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wanted to see Eygpt go the way of
tumultuous lran. The Kremlin had
never forgiven M r . Sadat for
expelling 17,000 Soviet military
advisers in 1972 and putting Egypt
into the Western , specifically
American, camp.
Stirring up hatred against the
Jews and Israel was no longer feasi–
ble. The Egyptian people were, for
the most part, tired of bearing the
brunt of the Arab world's wars
against Israel. But Soviet agents
knew that Egypt 's Achilles heel
was its vwlnerability to internal reli–
gious dissension.
Among Egypt's 43 rnillion
people, about 1
O
percent
are Christian Copts, who
claim descendency from
the original Egyptians.
(Official estirnates place
and events appeared to return to
normal- until a handful of stirred–
up religious fanatics assassinated
the President.
President Mubarak has contin–
ued the pressure on religious
ext remisrn, resulting in the arrest
of 356 members of one group
accused of masterminding the
Sadat assassination.
But Beyond Camp David •••
?
Because of the collapse of the Arab
League sumrnit conference in Mo–
rocco, the Camp David peace pro–
cess- incomplete though
it
may
be-has the field to itself.
come to terms with Israel, even if
the PLO ultimately did.
Meeting Prealdent Mubarak
On November 21, 1981 ,
Plain
Truth
Editor-in-Chief Herbert W.
Armstrong met, for the first time,
Egyptian President Hosni Muba–
rak. Their 20-minute-long discus–
sion dealt with, naturally, peace.
Mr. Mubarak said that he would
continue the peace efforts begun by
his predecessor. "We want peace,"
he said, "at least to live in a very
peaceful atmosphere with all of our
neighbors around us. And we are
going to do our best in this direc-
tion. I'm going to do the
maximurn."
Then, after Mr. Arm–
rong remarked that
ou' re setting a wonder-
the Coptic population at
about 7 percent, but the
Copts claim they are
deliberately
under–
counted.)
In June of last year iso–
lated troubles erupted
~~
This world
lS
composed of an endless array
of struggles for power among
nations.
lt
should be obvious
example," the Egyp–
President made a
observation: " 1
ink peace will prevail
or later,
whether
/ike it or we don't /ike
between Moslerns and
b
h
·¡
h
This truism ex-
Copts in Cairo, triggered
Y flOW t at Ufltl t ese
nded by President
by Moslem fundamental-
strugg}es are brought tO an
ubarak has been the
ists. Pamphlets called on
rnessage of the
true Moslerns to rise up
end, mankind will not
Truth
magazine
and destroy the "irnpious
48 years (this is our
enemies of Islam." Coptic
experience peace.
5)5)
issue). Last-
anger naturally rose in
peace will come not
response.
of man's efforts •
President Sadat at first
in spite of them.
refused to take the report
Al/ah
to Mos-
of Soviet strife-seeding
-u:.ms- Js the only one
seriously, but he knew there
had iiMiJ:.A.::.I:-'--"Is~8.eJI-tu!1d-~Bj!flJti:l
f.o~~~!ln..,Wnin
about world peace.
be a reason why the Moslems and walk together, because they are And He will do so--whether meo
Copts, who had been on generally basically in agreement on what like it or not!
good terms throughout his tenure needs to be done. However, the
On the evening of November 23,
in office, were suddenly at each Middle East is full of powerful at a banquet in Cairo's Nile Hilton
others' throats.
forces that reject peace and accorn- hotel , Mr. Arrnstrong spoke to
Finally, last September, less than rnodation outright.
members and guests of the Egyp-
a rnonth before his tragic end, Mr.
While rnuch is rnade of the need tian Political Science Association.
Sadat cracked down hard. The to accomrnodate the needs and He told this gathering of Egyptian
Soviet ambassador was sent back aspirations of the Palestinian leaders:
borne, along with six top Soviet people, for example, little can be
..The Jews have been looking for
diplomats and hundreds of Soviet accomplished as long as the charter a Messiah. They don't know that
technicians and their families. Reli - of the Palestine Liberation Organi- that Messiah did come as a human
gious leaders were rounded up in an zation (PLO) calls for the destruc- prophet. Islam recognizes Jesus
attempt to defuse what the govern- tion of the state of Israel as a pre- Christ as one ·of the prophets. He
ment called "sectarian sedition." liminary to "peace" in the region.
did come, but he carne as a human
Mr. Sadat's political enemies who
Other parties, too, take a "rejec- prophet. And he carne with a mes–
were attempting to capitalize on the tionist" stand. Syria's President, sage, which is good news, the good
situation also were rounded up.
Hafez al-Assad, asserted in Decem- news of this one [divine] world gov-
For a while, tempers subsided ber that his nation would
never
(Continued on page 44)
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