Egyptian President Anwar Sadat‘s plane landed at Ben Gurion Airport at the start of a historic 36-hour visit to Israel. He is greeted by Prime Minister Menachem Begin, President Ephraim Katzir and a 21-gun salute. After the ceremony at the airport, Sadat is driven to Jerusalem for an hour-long meeting with Begin.

Ten days earlier, after attempts at a joint Soviet-American-sponsored peace conference fell apart, Sadat, in a speech to the Egyptian parliament, offered to go to the Knesset to discuss peace.

Begin extended an invitation to Sadat via the United States on November 15 in a letter that read, “Your Excellency’s readiness to undertake such a visit, as expressed to the People’s Council of Egypt, has been noted here with deep and positive interest, as has your statement that you wish to address the members of our parliament, the Knesset, and to meet with me.”