THE INTERVENTION OF WORLD POWERS IN ISRAEL'S WARS - III

 

When the fourth Arab-Israeli war began on October 6, 1973, many of Israel’s soldiers were away from their posts, observing Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The Arab armies were able to make impressive advances, with their up-to-date Soviet weaponry. Iraqi forces soon joined the war, and Syria received support from Jordan. After several days, Israel was fully mobilised, and the Israel Defense Forces began beating back the Arab gains - at a heavy cost to soldiers and equipment.

The reluctance of the United States to help Israel changed when the Soviet Union continued to supply weapons to Egypt and Syria. The U.S. President, Richard Nixon, countered by establishing an emergency supply line to Israel. As a result, the Arab countries imposed an oil embargo. European countries refused to allow American planes carrying weapons to Israel, to refuel.

On October 25, an Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire was secured by the United Nations. Israel’s victory came at the cost of heavy casualties, and Israelis criticized the government’s lack of preparedness. In April 1974, the nation’s prime minister, Golda Meir, stepped down.

Although Egypt had again suffered military defeat at the hands of its Jewish neighbour, the initial Egyptian successes greatly enhanced Sadat’s prestige in the Middle East. In 1974, the first of two Egyptian-Israeli disengagement agreements, providing for the return of parts of the Sinai to Egypt, were signed. In 1978, President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, signed the first peace agreement between Israel and one of its Arab neighbours. In 1982, Israel fulfilled the 1979 peace treaty by returning the last segment of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

For Syria, the Yom Kippur War was a disaster. The unexpected Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire exposed Syria to military defeat, and Israel secured even more territory in the Golan Heights.