---
born: 1918-12-25
category: Intelligence & Government
died: 1981-10-06
location: Mit Abu al-Kawm, Al-Minufiyya, Egypt
summary: He was informed by the Soviets about Israel's attitude towards a comprehensive
  peace settlement in the Middle East, following Golda Meir's meeting with Leonid
  Brezhnev in 1972.
tags:
- Person
- Politician
- Israel
- Soviet
---

[Anwar Sadat](/people/anwar-sadat/) was the President of [Egypt](/places/egypt/). In 1978, he successfully concluded the Camp David summit with Israeli Prime Minister [Menachem Begin](/people/menachem-begin/), a significant step towards peace in the Middle East.[^2]

He was informed by the [Soviets](/places/soviet-union/) about [Israel's](/places/israel/) attitude towards a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East, following [Golda Meir's](/people/golda-meir/) meeting with [Leonid Brezhnev](/people/leonid-brezhnev/) in 1972. This intelligence may have prompted [Sadat](/people/anwar-sadat/) to launch a war against [Israel](/places/israel/) in 1973 to force them to the peace table.[^1]

[Sadat](/people/anwar-sadat/) and [Menachem Begin](/people/menachem-begin/) later developed a face-saving formula over the Palestinian issue, leading to the [Camp David Accords](/events/camp-david-summit/). [Sadat](/people/anwar-sadat/) was primarily interested in regaining the Sinai for [Egypt](/places/egypt/) and was not keen on the [Gaza Strip](/places/gaza-strip/) due to its large Palestinian population.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
[^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991.