Israeli-Egypt crossing renamed after peacemaker Menachem Begin

Tel Aviv decided on Tuesday to rename Taba Border Crossing between Israel and Egypt in honor of the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin, according to Israel Hayom journal.

The change comes exactly 38 years after the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) adopted the Camp David Accords, the backbone of his historic 1979 peace treaty with then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

Begin’s daughter Hasia Begin-Milo, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and the Egyptian Consul in Eilat Akram Hamdy attended the renaming ceremony.

“Begin is the most fitting choice, because he represents the vibrant relations between the two countries,” Katz said at the ceremony. “The peace treaty has remained intact despite all the difficulties over the years, and it changed Israel’s strategic situation by ending its state of war with the most populous Arab nation.”

Hamdy echoed his comments, and said Begin and Sadat signed the peace treaty because they had the necessary foresight and courage. “It is abundantly clear that the accomplishments represented by this crossing are a testament to the vision and legacy of our leaders and the peace they created; these accomplishments can serve as proof for younger generations that it is possible to make peace in the Middle East.”

Some 1 million people pass through the crossing each year on their way to Sinai or Eilat, the Transportation Ministry said on Tuesday. The crossing is now called the Menachem Begin Terminal on the Israeli side.

Source: Israel Hayom