An Opportunity for the US in the Middle East: 1973 vs. 2023

The Yom Kippur War of 1973 ended with a US-driven peace process that eventually led to Egyptian-Israeli peace. The war in Gaza, despite important differences, can do the same, kicking off a new American diplomatic effort that could eventually achieve an historic Israeli-Palestinian settlement linked to a broader Arab recognition of Israel.

Golda Meir: The Civilian Who Exposed Israel’s Lack of Preparedness for the 1973 War

Although Israeli PM Golda Meir lacked military knowledge, her questions during government discussions on the eve of the Yom Kippur War exposed the fact that deterrence and early warning, the two cornerstones of Israel’s security conception, had not been adequately addressed. If the IDF officers and the many bithonistim (officials with a security background) in her government had heeded her questions, the war could have gone very differently and perhaps even have been averted.

The Yom Kippur War: Much More than an Intelligence Failure

Two messages continue to ring out on the eve of the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. One concerns the severity of the intelligence failure at the time, and the other promises that the right lessons have been learned and the IDF is now prepared for any scenario. When the failure is portrayed as essentially the lack of an intelligence warning, it is easy to promise that it has been diagnosed and remedied in a way that prevent its future recurrence. But an in-depth look at the war shows that the reasons for the fiasco went far beyond the intelligence failure.

Comparing Hebrew and Arabic Wikipedia Entries on the 1973 War

Nearly a half-century after the Yom Kippur War, it is instructive to note how the war is remembered and understood by the chief protagonists.

Forty Years to the Yom Kippur War

The Israeli victory in 1973 was marred by pain over casualties and disappointment with the country’s leadership. Forty years later, Israel prospers as a powerful nation with a strong, resilient society.