JERUSALEM, March 31 (UPI) -- Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, fearing political backlash, opposed a full military call-up prior to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, documents show.
Even on the morning Israel was attacked by Egypt and Syria, Dayan argued against calling up civilian military reservists on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Haaretz reported, citing recently release official documents.
Egypt and Syria attacked Israel Oct. 6, 1973, and three days into the war Israel had lost considerable ground in both the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt and in the Golan Heights to Syria after having been caught unprepared for an Arab offensive, Haaretz said.
Israeli forces eventually beat back the offensive and charged into Egypt and Syria before a cease-fire ended the monthlong conflict
Records of a meeting in Dayan's office released recently to Haaretz show Arab allies were sending mixed signals on the morning war broke out, moving some military units into an attack posture but leaving other assets in place. As various military and intelligence officials debated the merits of calling up troops or launching a pre-emptive attack, Dayan said the United States would oppose an Israeli offensive.
