Reflective Essay: US Intervention in Israeli Politics and October War

This reflective essay examines the significant role of US intervention in Israeli politics, particularly focusing on the October War and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It explores the historical context, including the influence of the Cold War, the rise of the Jewish lobby in America, and the impact of US financial and moral support. The essay discusses key events such as the Yom Kippur War, the recognition of Israel by Egypt, and the more recent conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Golan Heights. It argues that US involvement has intensified the conflict, leading to violations of international law and a complex interplay of political and religious tensions. The essay concludes by highlighting the detrimental impact of US influence on the conflict and the need for a deeper understanding of the situation. The essay also provides relevant bibliographic references.

Running Head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
REFLECTIVE ESSAY
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1REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Thesis Statement: The US intervention in Israeli politics escalated the dispute of Israel and
Palestine
The October War also known as the Yom Kippur War was fought between the allies of
Arab Power of Egypt and Syria and the newly emerged country Israel. However, the great
powers of the world US and USSR played a very significant role which changed the perspective
and stirred up the situation of international politics.
The Muslim Ramadan month is celebrated as the day of Yom Kippur in Israel as the
holiest day in Judaism. On 6th October, 1973 during the celebration of Yom Kippur the allied
forces of Egypt and Syria attacked Israel as an act of retaliation in order to reclaim their lands
Golan Heights and Sinai. The war continued over the month and concluded with a ceasefire in
both the hostile territories.
The actual reason behind the war was very deep and significant. It was about the
recognition of Israel as a state. The issue has been started since 1917 when the British assured
the Jews to gift a homeland of their own. At that time Israel was a Palestinian territory inhabited
by both Jews and Muslims. Subsequently, after the partition the Palestinians did not want to
consider Israel as a separate country whereas the Israelis tried to establish their identity which
was previously undermined by the Arabs. In this context, after achieving their independence the
nascent country of Israel was invaded by its Arab neighbours.
However, the tension circulated around Israel and Palestine became heightened due to the
interference of global big powers like US and USSR. The Cold War politics intensified the
conflict between Israel and Palestine. Russia or the erstwhile USSR aided the Egypt by providing
the latest SAM missiles and anti- tank Saiga missiles. On the other hand, US from the inception

2REFLECTIVE ESSAY
of Israel gave the Jews moral support in the name of financing for Israeli army and Mossad, the
secret agency of Israel. In fact, the Jewish lobby in America was so powerful that it got the
power to influence the foreign policy of US.
After the end of the October War, the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1977 arrived
Israel as the first Arab leader to recognize the State of Israel but the border dispute with Syria
and Palestine remained unsolved till date. In fact, the recent activity of Israel in the Gaza Strip
and Golan Heights worsened the situation and convicted the Israeli government for violating the
International Law despite of reduction of Palestinian resistance. In case of Gaza Strip after the
winning of Hamas in 2006 elevated the tension by conducting militant activities near the Israel-
Palestine boarder.
According to the Israeli spokespersons, it was the terrorist activities conducted by Hamas
which perturbed the integration and sovereignty of Israel. Therefore, as an act of self defence the
Israel military forces bombarded 4900 times in response to Hamas’s 100 rockets in Israeli
territory. The United Nations’ Security Council has put a deep focus on the military activities
and keep it under scrutiny. However, due to immense pressure from US’s end no firm step has
been taken yet.
In the conclusion, it can be argued that the political conflict between Israel and Palestine
is not only created for political mobilization but a deep influence of religious tensions intensifies
the present situation. In fact, the recent developments and atrocities harvested by Israel are off
the limit because of the interference of US.

3REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Bibliography
Bbc documentry. (2013). Israel and palestine the truth [bbc ducumentry]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxbhpbabvse&feature=youtu.be
Fowler, s. L. (2015). Ideographs and american mass media: understanding the narrative on the
israel-palestine conflict and its influence on publics. Illinois state university.
Gelvin, j. L. (2014). The israel-palestine conflict: one hundred years of war. Cambridge
university press.
Hirsch-hoefler, s., canetti, d., rapaport, c., & hobfoll, s. E. (2016). Conflict will harden your
heart: exposure to violence, psychological distress, and peace barriers in israel and
palestine. British journal of political science, 46(4), 845-859.