Suez and Jerusalem: 1974–1977

Abstract

The third set of Sadat’s conciliatory moves took place against a markedly changed background from those of 1971 and 1973. The most obvious changes resulted from the long-term effects of the October 1973 war, both political and psychological. The latter had, at one and the same time, made the Israelis less confident of their ability to sustain their dominant position arising from their triumphs in 1967 while making the Egyptians more confident of both their military and bargaining capacities. While not perceiving themselves as equal parties, both Israelis and Egyptians seemed to see themselves as less unequal following the events of October 1973, producing a concomitant willingness to search for solutions on the one hand and a new confidence in dealing with the old enemy on the other.