The Yom Kippur War

1. Economic Causes
Israel’s Refusal to Accept Economic Benefits from Egypt
• Could have been economically beneficial for Israelis if followed Sadat’s proposition
• Nasser told Egyptian parliament that if Israelis withdrew few miles back he’ll open canal
again
o even ships can trade with Israel!!! (major hook)

Important quote: “… if Israel withdraws her forces in Sinai… I would be

willing to re-open the Suez Canal… to restore diplomatic relations with the United
States, and to
sign a peace agreement with Israel” (Sadat at the Egyptian parliament 1970)

• First time any Arab leader (aside from King Hussein) suggested peace with Israel
• Sadat was ignored by Israel and United States
Surrogacy
• US wanted Israel to be a surrogate, but despite the gifts, it kept on making decisions that
didn’t serve American interests (Rubenburg)
o Kissinger became aware of Israel’s behavior, but American public too pro-Israeli
(Rubenburg)
o Nixon forgot to evaluate compatibility of Israeli and American interests
(Rubenburg)
o Surrogate thesis: provide Israel military superiority to contain Soviet
expansionism, promoting regional stability and preventing war would assure
Western freedom of access to the area’s resources would be maximized
(Rubenburg)
2. Political Causes
Sadat’s Policies
• those in Nasser’s inner circle thought Sadat would follow Nasser’s old policies
o was only seen as a figure head (view of General Kirpichenko, KGB of Egypt)
o had same aims as Nasser to an extent
 Regain Sinai and Suez Canal
 Difference: believed different approach
1. cut huge sums country spending on arms
 2. break ranks of Arabs (Nasser was the head)
3. Negotiate with Israel for sake of Egypt
Israel’s Hard-Headedness
• Sadat decided that only a war would make Israel negotiate after his offer of allowing
trade between
o Israel in Suez Canal was ignored
 led super powers to intervene on Egypt’s behalf
-15,000 Soviet advisors and technicians training in Egyptian air force
asked to go home (July 1972)
 skilful move to please Americans without offending Soviets
Russian Aid
• under good terms with Soviets, they send ground-to-air missiles to create a ‘missile wall’
along Canal
o Retaliation against Israeli air superiority (because help from US)
Sadat’s Ability to Build Relations
• Sadat built up Egyptian relations with other Arab states
o ended hostility toward Saudi Arabia that Nasser showed
o new friendship of President Assad of Syria
 Patched up quarrel between Jordan and Syria of king Hussein treatment of
PLO
Activism:
• Ben-Gurion believed that the only way to achieve peace with the Arab states is through
direct confrontation and use of force to get the Arabs to agree (Ovendale)
o Golda Meir shared this view (Ovendale)
o The influence of the Great Powers was to be avoided, and he supported direct
confrontation and expansion of territory (Ovendale)
US-Russian Detente
• Sadat worried that Russia and US seemed to be close to a détente (agree there would be
no war in the middle east) (Ovendale)
o If Egypt did not go to war now, it would mean the Egypt would not have another
chance (Ovendale)
o US + Russia would either simply accept status quo or impose humiliating
settlement (Ovendale)
o Believed that US would prevent a clear victory on either side b/c (Ovendale)
  Nixon had to sustain Israel while at the same time not permanently
alienate Egypt, Syria, and other Arab countries (for fear of Soviets) +
danger of Arab oil embargo (Ovendale)
Inability of the US gov to Pressure Israel Effectively
• US never exacted much pressure on Israelis – rather, demanded Egypt not to make
another offensive (which it never did)
3. Social Causes
• The revolutions started due to humiliating defeat by Israel. They started in Syria – there
were a series of coups (Ovendale)
o After humiliation in 1967, Arabs not prepared to condone existence of Israel
(Ovendale)
• In Iraq, demonstration by students turned into military control
• In Egypt, Nasser led a coup to rebel against the government
• First Arab-Israeli war caused younger generation to be disillusioned and believed the
injustice of Zionist disposition of Arab land with the assistance of Western powers
D) Reasons for US to support / not support Israel
1. Support
• US public favoured a strong Israel (Ovendale)
• Resupply will make Israel feel like they’re not alone (Rubenburg)
• May moderate Israel’s territorial claims in the negotiations
2. Not support
• US did not support expansionism or boundary modifications (Ovendale)
• US needed to portray itself as impartial (Rubenburg)
• Giving more equipment = more chance of US-Soviet confrontation (Rubenburg)
• US’s backing Israel made Israel harden territorial claims, despite aid that US gave Israel
(Rubenburg)
E) Effects
Arab Position
• Arab came out in a stronger position due to Israeli losses compared to its size
• Sadat emerged as a world statesmen, something Nasser had aspired to but never achieved
(Ovendale)
o Sadat perceived that only the United States could effectively persuade Israel to
make concessions
 o Also perceived superpowers would prevent a victory by either side
o Perceived another war would make UN take an interest
• Traditional perception of Arabs inept at war-making and cooperating among themselves
was eroded
Oil
• Arab nations more united than ever
• Oil producers raised prices by 70%, decreased production by 5% per month until Israel
withdrew its troops
• Ban on all oil supplies to US and Netherlands
• Led to US support of Egypt during negotiations with Israel
• The US thought the oil embargo would not be able to pressure the US  was proven
wrong (Rubenburg)
Effects on the US
• The chances of US-Soviet détente was smaller
• Risked US-Soviet confrontation [while supplying Israeli with more equipment]
(Rubenburg)
• Jeopardized relations with NATO allies, Japan, and USSR (Rubenburg)
• Showed US that Israel was really no help to the US (Rubenburg)
• Showed US that pro-Israeli public opinion was a major constraint in policies (Rubenburg)
o US cannot control Israel b/c of this
F) Who won the war?
Israel won
• Israel a military victory
• Because of it, achieved lasting peace, which had been on its agenda since its foundation
• Gained more territory than it had
• Because of it, Sadat had to recognize that they were never going to beat the Israelis =
peace treaty
• Emerged from it more secure than it was before
• WHAT A LOAD OF NONSENSE!

Arabs won
• Psychological trauma healed = equal negotiations with Israel
• But actually suffered more losses when put into ratio with its overall population
• Egypt won a political, moral victory
• Yom Kippur ended Arab ambition of destroying Israel by force – strengthened peace
movements
• Sadat’s popularity increased  firmer control over Egyptian state
• Israel had to wake up and realize they weren’t THAT militarily superior
• Caused Dayan and Meir to resign
•