The 1973 Yom Kippur War: Its Surfacing Strategies and Ensuring Peace Process

The Yom Kippur War stamped its mark on the Israel Defense Forces IDF, on the national psyche, and on the policies of the Middle East for many years. This was the first time Egypt and Syria launched a war against Israel without telegraphing their punch. Their early first-round one-two combination was nearly a complete surprise, almost resulting in a knockout blow before the IDF got its second wind. During the beginning of the bout, it was clear that the combined Arab forces were ahead on points. Israels military and civilian leaders were shaken, and one heard remarks that sounded ominously like destruction of the Third Temple, reference to previous Jewish national defeats.