EGYPTIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE PERIOD OF ANWAR AL SADAT

Abdulfettah İsmail ŞENBAŞ Politics and Diplomacy Academy Egypt foreign policy affected by Arabic-Islamic As a result of this policy change, dependency of identity. National identity of Egypt is never Eastern block of Egypt had changed and Egypt integrated with Arabism. Despite everything, shifted to the Western block that managed by US. Popular culture of Egypt has been always Islamic While Egypt was dispensing with perceiving Israel because of the central location on Islamic as a threat through Camp David accords, it civilization of Egypt. Because of this, people of endangered itself toward the Arab World. In this Egypt can represent Islamic reactions easily. Like sense, the regimes which monarchic and Baathist other Arab countries, Egypt had faced same within the Arab world had leaved Egypt alone due imperialist and Zionist enemies throughout its to its relations with Israel and United States. Egypt history. Therefore, President Nasser's Pan-Arab is the most dangerous factor for Arab countries message, has caused the Arab enthusiasm. Thus anymore. Egypt which saved relations with United Nasser's regime propagandized Arab identity States and Israel by the end of the Cold War, systematically in Egypt. Nevertheless. Arabism enhanced extremely dependency of the Western concept in Egypt had been kept relatively cursory block. After the Camp David accords, the way. In addition, President Nasser had encouraged agreement that signed by Israel and Egypt in the people to consider as they part of the Arab world. March 1979 put an end to this process. The most But President Anwar Sadat had effort to avoid the important part of agreement is that the sides able to Pan-Arab address and he had encouraged people to respect territorial integrity of each other and to Egypt-based identity.1 emphasis on peaceful co-existence. On the other hand, the relations that progressing cultural and Anwar Sadat had brought the new alternatives and diplomatic between the sides officially launched initiatives to Egyptian foreign policy that pursued in with the agreement. In this manner, Anwar al Sadat the previous periods have brought. This change of studied to create an Egypt that integrated to West policy is based on cooperation and interdependence better. We can define it as contradiction of Arab principles of liberal theory. In the period until the world and the gaining trust of United States and 1973 war, Egypt had seeking for diplomatic Western. Besides the Egypt’s reputation inside Arab alliances and coalitions to balance the security world gradually phased out. President Anwar al threat from Israel. In this context, he was using the Sadat has tried to evaluate issue of Palestine as a hard competition between blocks that occurred in second priority matter by cramping over the Cold War in their own interests to able to get relations with Israel about Gaza and Sinai problem. concessions from both block. On the other hand, in In addition, President Anwar al Sadat has had a the course that destined for the 1973 war, he had dream that turn into an advantage the Palestine attempt to end the segregation in the Arab world. In problem therefore he brought his Islamic identity this context, he had tried to build a strong defense into the forefront. Finally, he worked to make a line against perceived security threats from Israel. policy by announcing this Islamic identity as an Besides, for the purpose of end the chaos that ‘other’. The policies which supported by Anwar al occurred in Egypt internal politics and Sadat led to emerge destructive results in the way of strengthening the authority of the regime that he Muslim-Arab identity that shaped idea as part of led, he had followed the securitization policy saving Jerusalem.3 against Israel. After the 1973 war, relations with the US had re-edited, but the relations with eastern In addition to these, the Egyptian economy has block that managed by Soviet Union had been affected from liberal wave. Egypt which has get minimized. This policy based on "state interest" that experience several changes in domestic policy with the principle of realist theory. ''Pursuing mutual the Anwar al Sadat also has experience as well as in profits in long term is more rational than pursuing foreign policy. After that Egypt gave up hope of selfish interest short-term principle has made more Soviet Union and redirected itself from East to sense for Anwar Sadat.2 Besides, there is an West. Also Anwar al Sadat has determined new important reason on foreign policy of the Egypt policies in order to re-direct Egyptian economy. In enter the axis of US. With the détente between two the period of Anwar al Sadat the Arab’s socialism block in 1970s, Sadat began to worry. When Soviet decreased in value but differently the free trade Union cannot protect the interests of Egypt in economy gained importance. Anwar al Sadat’s region, Anwar Sadat began to look for a better ally dream was an Egypt is liberalized. The Soviet in the region. At this point, the United States, was Union anymore was no powerful and there was only seen as the best choice to Egypt. As a result, Sadat address that can remediate for Egypt. It was United put into effect all policies that improving relations States. This new policy that defined as an expansion with the United States. policy, Egyptian economy struggled in order to integrate to international liberal economy. On the

- 1 - Egypt foreign policy affected by Arabic-Islamic As a result of this policy change, dependency of one hand, Anwar al Sadat who come to power after identity. National identity of Egypt is never Eastern block of Egypt had changed and Egypt the Nasser applied the open door policies that integrated with Arabism. Despite everything, shifted to the Western block that managed by US. named ‘Infitah’ and began the process of adaptation Popular culture of Egypt has been always Islamic While Egypt was dispensing with perceiving Israel to capitalist economic system.4 The basic policy in because of the central location on Islamic as a threat through Camp David accords, it this term is the expansion of luxury consumer goods civilization of Egypt. Because of this, people of endangered itself toward the Arab World. In this over the import. In the consequence of these Egypt can represent Islamic reactions easily. Like sense, the regimes which monarchic and Baathist approaches brought with unemployment, inequality other Arab countries, Egypt had faced same within the Arab world had leaved Egypt alone due and poverty in response the people especially imperialist and Zionist enemies throughout its to its relations with Israel and United States. Egypt workers protested him and his western-oriented history. Therefore, President Nasser's Pan-Arab is the most dangerous factor for Arab countries policies. message, has caused the Arab enthusiasm. Thus anymore. Egypt which saved relations with United Nasser's regime propagandized Arab identity States and Israel by the end of the Cold War, Overall, we can see the essential changes very well systematically in Egypt. Nevertheless. Arabism enhanced extremely dependency of the Western in Egypt foreign policy with the term of Anwar al concept in Egypt had been kept relatively cursory block. After the Camp David accords, the Sadat. If we classify that he gave up the role of way. In addition, President Nasser had encouraged agreement that signed by Israel and Egypt in the being a leader on Arab world and he pushed himself people to consider as they part of the Arab world. March 1979 put an end to this process. The most the location of intermediator state that have But President Anwar Sadat had effort to avoid the important part of agreement is that the sides able to strategic importance. Besides he studied to produce Pan-Arab address and he had encouraged people to respect territorial integrity of each other and to some peaceful solutions in consideration of Egypt-based identity.1 emphasis on peaceful co-existence. On the other experienced circumstances. Secondly, he vacated hand, the relations that progressing cultural and the ideology of revolutionist Arab’s nationalism. Anwar Sadat had brought the new alternatives and diplomatic between the sides officially launched Within this scope, Egypt did not care foreign policy initiatives to Egyptian foreign policy that pursued in with the agreement. In this manner, Anwar al Sadat that have more nationalist structure therefore they the previous periods have brought. This change of studied to create an Egypt that integrated to West adopted an economic model which policy is based on cooperation and interdependence better. We can define it as contradiction of Arab western-oriented one. Egypt actually determined a principles of liberal theory. In the period until the world and the gaining trust of United States and policy of American-oriented in foreign policy 1973 war, Egypt had seeking for diplomatic Western. Besides the Egypt’s reputation inside Arab concerning with this economic openness’s. Finally, alliances and coalitions to balance the security world gradually phased out. President Anwar al the state of Egypt had renounced policies that threat from Israel. In this context, he was using the Sadat has tried to evaluate issue of Palestine as a followed about balance of power on the contrary hard competition between blocks that occurred in second priority matter by cramping over the attempted the peaceful methods international Cold War in their own interests to able to get relations with Israel about Gaza and Sinai problem. relations.5 concessions from both block. On the other hand, in In addition, President Anwar al Sadat has had a the course that destined for the 1973 war, he had dream that turn into an advantage the Palestine References attempt to end the segregation in the Arab world. In problem therefore he brought his Islamic identity https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Docume this context, he had tried to build a strong defense into the forefront. Finally, he worked to make a nts/pubs/SadatandHisLegacy.pdf.pdf line against perceived security threats from Israel. policy by announcing this Islamic identity as an http://countrystudies.us/egypt/44.htm- U.S. Library Besides, for the purpose of end the chaos that ‘other’. The policies which supported by Anwar al of Congress occurred in Egypt internal politics and Sadat led to emerge destructive results in the way of Armaoğlu, Fahir. Filistin Meselesi ve Arap-İsrail strengthening the authority of the regime that he Muslim-Arab identity that shaped idea as part of Savaşları (1948–1988), Ankara: Türkiye İş Bankası led, he had followed the securitization policy saving Jerusalem.3 Yayınları, 1989 against Israel. After the 1973 war, relations with the Efegil, Ertan. Mısır ve Ürdün’ün Dış Politikalarını Şekillendiren Unsurlar : Orsam OrtadoğuAnaliz, US had re-edited, but the relations with eastern In addition to these, the Egyptian economy has 2013 Cilt 5 sayı 51 block that managed by Soviet Union had been affected from liberal wave. Egypt which has get Ozkan, Mehmet. Mısır Dış Politikası Dünü,Bugünü minimized. This policy based on "state interest" that experience several changes in domestic policy with ve Sorunları. Seta-Analiz, İstanbul: 2014 the principle of realist theory. ''Pursuing mutual the Anwar al Sadat also has experience as well as in profits in long term is more rational than pursuing foreign policy. After that Egypt gave up hope of selfish interest short-term principle has made more Soviet Union and redirected itself from East to 1-. sense for Anwar Sadat.2 Besides, there is an West. Also Anwar al Sadat has determined new https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/Sad important reason on foreign policy of the Egypt policies in order to re-direct Egyptian economy. In atandHisLegacy.pdf.pdf 2- http://countrystudies.us/egypt/44.htm- U.S. Library of Congress enter the axis of US. With the détente between two the period of Anwar al Sadat the Arab’s socialism 3- Mehmet Özkan, Mısır Dış Politikası-Dünü, Bugünü ve block in 1970s, Sadat began to worry. When Soviet decreased in value but differently the free trade Sorunları. Seta-Analiz, Mart 2014 sayı 88. Union cannot protect the interests of Egypt in economy gained importance. Anwar al Sadat’s 4- Fahir Armaoğlu, Filistin Meselesi ve Arap-İsrail Savaşları (1948–1988), Ankara: Türkiye İş Bankası Yayınları, 1989, s. region, Anwar Sadat began to look for a better ally dream was an Egypt is liberalized. The Soviet 141-142 in the region. At this point, the United States, was Union anymore was no powerful and there was only 5- Ertan Efegil, Mısır ve Ürdün’ün Dış Politikalarını Şekillendiren seen as the best choice to Egypt. As a result, Sadat address that can remediate for Egypt. It was United Unsurlar. Orsam OrtadoğuAnaliz, Mart 2013 sayı 51 put into effect all policies that improving relations States. This new policy that defined as an expansion with the United States. policy, Egyptian economy struggled in order to integrate to international liberal economy. On the

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