Peace in the Making

Here, for the first time, is the complete correspondence between Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egypt's President Anwar el-Sadat as they wrestled with what would become their Nobel Peace Prize-winning accomplishment. The letters, together with transcripts of speeches, press conferences, interviews, rare photos and official documents, reveal the personal relationship the two leaders constructed, which was eventually reflected in the treaty they signed. The personalities, the principled issues, the maneuverings, the clashes, the compromises and agreements are all revealed in these letters. Covering the period from June 1977 until a day before Sadat's assassination in October 1981, the Begin-Sadat correspondence affords a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the efforts, crises, and agonizing decisions these two leaders faced and overcame to achieve peace. Supplemented with photos and the full texts of the Camp David Accords and the Israel-Egypt peace treaty, this groundbreaking volume sheds new light on a peace process that succeeded.

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center in the heart of Jerusalem is a living memorial to the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel created by the "Begin Law" passed by the Knesset in 1997. Its mission is to perpetuate the ideals, principles, and legacy of Menachem Begin by providing a framework for students, soldiers, citizens of Israel, Diaspora Jews, and tourists to learn about and experience the life of Menachem Begin, identify his place in history, and become inspired by his life's work.

The Begin Center operates a multimedia museum, archives, library, and research center and numerous educational and cultural programs to achieve its goal of passing on to future generations Begin's belief in democracy and parliamentarianism, his vision of social justice, the return of Jews to their homeland, and peace for a secure Israel.

This publication is part of a series of publications dedicated to issues and events involving Menachem Begin.