Hunger for Peace: Egypt's Economic Reasons to Seek Peace with Israel

Abstract

In 1978, Egypt's Anwar Al-Sadat launched a historic peace initiative with Israel, ultimately culminating in a peace agreement that, nearly 30 years later, still stands. This paper traces Egypt's economic status under Anwar Al-Sadat and concludes that Sadat, rather than just being an innately peace-loving man, had real economic incentives in seeking peace with Israel. Egypt diverted resources from its infrastructure and its people in order to pay for a heavily armed border with Israel. Hostilities toward Israel also cost the country foreign direct investment and foreign aid from the West. Sadat's desire for peace was literally hunger because his citizens were starving.