Menachem Begin: The Zionist Leader Who Achieved Peace in the Middle East

  • 4 months ago
Menachem Begin was a Zionist leader who was Prime Minister of Israel from 1977 to 1983. He was known for his uncompromising stance in defending the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which had been occupied by Israel during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. a pragmatist willing to negotiate for peace.
After Israel gained independence in 1948, Begin became leader of the Herut party, which later became the Likud party. As leader of the opposition, Begin was a vocal critic of the Israeli government. He opposed the peace agreement signed by the previous Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin.

However, Begin was also a pragmatist who recognized that peace with Egypt was essential to Israel's security. In 1977, Begin won the Israeli elections, and he began working to reach a peace agreement with Egypt. In 1978, Begin met with Egyptian President Anwar el-Sādāt at Camp David, United States, to conduct negotiations. The two leaders faced enormous challenges, but they ultimately managed to reach an agreement.

The Camp David Accords stipulated that Israel would return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in exchange for full diplomatic recognition from Egypt. The agreement also stipulates that the two countries will cooperate in various fields, including economics, culture and security.

The Camp David Agreement was signed on March 26, 1979. The agreement was a significant achievement in the history of the Middle East. The agreement is the first peace agreement signed between Israel and an Arab country. The agreement also paved the way for other peace agreements in the region.

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