Why Did The Yom Kippur War Happen?
The Yom Kippur War was a surprise attack by Egyptian and Syrian forces on Israel in October 1973. The war profoundly affected the subsequent course of the Arab-Israeli dispute, as it was an attempt to regain the territories lost by the Arab states in the 1967 war. The war also altered the regional balance in the Middle East, damaged relations between Washington and Moscow, and traumatized the international economy by catalyzing OPEC’s transformation into a potent and determined cartel.
The Background of the War
The roots of the war can be traced back to the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israel defeated the combined armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, and occupied the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The Arab states refused to recognize Israel’s existence or negotiate with it, and demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories. Israel, on the other hand, insisted on retaining some of the territories for security reasons, and sought diplomatic recognition and peace treaties with its neighbors.
The stalemate persisted until 1970, when Anwar Sadat became the president of Egypt. Sadat realized that Egypt could not afford to continue the war with Israel, and sought to make peace and recover the Sinai. However, he faced strong opposition from the other Arab states, especially Syria, which wanted to regain the Golan Heights. Sadat also faced a hostile Soviet Union, which had supplied arms and advisers to Egypt and Syria, and a reluctant United States, which had supported Israel diplomatically and militarily.
Sadat decided to break the deadlock by launching a surprise attack on Israel, hoping to achieve a limited military victory that would force Israel to negotiate on more favorable terms. He formed a secret alliance with Syria, and planned to attack Israel on the day of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when most Israelis would be fasting and praying. He also hoped to gain the support of the Arab world, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations, by portraying the war as a just and necessary act of self-defense.
The Course of the War
On October 6, 1973, at 2 p.m. local time, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack on Israel across the Suez Canal and the Golan Heights. The attack caught Israel by surprise, as it had underestimated the probability and the scale of the war. The Egyptian army crossed the canal and breached the Bar-Lev Line, a series of fortifications along the eastern bank of the canal. The Syrian army advanced into the Golan Heights, threatening to cut off the northern part of Israel. The Arab forces also used anti-aircraft missiles and fighter jets to challenge the Israeli air superiority.
The initial days of the war were disastrous for Israel, as it suffered heavy casualties and losses of equipment. It was outnumbered and outgunned by the Arab forces, which had received modern weapons and training from the Soviet Union. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Golda Meir, was shocked and dismayed by the situation, and considered the possibility of using nuclear weapons as a last resort. The Israeli public was also gripped by fear and anxiety, as they faced the prospect of another Holocaust.
However, Israel soon recovered from the initial shock, and mobilized its reserves and resources to counterattack. It managed to repel the Syrian offensive in the Golan Heights, and pushed the Syrian army back to the pre-war lines. It also launched a daring operation across the Suez Canal, and encircled the Egyptian Third Army, cutting off its supply lines and then regained air superiority, and inflicted heavy damage on the Arab air forces and infrastructure.
The war lasted for 19 days, and ended with a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations on October 25, 1973. The war resulted in about 15,000 deaths, mostly soldiers, and tens of thousands of wounded.
The Consequences of the War
The Yom Kippur War had far-reaching consequences for the Middle East and the world. It shattered the myth of Israeli invincibility, and demonstrated the improved capabilities and morale of the Arab armies. It also boosted the confidence and the prestige of Sadat, who emerged as a hero in the Arab world, and a peacemaker in the international arena. Moreover, it exposed the vulnerability and the dependence of Israel on the United States, which provided crucial military and diplomatic support to Israel during the conflict.
The hostilities also had a major impact on the global economy, as the Arab oil-producing countries, led by Saudi Arabia, imposed an oil embargo on the United States and other countries that supported Israel. This caused a quadrupling of oil prices, and triggered a series of economic crises, such as inflation, recession, and unemployment, in the industrialized world. The embargo also marked the rise of OPEC as a powerful and influential actor in the international system.
The conflict also had a significant effect on the peace process in the Middle East, as it created a new momentum and a new opportunity for negotiations. In 1974, Israel and Egypt signed the first of two disengagement agreements, which led to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of the Sinai. In 1977, Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, and addressed the Israeli parliament, calling for peace and recognition. In 1978, Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, with the mediation of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, signed the Camp David Accords, which laid the foundation for a comprehensive peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. In 1979, Egypt and Israel signed the peace treaty, which ended the state of war between them, and restored the Sinai to Egypt. The peace treaty was the first and the only one between Israel and an Arab state, and remains in effect to this day.
