Reframing Egypt-Israel Relations: A Constructivist Perspective on the Nasser and Sadat Eras

Sevim Börklüce; Ayşe Ömür Atmaca

Research Article

Reframing Egypt-Israel Relations: A Constructivist Perspective on the Nasser and Sadat Eras

Year 2024,

Abstract

One of the most significant consequences of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was the advent of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the region. Palestine, which was already home to an Arab population, became the focus of Israeli settlements, which incited hatred and anger among the Arab states in general. The perception of Israel as the primary adversary of the Arab states reached its zenith following the Suez Crisis of 1956. This event propelled Gamal Abdel Nasser to the forefront of the Arab world as a charismatic leader, thereby giving rise to the pan-Arab ideology of the late 1950s and 1960s. Nasser became the epitome of the struggle against the imperialist West and its extension, Israel, in the Middle East. However, Anwar Sadat, who succeeded Nasser, placed Egyptian interests above those of the Arab states, thereby making Egypt the first Arab country to recognise Israel as a state. Egypt’s foreign policy towards Israel underwent a significant transformation, shifting from a pan-Arab nationalist stance to one that prioritised Egyptian interests. This article explores the underlying factors that shaped this political shift, drawing upon the principles of social constructivism and the concept of identity. Through an analysis of the foreign policy actions and discourse of key leaders, it posits that the Egyptian state identity evolved from Nasser to Sadat, with this transition being shaped by a complex interplay of domestic and international factors.

Keywords

Egypt, Israel, State Identity, Foreign Policy, Constructivism

References

Abadi, J. (2019). Israeli-Egyptian Relations: Obstacles to Meaningful Rapprochement. Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, 43 (1), 1-24.
Alsayyad, N. (2013). Cairo: Histories of a City. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.
Altoraifi, A. (2012). Understanding the Role of State Identity in Foreign Policy-Making: The Rise and Demise of Saudi-Iranian Rapprochement (1997-2009). (Unpublished PhD dissertation), London: The London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anderson, L. (1987). The State in the Middle East and North Africa. Comparative Politics. 20 (1), 1-18.
Baker, R. W. (1978). Egypt’s Uncertain Revolution under Nasser and Sadat. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Barnett, M. (1998). Dialogues in Arab Politics, New York: Colombia University Press.
Beinin, J. (1990). Was the Red Flag Flying There? Marxist Politics and the Arab-Israeli Conflict in Egypt and Israel, 1948-1965, London: I. B. Tauris.
Boulding, K. E. (1956). The Image: Knowledge in Life and Society. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. Brittanica. Pan-Arabism, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pan-Arabism.
Brownlee, J. (2011-2012). Peace before Freedom: Diplomacy and Repression in Sadat’s Egypt. Political Science Quarterly, 126 (4), 641-668.
Chafetz, G., Spirtas, M. And Frankel, B. (1998). Introduction: Tracing the Influence of Identity on Foreign Policy in Origins of National Interests. Security Studies, 8 (2-3), 7-22.
Cleveland, W. (2008). Modern Ortadoğu Tarihi. Translated by Mehmet Harmancı, İstanbul: Agora Kitaplığı.
Dawisha, A. (1976). Egypt in the Arab World: The Elements of Foreign Policy, New York: Halsted Press.
Dawisha, A. (2002). Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century: From Triumph to Despair, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Demirtaş-Coşkun, B. (2005). Review on Social Theory of International Politics by Alexander Wendt. Uluslararası İlişkiler, 2 (7), 189-194.
Demirtaş-Coşkun, B. (2008). Systemic Changes and State Identity: Turkish and German Responses. Insight Turkey, 10 (1), 31-54.
Dishon, D. (1978). Sadat’s Arab Adversaries. Jerusalem Quarterly, 8, 3-15.
Farid, A. M. (1994). Nasser: The Final Years, Reading, U.K.: Ithaca Press.
Ferris, J. (2012). Nasser’s Gamble: How Intervention In Yemen Caused The Six-Day War And The Decline Of Egyptian Power, Princeton Nj: Princeton University Press.
Finnemore, M. (1996). National Interests in International Society, New York: Cornell University Press.
Flesken, A. (2018). Identity Change In A Context Of Intergroup Threat: Regional Identity Mobilization In Bolivia. Politics, 38 (1), 51-67.
Flockhart, T. (2016). Constructivism and Foreign Policy. S. Smith, A. Hadfield And T. Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, (p.79-94), New York: Oxford University Press.
Green, D. M. (2015). Constructivist Comparative Politics: Foundations and Framework. D. GREEN (ed.) Constructivism and Comparative Politics, (p.11-54), London and NY: Routledge.
Hatina, M. (2007). Identity Politics in the Middle East: Liberal Thought and Islamic Challenge in Egypt, London: Tauris.
Heikal, M. H. (1978) Egyptian Foreign Policy. Foreign Affairs, 56 (4), 714-727.
Hopf, T. (1998). The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory. International Security, 23 (1), 171-200.
Interim Agreement between Israel and Egypt (Sinai II). (1975), https://peacemaker.un.org/egyptisrael-interimagreement75.
Jackson, H. F. (1981). Sadat’s Perils. Foreign Policy, 42, 58-73.
James, L. M. (2006). Nasser at War: Arab Images of the Enemy, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jillani, A. (1991). Nasser, Saddam and Pan-Arabism. Pakistan Horizon, 44 (2), 75-88.
Korn, D. A. (1992). Stalemate: The War of Attrition and Great Power Diplomacy in the Middle East, 1967–1970, Boulder: Westview.
Kubalkova, V. (2015). Foreign Policy, International Politics, and Constructivism. V. Kubalkova (ed.), Foreign Policy in a Constructed World, (p.15-37), London and New York: Routledge.
Lynch, M. (1999). Abandoning Iraq: Jordan’s Alliances and the Politics of State Identity. Security Studies, 8 (2-3), 347-388.
Mansfield, P. (1965). Nasser’s Egypt. London: Penguin’s Book.
Mansfield, P. (1973). Nasser and Nasserism. International Journal, 28 (4), 670-688.
Matsumura, M. (2008). The Japanese State Identity as a Grand Strategic Imperative. The Brookings Institution Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05_japan_matsumura.pdf.
Nasser, G. A. (1955). Speech to the Popular Congress in Jumhuriyya Square, Cairo.
Nasser, G. A. (1962). Interview by David Morgan. Transcript: Sunday Times Reporter Interview with President, http://nasser.bibalex.org/Common/SundayTimesInterview_en.aspx?lang=en.
Nixon, R. (1974). Remarks on the Arrival of President Nixon in Cairo, https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Remarks%20on%20the%20Arrival %20of%20President%20Nixon%20in%20Cairo.pdf.
Osman, T. (2010). Egypt on the Brink: From the Rise of Nasser to the Fall of Mubarak, New Haven: Yale University Press.
Parker, R. (1993). The Politics of Miscalculation in the Middle East, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Reiser, S. (1983). Pan-Arabism Revisited, Middle East Journal, 37 (2), 218- 233.
Rumelili, B. And Todd, J. (2018). Paradoxes of identity change: Integrating macro, meso, and micro research on identity in conflict processes. Politics, 38 (1), 3-18.
Seale, P. (1979). The Egypt-Israel Treaty and Its Implications. The World Today, 35 (5), 189-196.
Sadat, A. (1972). President Sadat’s Speech to the Second Session of the Egyptian People's Assembly, Cairo, October 15. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential- speeches.
(1973). Excerpts of a Speech Calling for an Arab-Israeli Peace Conference, Cairo, October 16. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Excerpts%20of%20a%20Speech%20Calling%20for%20an%20Arab-Israeli%20Peace%20Conference.pdf.
(1975a). Speech to the Economic Club, New York, October 30, 1975. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20the%20Economic%20Club.PDF.
(1975b). Speech to Egyptian Expatriates in Washington D.C., Washington, November 6. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20Egyptian%20Expatriates%20in%20Washington%20D.C.PDF.
(1975c). Speech to British Businessmen, London, November 7. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20British%20Businessmen.PDF.
(1975d). Speech to Members of the Egyptian Community in Britain, London, November 8. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20Members%20of%20the%20Egyptian%20Community%20in%20Britain.PDF
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(1976a). Address to the People’s Assembly, Cairo, Marc 14. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Address%20to%20the%20People’s%20Assembly.pdf.
(1976b). Excerpt from a Speech to the German Foreign Policy Society, Cairo, March 30. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1976c). Excerpt from a Speech at the Inaugural Session of the New People’s Assembly, Cairo November 11. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
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Sawant, A. B. (1979). Recent Changes in Egypt’s Foreign Policy. India Quarterly, 35 (1), 20-41.
Shalaby, E. A. (1992). Egypt’s Foreign Policy 1952-1992: Some Personal Reflections. Security Dialogue, 23 (3), 107-115.
Sivak-Reid, K. (2016). Tracing A State And Its Language From Province To Republic: Translations Of Modern Egypt’s Constitution, Classic Honors Project Paper 22.
Stein, E. (2011). Camp David Consensus: Ideas, Intellectuals, And The Division Of Labor In Egypt’s Foreign Policy Toward Israel. International Studies Quarterly, 55 (3), 737-758.
Sylvan D. A., Goel A. And Chandrasekaran B. (1990). Analyzing Political Decision Making From An Information-Processing Perspective: Jesse. American Journal Of Political Science, 34 (1), 74-123.
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Mısır-İsrail İlişkilerini Yeniden Çerçevelemek: Nasır ve Sedat Dönemlerine İnşacı Bir Bakış

Year 2024,

Sevim Börklüce , Ayşe Ömür Atmaca

Abstract

1948’de İsrail Devleti’nin kurulmasının en önemli sonuçlarından biri bölgede Arap-İsrail çatışmasının ortaya çıkmasıdır. Halihazırda bir Arap topluluğunun yaşadığı Filistin, İsrail yerleşimlerinin hedefi haline gelmiş, bu da genel olarak Arap devletleri arasında nefret ve öfkeye neden olmuştur. İsrail’in Arap devletlerinin baş düşmanı olarak algılanması, Cemal Abdülnasır’ı ezilen Arap dünyasının karizmatik lideri haline getiren ve böylece 1950’lerin sonu ve 1960’ların pan-Arap ideolojisini doğuran 1956 Süveyş krizinin ardından en yüksek seviyesine ulaştı. Nasır, emperyalist Batı’ya ve onun Ortadoğu’daki uzantısı İsrail’e karşı mücadelenin simgesi haline geldi. Ancak Nasır’ın halefi Enver Sedat, Mısır’ın çıkarlarını Arap kaygılarının önüne koyarak Mısır’ı İsrail’i resmen tanıyan ilk Arap devleti haline getirdi. Böylece Mısır’ın İsrail’e yönelik dış politikası pan-Arap milliyetçiliğinden Mısır milliyetçiliğine keskin bir dönüş yaptı. Bu siyasi değişimin nasıl ve neden gerçekleştiği, kimlik kavramına odaklanarak sosyal inşacılık ilkelerine dayanan bu makalenin ana araştırma konusudur. Liderlerin dış politika davranışlarını ve söylemlerini inceleyen bu makale, Mısır devlet kimliğinin Nasır’dan Sedat’a değiştiğini ve bu değişimin iç ve uluslararası faktörlerden kaynaklandığını savunmaktadır.

Keywords

Mısır, İsrail, devlet kimliği, dış politika, İnşacılık

Ethical Statement

This article is based on the Master’s thesis completed by Sevim Börklüce under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Ömür Atmaca in 2022.

References

Abadi, J. (2019). Israeli-Egyptian Relations: Obstacles to Meaningful Rapprochement. Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, 43 (1), 1-24.
Alsayyad, N. (2013). Cairo: Histories of a City. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.
Altoraifi, A. (2012). Understanding the Role of State Identity in Foreign Policy-Making: The Rise and Demise of Saudi-Iranian Rapprochement (1997-2009). (Unpublished PhD dissertation), London: The London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anderson, L. (1987). The State in the Middle East and North Africa. Comparative Politics. 20 (1), 1-18.
Baker, R. W. (1978). Egypt’s Uncertain Revolution under Nasser and Sadat. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Barnett, M. (1998). Dialogues in Arab Politics, New York: Colombia University Press.
Beinin, J. (1990). Was the Red Flag Flying There? Marxist Politics and the Arab-Israeli Conflict in Egypt and Israel, 1948-1965, London: I. B. Tauris.
Boulding, K. E. (1956). The Image: Knowledge in Life and Society. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. Brittanica. Pan-Arabism, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pan-Arabism.
Brownlee, J. (2011-2012). Peace before Freedom: Diplomacy and Repression in Sadat’s Egypt. Political Science Quarterly, 126 (4), 641-668.
Chafetz, G., Spirtas, M. And Frankel, B. (1998). Introduction: Tracing the Influence of Identity on Foreign Policy in Origins of National Interests. Security Studies, 8 (2-3), 7-22.
Cleveland, W. (2008). Modern Ortadoğu Tarihi. Translated by Mehmet Harmancı, İstanbul: Agora Kitaplığı.
Dawisha, A. (1976). Egypt in the Arab World: The Elements of Foreign Policy, New York: Halsted Press.
Dawisha, A. (2002). Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century: From Triumph to Despair, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Demirtaş-Coşkun, B. (2005). Review on Social Theory of International Politics by Alexander Wendt. Uluslararası İlişkiler, 2 (7), 189-194.
Demirtaş-Coşkun, B. (2008). Systemic Changes and State Identity: Turkish and German Responses. Insight Turkey, 10 (1), 31-54.
Dishon, D. (1978). Sadat’s Arab Adversaries. Jerusalem Quarterly, 8, 3-15.
Farid, A. M. (1994). Nasser: The Final Years, Reading, U.K.: Ithaca Press.
Ferris, J. (2012). Nasser’s Gamble: How Intervention In Yemen Caused The Six-Day War And The Decline Of Egyptian Power, Princeton Nj: Princeton University Press.
Finnemore, M. (1996). National Interests in International Society, New York: Cornell University Press.
Flesken, A. (2018). Identity Change In A Context Of Intergroup Threat: Regional Identity Mobilization In Bolivia. Politics, 38 (1), 51-67.
Flockhart, T. (2016). Constructivism and Foreign Policy. S. Smith, A. Hadfield And T. Dunne (eds.), Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases, (p.79-94), New York: Oxford University Press.
Green, D. M. (2015). Constructivist Comparative Politics: Foundations and Framework. D. GREEN (ed.) Constructivism and Comparative Politics, (p.11-54), London and NY: Routledge.
Hatina, M. (2007). Identity Politics in the Middle East: Liberal Thought and Islamic Challenge in Egypt, London: Tauris.
Heikal, M. H. (1978) Egyptian Foreign Policy. Foreign Affairs, 56 (4), 714-727.
Hopf, T. (1998). The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory. International Security, 23 (1), 171-200.
Interim Agreement between Israel and Egypt (Sinai II). (1975), https://peacemaker.un.org/egyptisrael-interimagreement75.
Jackson, H. F. (1981). Sadat’s Perils. Foreign Policy, 42, 58-73.
James, L. M. (2006). Nasser at War: Arab Images of the Enemy, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jillani, A. (1991). Nasser, Saddam and Pan-Arabism. Pakistan Horizon, 44 (2), 75-88.
Korn, D. A. (1992). Stalemate: The War of Attrition and Great Power Diplomacy in the Middle East, 1967–1970, Boulder: Westview.
Kubalkova, V. (2015). Foreign Policy, International Politics, and Constructivism. V. Kubalkova (ed.), Foreign Policy in a Constructed World, (p.15-37), London and New York: Routledge.
Lynch, M. (1999). Abandoning Iraq: Jordan’s Alliances and the Politics of State Identity. Security Studies, 8 (2-3), 347-388.
Mansfield, P. (1965). Nasser’s Egypt. London: Penguin’s Book.
Mansfield, P. (1973). Nasser and Nasserism. International Journal, 28 (4), 670-688.
Matsumura, M. (2008). The Japanese State Identity as a Grand Strategic Imperative. The Brookings Institution Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/05_japan_matsumura.pdf.
Nasser, G. A. (1955). Speech to the Popular Congress in Jumhuriyya Square, Cairo.
Nasser, G. A. (1962). Interview by David Morgan. Transcript: Sunday Times Reporter Interview with President, http://nasser.bibalex.org/Common/SundayTimesInterview_en.aspx?lang=en.
Nixon, R. (1974). Remarks on the Arrival of President Nixon in Cairo, https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Remarks%20on%20the%20Arrival %20of%20President%20Nixon%20in%20Cairo.pdf.
Osman, T. (2010). Egypt on the Brink: From the Rise of Nasser to the Fall of Mubarak, New Haven: Yale University Press.
Parker, R. (1993). The Politics of Miscalculation in the Middle East, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Reiser, S. (1983). Pan-Arabism Revisited, Middle East Journal, 37 (2), 218- 233.
Rumelili, B. And Todd, J. (2018). Paradoxes of identity change: Integrating macro, meso, and micro research on identity in conflict processes. Politics, 38 (1), 3-18.
Seale, P. (1979). The Egypt-Israel Treaty and Its Implications. The World Today, 35 (5), 189-196.
Sadat, A. (1972). President Sadat’s Speech to the Second Session of the Egyptian People's Assembly, Cairo, October 15. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential- speeches.
(1973). Excerpts of a Speech Calling for an Arab-Israeli Peace Conference, Cairo, October 16. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Excerpts%20of%20a%20Speech%20Calling%20for%20an%20Arab-Israeli%20Peace%20Conference.pdf.
(1975a). Speech to the Economic Club, New York, October 30, 1975. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20the%20Economic%20Club.PDF.
(1975b). Speech to Egyptian Expatriates in Washington D.C., Washington, November 6. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20Egyptian%20Expatriates%20in%20Washington%20D.C.PDF.
(1975c). Speech to British Businessmen, London, November 7. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20British%20Businessmen.PDF.
(1975d). Speech to Members of the Egyptian Community in Britain, London, November 8. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20Members%20of%20the%20Egyptian%20Community%20in%20Britain.PDF
(1975e). Speech to Arab and African Ambassadors, London, November 8. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Speech%20to%20Arab%20and%20African%20Ambassadors.PDF.
(1976a). Address to the People’s Assembly, Cairo, Marc 14. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Address%20to%20the%20People’s%20Assembly.pdf.
(1976b). Excerpt from a Speech to the German Foreign Policy Society, Cairo, March 30. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1976c). Excerpt from a Speech at the Inaugural Session of the New People’s Assembly, Cairo November 11. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1976d). Excerpt from a Speech during a Visit to Ismailia, Ismailia, December 4. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1977a). Excerpts from a Speech to the People’s Assembly, Cairo, November 9. https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1977b). President Sadat’s Speech to the Knesset, Tel Aviv, November 20, https://sadat.umd.edu/resources/presidential-speeches.
(1978). Remarks on the Departure of President Sadat from the US, Washington D.C., February 8. https://sadat.umd.edu/sites/sadat.umd.edu/files/Remarks%20on%20the%20Departure%20of%20President%20Sadat%20from%20the%20US.pdf.
Sawant, A. B. (1979). Recent Changes in Egypt’s Foreign Policy. India Quarterly, 35 (1), 20-41.
Shalaby, E. A. (1992). Egypt’s Foreign Policy 1952-1992: Some Personal Reflections. Security Dialogue, 23 (3), 107-115.
Sivak-Reid, K. (2016). Tracing A State And Its Language From Province To Republic: Translations Of Modern Egypt’s Constitution, Classic Honors Project Paper 22.
Stein, E. (2011). Camp David Consensus: Ideas, Intellectuals, And The Division Of Labor In Egypt’s Foreign Policy Toward Israel. International Studies Quarterly, 55 (3), 737-758.
Sylvan D. A., Goel A. And Chandrasekaran B. (1990). Analyzing Political Decision Making From An Information-Processing Perspective: Jesse. American Journal Of Political Science, 34 (1), 74-123.
Telhami, S. And Barnett, M. (2002). Identity And Foreign Policy In The Middle East, New York: Cornell University Press.
Tignor, R. L. (2010). Egypt: A Short History, Princeton Nj: Princeton University Press.
Wendt, A. (1994). Collective Identity Formation And The International State. The American Political Science Review, 88 (2), 384-396.

There are 65 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language	English
Subjects	Middle East Studies
Journal Section	Articles
Authors	Sevim Börklüce 0000-0002-2943-8888 Ayşe Ömür Atmaca 0000-0003-0705-213X
Early Pub Date	December 3, 2024
Publication Date
Submission Date	March 29, 2024
Acceptance Date	November 12, 2024
Published in Issue	Year 2024

Cite

APA	Börklüce, S., & Atmaca, A. Ö. (2024). Reframing Egypt-Israel Relations: A Constructivist Perspective on the Nasser and Sadat Eras. Uluslararası Kriz Ve Siyaset Araştırmaları Dergisi.

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