BEIRUT: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said in an interview … that the Arabs would blow up their oil-fields before allowing them to be captured by invading U.S. forces. In an interview with the newspaper “Al Anwar”, President Sadat was asked how he evaluated “the American oil threats” and what Arabs should do to face them. He said: “We would prefer to blow up these wells before allowing them to get their hands on them — if they ever thought of doing that. We would not need armies for this, because blowing up something is much easier than mounting an invasion.” President Sadat said: “It is extremely regrettable to have such statements come from Dr Kissinger, and get support from President Ford, while we are looking forward to the construction of new relations with America”.

Meanwhile, his new War Minister, Mohammad Abdel Ghani Gamassy, said in Cairo … his troops were capable of repeatedly taking Israel by surprise in any new Middle East war. … And in a third interview Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmy was quoted … as saying that Egypt would not reopen the Suez Canal until it was convinced the waterway was safe for international shipping.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2025