Union President Meets Sadat

As Jewish Action went to press, with this article in place, we learned of the tragic death of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The Orthodox Union joins the rest of the world in expressing shock and sorrow at the assassination of this world leader.

Orthodox Union President Julius Berman, and several other representatives of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, met with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on August 7, at the New York home of the Egyptian Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Ahmed Esmat Abdel Meguib. The American Jewish leaders were led by Howard Squadron, Chairman of the Presidents’ Conference, and Edgar Bronfman, President of the World Jewish Congress.

The Egyptian president expressed his position on achieving peace in the Middle East, saying he believed the PLO’s public agreement to a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel this summer represented a turning point in the quest for peace among Israel and the Arab nations. He stated that this was a real advance for the cause of peace, and it was now necessary for the PLO and Israel to engage in “mutual recognition,” a formula Mr. Sadat had proposed to President Reagan and espoused numerous times during his recent U.S. visit.

If Mr. Sadat believed he might obtain support from the organized American Jewish community for his position on the PLO, that notion was quickly dispelled at the meeting, Mr. Berman reported. In response to the Egyptian president’s comments, the Jewish delegation conveyed the message to Mr. Sadat that American Jewish public opinion is united on these issues, and is of one mind with the Israeli government that:

• The PLO and Arab countries must recognize Israel and accept U.N resolutions 242 and 338 prior to any negotiations

• It is patently unfair to place the PLO and Israel in the same category by recommending “mutual recognition”

• The negotiations on autonomy should be reinstated

• Jerusalem must remain a united city under Israeli rule.