(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Netanel Lorch - At 2 p.m. on 6 October 1973, the Jewish Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur - the combined forces of Egypt and Syria attacked Israel simultaneously. The Government of Israel was taken by almost complete surprise. Only at 9 a.m. had the order to mobilize the reserves been issued, which did not allow sufficient time for mobilization and transportation to the front. Both the Egyptians and the Syrians had initial successes, gaining territory and inflicting grievous losses. It was only during the night of October 15/16 that the first Israeli troops were able to establish a bridgehead west of the Suez Canal. On October 16, Prime Minister Golda Meir addressed the Knesset at its first session since the outbreak of the war. Read her address and the debate in the volume Major Knesset Debates.
2011-10-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive