Israel
occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War in 1967. They built
the defence line Bar Lev on the East Bank of the Suez Canal. During the
Jewish festival Jom Kippur, October 6, 1973, the Egyptian Army made an assault
across the Canal and landed on the riverbank. They used big water guns to
destroy the sand rampart that the Israelis had built since 1967. The casualties
were devastating.In
spite of the introductory success, for the Egyptians the war almost ended
in disaster. The Israelis 
surrounded
the 3rd Egyptian Army Corps at Suez. The road to Cairo was open
when the superpowers forced a cease-fire at the end of October. The President Hosni Mubarak consecrated in 1992 the
War Monument at the spot by the Canal where the Egyptian flag was hoisted
by the assaulting troops. The ancient obelisks that you may find in Karnak
inspire the Monument. There is a wall painting inside the circular building,
showing in a heroic way every phase of the battle.
First published: Monday 20th May, 1996.
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