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Decades-Old Secrecy Lifted: Israel to Declassify Thousands of Documents on the October War

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On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the October War (under the Israeli title “The Yom Kippur War”), the Israeli Army Archives at the Ministry of Security launched today a large and comprehensive website about the war.

And the Hebrew media reported that tens of thousands of documents, photos, videos, records and testimonies from the war were viewed through this site.

These materials for the first time revealed the main points of the intelligence gap that preceded the outbreak of hostilities, which were considered by the Agrenet commission by the then head of the Military Intelligence Service, General Eli Ezra.

Channel I24 indicated that in an intelligence gathering dated October 6, 1973, he wrote that: “It seems to us that steps are being coordinated between Egypt and Syria. The armies of Egypt and Syria are almost ready for war. The armies at the frontiers have a strength unparalleled to this day.” If a decision is made at the strategic level to go to war, they will be able to do so in the light of the equipment available without the need for additional equipment. On the one hand, we can assume that at the strategic level in Egypt and Syria there is a realization of the lack of possibility of success in this and the risks arising from this, and on the other hand, we are witnessing extensive military preparations and we have information about the trend towards an immediate start war.”

Also for the first time, the diaries of Israeli Brigadier General Yoal Ben Furat about intelligence failure and lack of deterrence, despite many signs, such as preliminary testimony revealed after the fall of the Hermon military range, came to light. .

In an excerpt from his diaries, Yoel Ben-Furat said: “The telegram reached the Mossad as early as 2:30 (36 hours before the shooting), encrypted with cryptic code words.”

He added: “Two words in it were very clear: war is inevitable – immediate war. Except for three (Chief of Mossad, Chief of Staff and Chief of Military Intelligence), no one knew about this information, neither the Prime Minister, nor the Minister of Defense, nor the Chief of Staff.”

In addition, for the first time, the site presents to the public large-scale original files, including 15,301 images, 6,085 documents, 215 videotapes, 40 audio recordings, and 169 maps capable of illustrating battlefields, reasoning and discussions of decision makers, dramatic events in battle and small moments in the life of warriors.

Source: “i24”

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