.

Sadat attempted major changes not only in diplomacy but also in the economic field and expanded his ties with Korea. The socialist planned economy was abolished and the 'Infitah' (open door) policy was introduced to actively attract capital and technology from the West.

Although official ambassador-level diplomatic relations between Korea and Egypt were not established during Sadat's term (established in 1995), his open door policy served as an important stepping stone for Korean construction companies and companies to enter the Middle East and African markets using Egypt as a base in the late 1970s.

However, his decision to pursue peace in the Middle East resulted in strong opposition from the Arab world. The Arab League expelled Egypt from its membership, and domestic Islamist extremists branded him a traitor.

In the end, Sadat's eventful life ended on October 6, 1981, the same date as the outbreak of the Fourth Middle East War, when he was shot down by extremist soldiers while observing a military parade commemorating the victory.

Anwar Sadat held out the hand of dialogue instead of the muzzle of a gun and opened the tightly closed door to peace in the Middle East. His decision to willingly reconcile with his enemies and even exchange his life for the sake of peace remains a great diplomatic legacy to this day.