YOM KIPPUR IN
EGYPT
First major Yom Kippur military
parade since Sadat's assassination
MER - Washington - 29 Sept:
Israel remains the preeminent military power throughout the Middle
East region. Nearly all analysts believe the Israelis capable of defeating any and all
adversaries for the foreseeable future. Plus of course the Israelis have a significant
quantity of nuclear weapons, which provides a tremendous deterrent as well as "the
Sampson option".
Even so, tensions continue to rise in the region, especially with
power transitions possibly coming soon in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the
"Palestinian Authority". What's happenening today in so far as the arms
build-ups and the rhetorical/theatrical displays of military might are primarily designed
to push forward the various political positions. But even so it cannot be ruled out that
continuing tensions could be set off by political sparks and terrorism which are sure to
continue, regardless of further Israeli "redeployments" and more White House
photo sessions.
On Wednesday Egypt will put on a major celebration to mark the
anniversary of the Yom Kippur War some 25 years ago. Among other events there is to be a
huge military parade, the first such parade since the assassination of President Anwar
Sadat 17 years ago. Also this week Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak pardoned 2,300
criminals in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War while at the same time
rebuffing Israeli concerns over the size and power of the revamped Egyptian army saying
that Israel has such military might it has nothing to worry about.
The following report comes from a right-wing Israeli press
organization known as Arutz-7.
EGYPT
PREPARING FOR WAR
Egypt's advanced plans for war against Israel were outlined in an
extensive article in the weekend edition of HaTzofeh. HaTzofeh editor Gonen Ginat told
Arutz-7 today that "Egypt's war plans have been discussed and boasted about openly by
top members of the country's security establishment. For example, during Egypt's
largest-ever military exercise in the fall of 1996, its Defense Minister Muhammad Dantawi
told reporters straight out that the training was in preparation for an upcoming war with
Israel." The article details Egypt's increased levels of arms, both in quality and
quantity, in air, rocket, naval, and ground power. "The Egyptian military has become
increasingly advanced," Ginat said, "thanks in part to more sophisticated U.S.
tanks which the Americans have not only provided, but have trained the Egyptians to build
independently. These tanks surpass those of Israel on a number of counts." When
questioned as to why his paper, and not the political establishment, is disseminating this
information, Ginat noted, "The issue of war with Egypt is taboo.
The attitude of the average Israeli is not to disturb one of the
only peace treaties we have with a neighboring Arab state. As such, politicians are afraid
to raise the issue with a public that is unwilling to confront it. This hesitance to upset
people's perceptions reminds me of the story of my former editor, Ya'akov Erez, who was a
military correspondent in 1973. He had written a report prior to the Yom Kippur War,
warning of Egypt's imminent plans to attack Israel. The censor blocked the story. Erez has
the report hanging over his desk to this day as a reminder that we can't afford to bury
our heads in the sand." [Arutz-7's Yehoshua
Mor-Yosef noted that the Israeli daily Yediot Acharonot reported today that prior to the
Yom Kippur War, exactly 25 years ago, the government received over 1500 intelligence
reports regarding an imminent Arab attack.]
