Sadat's widow: Israel would be attacking Egypt if not for peace treaty

Last update - 13:28 09/05/2009

Sadat's widow: Israel would be attacking Egypt if not for peace treaty

By Haaretz Service

Jehan Sadat, the widow of assassinated Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat, said that were it not for the peace treaty signed 30 years ago, Israel would be attacking Egypt just as it is attacking the Gaza Strip.

Sadat made her remarks in a recent interview with Arabic-language news network Al Arabiya.

Sadat also said that had the Palestinians worked toward peace with Israel as her husband had urged them, they would be facing a different reality today.

She added that people often tell her that they disagreed with the Camp David Accords - signed by her late husband and former Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1979 - but that they now realize Sadat was ahead of his time.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1084207.html

And regarding Sadat's assassination, and Ayman al-Zawahiri:

Sadat had angered Islamist activists by signing a peace deal with Israel, and by arresting hundreds of his critics in an earlier security crackdown.

During the mass trial, Zawahiri emerged as a leader of the defendants and was filmed telling the court: "We are Muslims who believe in our religion. We are trying to establish an Islamic state and Islamic society."

Although he was cleared of involvement in Sadat's assassination, Zawahiri was convicted of the illegal possession of arms, and served a three-year sentence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7216127.stm

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