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| Memorial on east financial institution of Suez Canal the place Egyptian troops crossed on October 6, 1973 |
In a slightly surpring transfer, Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara’ introduced the abolishment of the October 6 vacation. Formally, it was known as “Tishrin Liberation Day” (Arabic: عيد حرب تشرين التحريرية), which commemorated an initially profitable Syrian army operation aimed a retaking the Golan Heights from the Israelis. Israel had captured the Heights within the Six-Day Battle of 1967, and has not solely occupied the world, however has formally annexed it to the State of Israel.*
The October 6, 1973 operation was a part of joint Egyptian-Syrian coordinated assaults on Israeli-occupied territory within the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. Egypt additionally celebrates the perceived “victory” on October 6 as Armed Forces Day. The Egyptian military was in a position to cross the Suez Canal and break by way of the Israeli defenses, though with heavy casualties.
The Syrian decree drew sharp criticism all through the Arab world, significantly Egypt. Whereas each Syria and Egypt view their efficiency within the two-week battle as a victory, it was a stalemate at greatest, a defeat at worst. The remainder of the Arab world goes together with the mischaracterization because it gives some aid from the humiliation that normally follows their army clashes with the Israel Protection Forces.
I’ve all the time been amazed that each Egypt and Syria regard
their army operations within the Yom Kippur Battle as a victory. Let’s take a fast have a look at what began as profitable assaults, however quickly withered within the face of Israeli counterattacks. It took a couple of days for the Israelis to cease the advances and activate sufficient of their reserve forces to mount counteroffensives on two fronts.
First, Egypt. Sure, the Egyptians crossed the Suez Canal and broke by way of the Israeli defenses, a sequence of fastened fotifications alongside the canal referred to as the Bar-Lev Line. They used water cannons to breach the excessive sand berms, and constructed pontoon bridges to maneuver sufficient troops to overwhelm the sparesly manned fortifications.
The success of that a part of the operation has develop into a educating level in lots of army faculties – static defenses could be overcome by decided troops utilizing progressive techniques. So, sure, preliminary success.
Israeli forces pulled again and regrouped. As reinforcements and reserves arrived, the Israelis counterattacked. They finally encircled your complete Egyptian Third Military within the Sinai and lower them off from resupply and reinforcement, successfully taking them off the battlefield with out having to defeat them militarily.
Different Israeli forces crossed the canal and proceeded down the primary freeway in the direction of Cairo, finally reaching a place referred to as Kilometer 101, simply over 60 miles from the capital metropolis, the place they had been situated when the ceasefire took impact.
Egyptian victory? Hardly. But, it’s celebrated like they simply gained World Battle II.
Now Syria. Sure, Syria was in a position to seize parts of the Golan Heights from Israeli forces, solely to be pressured again because the Israelis regrouped and launched a counteroffensive, advancing on the primary highway from al-Qunaytirah towards Damascus.**
By the point a ceasefire had been organized, Israeli troops had been as far alongside the highway because the city of Sa’sa’, roughly 18 miles from town. That positioned the Syrian capital inside artillery vary of Israeli gunners.
Syrian victory? Hardly. I’ll say this for the Syrians. There by no means appears to be the extent of celebration there as in comparison with the large celebrations in Egypt. It is arduous to say victory when the opposing military can fireplace artillery into the capital metropolis.
Shara’ could also be making a gesture to Israel. There have been a sequence of talks between Syria and Israel probably resulting in a safety association between the 2 international locations. Stress with Israel is one thing the Syrian president does not want. He has his arms full with not solely the Druze within the south, but in addition the Kurds within the northeast, and al-Asad loyalists within the northwest. Then there are the parliamentary elections – you get it.
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* In 1981, Israel introduced “utility of Israeli regulation and administration,” changing the army administration of the world. Though the phrase “annexation” has by no means been used, it’s in impact what it’s. Solely the US acknowledges Israeli sovereignty, accomplished so by President Trump in 2019.
