It began on October 6, 1973, and continued to the 25th of the month. It was most commonly called the Yom Kippur War, but also was referred to as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab-Israeli War.

Whatever you choose to call it, it starteed with an attack by Egyptian and Syrian forces on Israel. Israel ultimately prevailed, but not before Russia became involved on the side of Egypt and Syria, forcing the United States to step up in defense of its ally, Israel.

Thanks largely to the “shuttle diplomacy” of then U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, a peace settlement was agreed upon. Israeli troops withdrew from occupied parts of the Sinai and Syrian territory; Egypt, on its part, pledged to eschew the use of force in all dealings with Israel.

Peace returned to the region . . . though, as always in that part of the world, it was an uneasy peace at best. And severe damage had been done to U.S.-Soviet relations in the taking of sides.

Some things never seem to change. Because exactly 50 years later, it happened again.

*. *. *

Today, October 7, 2024, marks the one-year anniversary of the unwarranted, criminal, indescribably barbaric attack on Israel by Hamas’ terrorist forces from bordering Gaza . . . the rape and slaughter of women and children, burning of families alive in their homes, killing of over 1,200 innocent civilians and taking of 251 hostages that shocked the world with the intensity of its hatred and animalistic brutality.

When Israel retaliated, the world cheered. The ferocity of its counter-attack was expected and justified.

But it didn’t stop. Both sides, for the entirety of the year since the initial horrifying slaughter by Hamas, have continued to rain destruction upon one another with a savagery and an exhibition of pure hatred seldom (but not seldom enough) seen in the modern civilized world.

As we approach the holiest of the Jewish high holidays this Friday — Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement — the Middle East once again stands on the brink of all-out war, with yet another terrorist organization, Hezbollah, and its host country Lebanon joining in the fray . . . backed by Iran, whose growing friendship with Russia adds still another level of major concern.

Sadly, despite a year of efforts to reach a settlement, there is no Henry Kissinger to call upon.

The times are dark indeed.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/7/24