ABSTRACT
Anwar Sadat’s decision to break the psychological barrier between Arabs and Jews, fly directly to Jerusalem and speak directly to the Israeli people, did not come to him suddenly. It did not arise out of desperation, it was not a momentary flash of inspiration, though that was how it seemed to him and to his admirers and detractors. It was the culmination of many years of private deliberations and agonising self-examination. The manner and method of his stunning initiative perfectly exemplified his dramatic personality; the actor, the visionary, the humanitarian, the innovator, the builder, the confident leader, the breaker of taboos, the fearless creator of new ideas. It also revealed his impatience with and contempt for the Arab leaders who held on to old shibboleths and through fear, ignorance and prejudice refused to follow in his footsteps. Had he been less bold, he would never have achieved the great breakthrough; had he been more understanding of leaders like King Hussein he might have achieved even more, but that is still a matter of debate.
