Declaration of Yom Kippur War

Citizens of Israel, today, at around 2 p.m., the armies of Egypt and Syria launched an attack against Israel. They carried out a series of attacks from the air, with armor and artillery, in Sinai and on the Golan Heights.

The IDF is fighting and is repulsing the attack. The enemy has suffered serious losses.

The leaders of Egypt and Syria have long been planning the violation of the ceasefire. With unbridled baseness, the attackers are spreading the lie that Israel opened fire, but they are wholly responsible for the resumption of the fighting and the bloodshed.

Our enemies hoped to surprise the citizens of Israel on the Day of Atonement when so many of them were fasting and praying in the synagogues. Our attackers thought that on the Day of Atonement we would not be prepared to fight back fiercely. We were not taken by surprise.

For a number of days, Israel’s intelligence services were aware that the armies of Egypt and Syria were deploying for a combined attack. IDF patrols discovered that close to the Suez Canal as well as on the Golan Heights large military forces were concentrating in an attack formation. The findings of the patrols confirmed the reports. Our forces were deployed as required against the danger.

We do not doubt our victory, but in our estimation the resumption of the Egyptian–Syrian aggression is akin to an act of madness. We sought to avert the flare-up; we contacted influential political bodies in order that they would act to prevent the criminal enterprise of the rulers of Egypt and Syria. In good time we made known to friendly political sources the verified reports about plans to launch an offensive against Israel. We called on them to act to prevent the war. However, the Egyptian–Syrian attack began.

As I mentioned, the IDF is deployed, ready to repulse the enemy attack. Already this morning a partial mobilization of the reserves was approved and begun. In view of the serious nature of the reports, I was forced to convene the government session on the Day of Atonement itself. The attack began whilst the session was in progress.

The government authorized the IDF to act on the battlefronts as required by the demands of the fighting, in order to achieve victory. The ministers were granted authority to issue the requisite emergency decrees.

Citizens of Israel, this is not the first time that we face the test of a war imposed upon us. I have no doubt whatsoever that nobody will panic. Due to the call-up there will certainly be difficulties caused and disturbances to normal life and work—but, as in the past, now too these difficulties must be accepted with full awareness.

We are all called upon to behave responsibly and with discipline. We must be ready for every burden and sacrifice required for the defense of our very existence, our liberty and independence. We shall behave properly toward our sons, the soldiers of Israel who are heroically doing their duty—in planes, in tanks, in ships, beside the guns, in all the units and the services, in outposts and in settlements, in the lines of fire—in all the sectors.

We have complete trust in the spirit and power of the IDF to defeat the enemy.

The victory of the Israel Defense Forces—this is the surest guarantee of life and peace.