Who Governed the Sinai Peninsula in 1980?
In 1980, the Sinai Peninsula was in a transitional phase:
- 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty mandated Israeli withdrawal in stages.
- By 1980: Israel had withdrawn from the western Sinai (including El-Arish, Abu Rudeis) but still held the eastern third (including Sharm El Sheikh, Yamit settlement bloc).
- Full withdrawal completed April 1982.
Therefore, a person living in most of Sinai in 1980 was under Egyptian administration; those in the remaining Israeli-held zone were under Israeli military government.