In the war of October 1973, Egypt crushed the Israeli army of occupation. They destroyed the Barlief Line that was described by military experts as unparalleled in military history and ended the lie that Israel had an invincible army. This year for the first time Egypt is celebrating its victory throughout the month of October rather than just on the day of victory.
The Egyptian media’s strong interest in this historical event led to the uncovering of a number of previously hidden facts about the Egyptian attack which have remained unknown until this year. Maj. G.K. Molton, a former officer in the US Air Force and considered an expert and strategic military analysis, says, “The steps taken by Egypt and Syria on the military and political planning level greatly contributed to the victory... On the 6th of October, the Egyptian Air Force bombed all command and strategic Israeli targets in Sinai using 240 planes. In the ensuing confrontation, the Egyptians brought down 50 Israeli planes in three days — this was never admitted by Israel. The Egyptian Air Force also destroyed or damaged around a quarter of the Israeli Air Force during the war... The second and third armies then crossed the Suez Canal and broke through the Barlief Line under the cover of cannon fire... All Egyptian military battalions played their roles in an exceptional manner... The October War was truly an important triumph for Egypt and the Arab world.”
Time Magazine International said of the war: “The Egyptian soldiers crossed the Suez Canal with ease ... Within 72 hours, the Egyptian forces moved 70,000 soldiers and 70 tanks onto the eastern bank of the canal — a number that cannot be underestimated in view of the water barrier and the sand dams (of the Barlief Line). The Israeli Air Force could not destroy the crossings that the Egyptian Army constructed along the canal. Whatever Israeli planes bombed was rebuilt in record time by the Egyptian engineers’ regiment.”
Israel was totally devastated even though the Egyptian forces didn’t advance into Palestine. Golda Meir saved Israel by sending out an SOS which was answered by the ever-biased American administration through the great Zionist himself, Henry Kissinger, then at the peak of power.
I say to Israel that Egypt is capable of defeating Israel — yesterday, today and tomorrow — and it is this that leads the Israelis to dedicate a prayer every day to the death and destruction of all Egyptians. Your nuclear arsenal wasn’t the deterrent that stopped Egypt as you may have been led to believe. You were never in fact able to use anything other than nuclear mines — which are limited weapons — in fear of retaliation from Egypt. In addition, your crossing at the opening led by Ariel Sharon was the biggest mistake and had it not been for Kissinger’s interference in the negotiations at the 101st km on the Suez Canal, the number of Israeli soldiers who died would have been a great deal higher.
Today Sharon repeats his mistakes — causing the death of hundreds of Jews because of his clumsy policies. Will Colin Powell or anyone else orchestrate some negotiations like those on the Suez Canal to save the Israelis from the fury of the valiant Palestinian resistance? Or will he retire at the next election leaving room for the Zionists to fuel the fire in the Middle East?
