# Sadat just got in a plane to Jerusalem

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-sadat-flew-to-israel
- Themes: peace, leadership, courage, Middle East
- Life situations: stuck negotiations, political conflict

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After the Six Day War, what inspires him is President Sadat skipping endless cabinet politics — he simply boards a plane to Jerusalem/Tel Aviv so Israel's leader has to meet him and talk.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

after The Six Day War they called it a Six Day War it didn't last for six days did it but I don't know how many years but but I remember just one thing which did inspire me in that conflict was the it was the president of Egypt at the time a president Sadat yeah he decided and I love the way he did this instead of having a cabinet meeting instead of you know trying to sort of win over everybody he was a president so he just got in a plane and hardly anyone else knew what he was up to and he flew to Jerusalem

## Teaching point

Sometimes courage is skipping the meeting and showing up.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Instead of endless cabinet debates, Egypt's President Sadat simply flew to Israel, so its leader had to sit down and talk. Ajahn Brahm admired that heartfelt step. It worked for a while, and Sadat paid with his life. Act from kindness rather than fear. Sometimes peace begins by just turning up.

## Source

- [How to Face Difficulties | Ajahn Brahm | 17 January 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kywgsnBXlXg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 10:36 to 11:22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kywgsnBXlXg&t=636s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Leadership | Ajahn Brahm | 01-04-2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-UAe9wsePw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:30 to 39:28: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-UAe9wsePw&t=2310s