The Yom Kippur War

October 1973

Yom Kippur: “Day of Atonement”, holiest day in the Jewish calendar

• Fasting, praying, repentence for sins committed against God (not between humans)

• Synagogue • 25 hours duration- fast beginning before

sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur to after nightfall on the day of Y.K.

• Complete Sabbath: no work, no use of machinery & anything like telephones- think how this will affect the day of the war.

• Wear white clothes to symbolise purity• [This year it was on Sept. 25-26th ] (Jewish

year 5573)2

The Yom Kippur War serves as an example of:

1. Human factors in national security decision-making2. Strategic surprise- attack & how to counter-attack3. How events can lead to unexpected results, eg, negotiations/peace talks

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1. Human factors in national security decision-making2. Strategic surprise- attack & how to counter-attack3. How events can lead to unexpected results, eg, negotiations/peace talks

1.Human factors in national security decision-making2. Strategic surprise- attack & how to counter-attack3. How events can lead to unexpected results, eg, negotiations/peace talks

TIMELINE6.10.1973: 04:00, Defence Minister Dayan (Israel) informed of imminent Egypt & Syria attack. 09:00, Cabinet meeting, partial mobilisation 12:00, Call for complete mobilisation 14:00, Joint Egypt-Syria attack : a ‘surprise attack’ on Golan Heights & Sinai Peninsula.

11.10.1973: Syrian forces were repelled.18.10.1973: Israeli forces had crossed the Suez Canal.20.10.1973: Kissinger flew to Moscow & drafted a cease-fire agreement with Communist Party Chairman Leonid Brezhnev22.10.1973: Cease-fire was accepted by all sides.

Key Figures• Syria: Hafez al-Assad

President Nasser (Egypt)

Ahmad Ismail Ali (C-in-C of Egyptian forces)

President Anwar Sadat(Egypt)

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Key Figures continuedKing Faisal of Saudi Arabia

King Hussein of Jordan- not quite a key figure, but flew to Israel to tell Golda Meir that Egypt was about to invade. She ignored his warning.

Oct 19, 1973, he ordered a 25% reduction in Saudi Arabia's oil production & a ban on shipments to the U.S., launching the OPEC oil embargo.

Key Figures continued

Israel -Key figures (continued)

P.M. Golda Meir Moshe Dayan David Elazar

Minister of Defence

All resigned after the war.7

Israel Key figures (continued)

• Eli Zeira, director of AMAN- milt. intel.

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Israeli Ambassador to US Simcha Dinitz: coordinated weapons shipments from US to Israel.

Egyptian source: Ashraf Marwan was Nasser’s son-in-law, the agent known as ‘Angel, plunged to his death on June 27,

2007 in London

July 24, 2012July 24, 2012 The Times of Israel

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“On the very day of his death, Marwan, 63, had been scheduled to meet with Dr. Ahron Bregman, the Israeli academic & journalist who had exposed him. In a 2002 interview with the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, Bregman had identified Marwan as the long-rumoured Egyptian agent, “Angel,” who warned Israel of a looming Egyptian attack on the eve of the Yom Kippur War. In fact, Bregman claimed in the interview, Marwan was a double agent, whose loyalty to Egypt prevailed at the moment of truth in 1973, so that he gave Israel deliberately inaccurate information about Egypt’s war plans.

“I should never have exposed Egypt’s 1973 war super spy”

Now five years after Marwan’s death, Bregman is consumed by regret over his actions. In a telephone interview with The Times of Israel from London, Bregman describes exposing Marwan as a spy as “a tragic, colossal mistake.” But, he argues that others — members of the Israeli security establishment — should share his guilty conscience and have a great deal to answer for. For it was an Israeli security chief who formally confirmed that Marwan had spied for Israel, and who publicly battled with a rival Israeli security chief over whether Marwan’s loyalties lay primarily with Israel or Egypt. And Marwan met his death days after a leaked Israeli legal document that included his name was published online.”

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As commander of the 162nd Division of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) – nicknamed the Bren Division – Adan helped change the course of the Yom Kippur War in October 1973 when the Israelis were caught napping by Egyptian and Syrian forces. He was defending Israel's northern zone when the war broke out and for three days saw his division suffer severe losses while trying to repel the Egyptians and push them back across the Suez canal. Later in October, although he himself had been wounded, he regrouped and in Operation Stout-hearted Men led his troops across the canal into Egyptian territory, turning the tables and destroying the Egyptian 25th Brigade before surrounding the Egyptian Third Field Army and helping end the war on favourable terms for Israel.

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Avraham Adan The Independent (UK) -Obituaries Oct. 7, 2012Oct. 7, 2012

Avraham Adan continued

• Adan's daughter Neta said, "He was a man whose history was completely intertwined with the history of our country. He was modest to shy, a humanist with respect for all – Palestinians and Jews. He believed that the country should be split up into two countries, upholding the rights of the Palestinians." Adan died after suffering a cardiac arrest at home. His wife Miriam died last year. He is survived by his children, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

• Avraham Eidelson Adan, soldier and diplomat: born Kfar Giladi, British-mandated Palestine 5 October 1926; married Miriam (died 2011; three children); died Ramat Hasharon, Israel 28 September 2012.

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Other Key Figures• Henry Kissinger (U.S.) US Secretary of State (Assistantto the Pres. for National Security Affairs)

• Leonid Brezhnev (USSR) Gen. Sec. of the Central Committee (CPSU)

Other key figures-USSR continued

• Andrei Gromyko, Minister for Foreign Affairs (for nearly 30 years)

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Anatoli Dobrynin. Ambassador to US

Arab Points of Contention• After being completely defeated by Israel in

1967, Arabs were unwilling to make peace.• There were 350,000-400,000 Palestinian

refugees.• March 1969, Egypt started the War of

Attrition (Nasser) with Israel as a way to break the deadlock in hopes of eventually reclaiming the Suez Canal.

• [ “ No war- no peace” intolerable to Egypt, satisfactory to Israelis, Pres. Anwar Sadat]

• Egypt - aid from USSR: weapons, technicians, & combat personnel- fighter pilots.

Arab Points of Contention (continued)

• Egypt - many losses, eventually accepted US Secretary of State Roger’s Cease-fire proposal, but only if US pressured Israel to accept Resolution 242 & leave those occupied territories. War of Attrition ended August 8, 1970.

• Egypt thought a small military operation would be beneficial to their poor economic & political situation.

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Israeli Points of Contention• After Israel’s victory in 1967, it was not

willing to make a peace treaty. • The War of Attrition, begun by Nasser

(President of Egypt) > 1,000 Israeli soldiers were killed. Israel responded with bombardments on military & civilian targets along the Suez canal .

• Israel now had gained control over more Palestinian land:

• population was 665,000 Palestinians & • additional 350,000 - 400,000

Palestinians became refugees.

Israeli Points of Contention (continued)

• During the beginning of 1973 , Israel felt the decline in American support & military aid, & international pressure following the Munich Olympic massacre.

• Israel refused to withdraw to the pre-1967 armistice lines - believed that its new boundaries were vital for its national security= no peace.

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Why the Israelis were caught napping1.Govt. over-confidence after the ‘67 war

• Arabs suffered a humiliating defeat

• Most govt. staff believed Arabs would not attack so soon as the Arabs needed a lot more equipment & weapons

• Only expecting guerrilla warfare

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Why the Israelis were caught napping (continued)

2. Israeli intelligence- incorrect analyses, funding cutbacks, internal problems within the intel. community, continuing need to respond to

terrorist* activities

• Israeli intel. community Mossad (spy agency) DMI of AMAN (Milt. Intel) Major-General Eli Zeira & the Concept Shabak (counter-espionage) Shin Bet (security within Israel) Foreign Ministry Research Dept.

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Why the Israelis were caught napping (#2 cont.)

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Anti-terrorism unit formed in 1969 to combat increasing terrorist attacks by the PLO. A few examples. 1972 attacks: May 30 PLO hired Japanese gunmen attacked Lod Intl. Airport (Tel Aviv)September 5 Munich Olympic Games Massacre of Israeli athletes (Black September)September 19 Israeli official in London embassy, letter bomb (Black Sept.)1973 attacks: July 1 Col. Josef Alon assassinated, naval attache (Black Sept.)September 28 train hijacking of Soviet Jews in Austria (Eagles of the Palestinian Revolution) This last event diverted the attention of the Israeli govt.

Why the Israelis were caught napping (#2 cont.)

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General Zeira & The Concept: a theory that Egypt & Syria weren’t ready for war until all Israeli airfields could be attacked simultaneously (thus, only thinking of air power). Est. time –at least not until 1975Zeira’s appointment to the role of DMI was controversialHis agency was the only one with the capacity to deal with informationIgnored intel. that Egyptians were conducting exercises, eg, air raid drills, reservists recalled, more complex communications network, change from radio to land lines + Problem with Israeli intel. comm.-stagnant personnel, strict milt. organisation

Why the Israelis were caught napping (cont.) 3. The Arabs: intense preparation, deception, denial,

disinformation

Soviet arms aid :Egypt: mobilisation of troops & reservists underwent several changes Build-up of forces on the Sinai- 5 divisions, artillerySoviet airlift to evacuate dependents

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SAMs- air cover for ground troops

SCUDs-strikes in Israel, fighter jets, + 5 pilots

Soviet MIGs

When war began October 6 1973

• Golan Heights 1400 Syrian tanks vs 180 Israeli tanks

• Suez Canal 80,000 Egyptian soldiers vs 436 Israeli defenders

= total European NATO forces on Israel’s borders

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Aid from other Arab countries

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Lebanon-radar units, Palestinians allowed to shell Israel from inside Leb.

Palestinians fought alongside Egyptians & Kuwaitis

Jordan-sent best units to Syria though was kept uninformed by Egypt & Syria previously.

Algeria,Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan – troops, fighters & bombers

Libya (Qaddafi) to Egypt- Mirage jets- violated Fr. ban, money to re-arm, paid for Soviet arms

Saudi Arabia & Kuwait-finance, soldiers

Iraq-squadron of jets, soldiers, tanks, MIGs

On October 6 1973,

• On October 6 1973, Israel was attacked Egypt & Syria. This came as a surprise to Israel, to the extent that Israel intelligence had failed to predict the confrontation despite evidence to the contrary.

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Where the war took place:

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Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal on October 7, 1973.

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The terrain, what can be discerned?

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Comms operator

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Micha Bar Am. 1073.

ISRAEL. During the Yom Kippur war female soldiers say goodbye to friends before being evacuated from the frontlines.. 1973.

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Israel through My Lens. David Rubinger. A nurse cares for a soldier with a head wound in the hospital at Zefat, in the Galilee. Yom Kippur War, 1973.

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Israel: Israel:

09:00 Partial mobilisation authorised 12:00 mobilisation of troops & reservists Later that day- full mobilisation 14:00 war, attacks on both fronts: Syria- Golan Heights Egypt- Suez Canal

Remember it was a holy day and most soldiers were on leave, at home.

• Egyptian forces swiftly crossed the Suez Canal & overtook the Bar-Lev Line while the Syrian forces entered the Golan Heights- almost succeeded in reaching the 1967 border with Israel.

• With 1100 Syrian tanks against 157 Israeli tanks, Israel was outnumbered on the north side & suffered a loss of nearly 150 planes & hundreds of casualties, failing in counterstrike for the first few days of war.

• October 10, Israeli forces started to push back the Syrian the Syrian forces. Help to Arabs was sent from Soviet Union in the form of airlifts to Cairo & Damascus. This was answered on a bigger level from US as it sent massive airlifts to Israel.

• October 21, Israeli Forces overran the Egyptian Third Army.

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Bar Lev Line built to fortify Israeli occupation forces in the Sinai during the

1967-1973 occupation.

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The sand barrier acquired its name in late 1968 when General Chaim "Kidoni" Bar-Lev adopted the proposal to build a high sand-dune wall along the east bank of the Suez Canal to prevent the Egyptian military from observing Israeli defences along the Suez Canal.

Behind the sand-dune a line of fixed fortifications was constructed. This became known as the Bar-Lev Line.

• On October 22, the Security Council adopted Resolution 333 :

• "all parties to the present fighting to cease all firing”. and terminate all military activity immediately."

• US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, went to Moscow to negotiate a cease-fire, however, it was broken & the Soviet Union threatened to intervene again.

• US called for another cease-fire on October 25, 1973 & pressured Israel to agree to it.

• Egypt & Israel both claimed a victory at the end of the war

• Détente US/Soviet relations

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Outcomes of the Yom Kippur War Nearly 8,500 Arab casualties were

recorded with an economic loss equaling to a whole year’s GNP.

Israel- approx. 6000 soldiers were killed & suffered an equal economic loss like Arabs.

The war destroyed the image that Israeli forces are invincible & it became more dependent on U.S. for aid: economy, military & diplomacy.

Egyptian & Syrian diplomatic relations with US, broken since the 1967 war, resumed, &

clearance of the Suez Canal began.

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Outcomes of the Yom Kippur War (continued)

SYRIASyrian front - Israeli territorial gains made in the war were given up. Not the Golan Heights though.

Assad left stranded & resentful that territories were not returned:

No negotiation with IsraelAssad’s domestic problems- régime

legitimisation, need to have Soviet support (ally)

& need to secure leadership in the Arab region.

THUS: Assad was just waiting for the next

opportunity to strike at Israel again.

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Outcomes of the Yom Kippur War (continued)

Israel Israel withdrew back across the Suez Canal & several miles inland from the east bank of the Suez Canal behind an UN-supervised cease-fire zone.

Realisation that territory is not guarantee for peace.

Milt. weakness shown

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The Yom Kippur War brought about a major shift of power in the Middle East: a. Egypt & Israel peace treaty 1979

b. Egypt went from Soviet to US side

c. Its new found confidence ( milt. Ability to attack Is.) allowed it to negotiate as an equal to Israel

Egypt was expelled from Arab

league Assassination of Sadat 1981

Outcomes of the Yom Kippur War (continued) EGYPT

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Following the Yom Kippur War most of the African states & some other Third World countries emulated the earlier action of the Soviet block & severed diplomatic relations with Israel. [remember it was still the period of the Cold War]

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AHRAM ON LINE AFP, Saturday 6 Oct 2012Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad attended a military ceremony in Damascus to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Middle East War East

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Camp David Peace Accords

• Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem which lasted from November 19-21, 1977. Sadat visited Jerusalem to address Israeli Knesset, marking it the first ever visit to Israel by any Arab head of the state.

• The consequence of Sadat’s visit - targeted peace negotiations between Israel & Egypt for 1 year Deadlock in negotiations, President Carter invited Anwar Sadat & Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to Camp David (Maryland) on September 5, 1978 for a summit meeting between the US, Egypt & Israel.

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Camp David Peace Accords (continued)

• UN Resolutions 242 & 338: purpose of peaceful solutions to the issues between Egypt & Israel, & to provide “a just, comprehensive, and durable settlement of the Middle East conflict” for any other neighbouring Arab state seeking to come to terms with Israel. Israel.

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Camp David Peace Accords (continued)

• 1. Israel to give over control of Sinai to Egypt within 3 months.

• 2. Then Israel will withdraw from Sinai & dismantle its air bases in a period of 3 years.

• 3. Next, Egypt agreed to maintain complete diplomatic terms with Israel & to allow Israel safe passage through the Gulf of Aqaba, the Strait of Tiran & the Suez Canal.

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Camp David Peace Accords (continued)

• Second agreement in the Camp David Accords - the question of Palestine:

a framework laying down the method of negotiations involving the settlement of West Bank and Gaza as Palestinian territories.

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Camp David Peace Accords (continued)

• 1. The agreement between Egypt and Israel clearly established the relations that the two countries will share in future;

• 2. withdrawal of forces & demilitarisation from the Sinai

• 3. and the framework of supervision as well.

• *Matters regarding the future of Gaza, Judea & Samaria - less clear in the agreement,

• Later different interpretations were made by the US, Israel & Egypt.

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Camp David Peace Accords (continued)

• President Carter - witness of the Accords signed between Israel & Egypt.

• Peace negotiations - first of its kind between Israel & any Arab State.

• Sadat & Begin were awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978

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Presidents Sadat (UAE), Carter (USA), and Begin (Israel) sign the Camp David

Accords. 1978.

Assassination of President Sadat of Egypt 1981

Egyptian ‘jihadi’ extremists.

The president and foreign visitors hide under their chairs

The crowds run to safety.

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46 Reasons Why Iran Should Think Twice Before Attacking Israel (Hint: Women With Guns)Source of photos-israelmilitary.net

Key Battles• Battle of Fort Lahtzanit (October 6)• Battles of Fort Budapest (October 6, 1973)• First Battle of Mount Hermon (October 6-7)• Operation Badr (October 6–8)• Valley of Tears (October 6 –9)• Second Battle of Mount Hermon (October 8)• Air Battle of El Mansoura (October 14, 1973)• Battle of the Chinese Farm (October 15–17)• Battle of Ismailia (October 18–22)• Third Battle of Mount Hermon (October 21–22)• Battle of Suez (October 24–25)