Att plantera fredens träd med rättvisan som rötter
Sadat och fredsprocessen 1977 - 1979
One of the more hopeful signs in the Middle East-conflict during the 20th century was president Sadat´s visit to Jerusalem in November 1977. His speech in Knesset arose deep feelings, from open hostility to careful optimism and belief in the future. During nearly one and a half year Egyptian and Israeli delegations negotiated. They came to a peace-agreement, the Camp David-Accords, under the guidance of the United States. The main-actors during the peace- negotiations were President Sadat, Prime Minister Begin and President Carter. I have chosen Professor Pierre Bourdieu´s ideas about habitus, field and cultural and symbolic capitals as a model for my essay. I have applied the theory to the complex of problems characterizing the peace process which president Sadat was promoting and which Prime Minister Begin and President Carter participated in. The main questions in my essay are how president Sadat´s bold initiative could theoretically and practically be established in an environment of distrust, hostility and misinterpretation? Were there any possibilities to establish a dialogue with the former enemy Israel and if so under which circumstances? Was it worthwhile for Egypt and Israel to sign the peace agreement? What would be the cost? In what way could the US and its president become an intermediary and reconciling link? The answers were: Peninsula of Sinai was returned to Egypt, Israel got the security along the border to Egypt, peace talks were established and a process was started with the purpose to go further towards a fruitful relation between Egypt and Israel, the economic situations were changed and diplomatic contacts started. In my opinion the three main actors and their personal habitus, symbolic and cultural capitals played a main role. The special personal feeling between Sadat, Carter and Begin contributed to facilitate the peace process.