On occasion, the most heartfelt announcements, when delivered in the wrong context, can come across comical rather than inspirational. As was the case on Sunday with a flowery tweet by Israeli Minister of Communication Ayoob Kara (Likud). But first, some context:
Israelis on Sunday commemorated the 40th anniversary of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s November 19, 1977 visit to Israel, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, and spoke before the Knesset in Jerusalem about his views on how to achieve a comprehensive peace to the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Regardless of whether one embraces or rejects the outcome of that visit – many would tell you that it marked the beginning of Israel’s acceptance as a legitimate entity among the Arabs of the region; many others would argue that it began the downfall of the Zionist dream of resettling Biblical Israel – Sadat was a brave man, who delivered stunning benefits for his people.
Then, on October 6, 1981, Sadat was assassinated during a victory parade in Cairo celebrating Egypt’s crossing of the Suez Canal under his command.
With the ultimate price paid by that brave man in mind, Minister Kara’s tweet Sunday morning came across as a tad quirky when he stated: “I am filled with hope that the region’s leaders emulate the Late Anwar Sadat, be courageous and arrive for a visit in the Knesset and in Jerusalem.”
Admittedly, with the longevity of Arab leaders who pay official visits to the Knesset in Jerusalem set at about four years, one could read Kara’s tweet to be on the morbid side.
This may be the time for Arab countries, especially the Sunnis, to cooperate with Israel against the common enemy, namely Iran, Hezbollah, and the rest of Iran’s terror proxies. But an Arab leader’s visit to the Knesset is probably not going to be repeated any time soon.
Self preservation – Israel would gladly settle for that as the guiding principle of Arab rulers in the region.