Former Egyptian First Lady dies at 88, Israeli officials send condolences

Defense Minister Benny Gantz wrote on Twitter that he shares the grief of the Egyptian people over the death of Sadat.

JULY 11, 2021 09:30

Jehan Sadat, widow of Egypt's President Anwar-Sadat, holds a press conference in Glasgow (photo credit: REUTERS) — Jehan Sadat, widow of Egypt's President Anwar-Sadat, holds a press conference in Glasgow

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Former Egyptian First Lady Jehan Sadat, wife of late former president Anwar Sadat, has died at age 88, the presidency said in a statement on Friday, having been in poor health.

Shortly after the announcement of her death, Israeli politicians and officials began expressing their condolences to the Sadat family and the Egyptian people.

"'Peace is the axis around which our lives revolve' - Jehan Sadat. A woman of peace, equality and feminism," said Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli on Twitter Sunday.

Sadat "was much more than 'the widow of' and was a respected figure in her own right," said Michaeli.

"It is a good chance to remember that Egypt was once Israel's most bitter enemy and today is an important ally. This can and should be the situation with other neighbors," said Michaeli.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke with Egypt's Ambassador to Israel Khaled Azmi and expressed his condolences to the Egyptian people following the death of Sadat.

הצטערתי לשמוע על פטירתה של ג׳יהאן סאדאת, אלמנת נשיא מצרים לשעבר אנואר סאדאת. ג׳יהאן עמדה לצד הנשיא סאדאת במעשה ההיסטורי של ביקורו בירושלים ועשיית השלום עם ישראל. ג׳יהאן עסקה בקידום השלום בשנים בהן פעל להשגת שלום עם ישראל. בשמי ובשם מדינת ישראל תנחומינו לנשיא מצרים והעם המצרי.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 9, 2021

"I was sorry to hear of the passing of Jehan Sadat. Jehan stood by President Sadat in the historic act of his visit to Jerusalem and making peace with Israel. She promoted peace with Israel. On behalf of the State of Israel, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the President of Egypt and the Egyptian people."

Defense Minister Benny Gantz also wrote on Twitter that he shares the grief of the Egyptian people over the death of Sadat.

אני משתתף בצער העם המצרי על מותה של ג'יהאן סאדאת, אשתו של הנשיא המנוח, הפטריוט המצרי, הלוחם ואיש השלום אנואר סאדאת, שנרצח על פועלו ושבצל מורשת השלום שלו אנו פועלים היום. יהי זכרה ברוך.
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) July 9, 2021

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Jehan's Sadat's late husband, Anwar Sadat, served as the third president of Egypt from 1970 until his assassination. He and former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, in cooperation with former US President Jimmy Carter, signed a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979.

Before the treaty, he fought against Israel in the Yom Kippur War to regain the Sinai Peninsula. His assassination in 1981 by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad was largely due to his decision to make peace with Israel.

Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.