Kissinger asked Israel to violate resolution 338, continue fight

Classified US documents unveiled that former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger encouraged Israel not to stick to UN Security Council resolution # 338 that called for cease-fire during October 6, 1973 War.

This led the former Soviet Union to threaten to interfere militarily to force the Israelis to adhere to this resolution.

The U.S. national security archive pointed out that Kissinger told the then Israeli Premier Golda Meir on October 22, 1973 that the Israeli army could proceed fighting into the Egyptian front to rectify its position.

Kissinger told Meir: "You won't get violent protests from Washington if something happens during the night, while I'm flying to the U.S."

ÊÊÊ Kissinger also sent a message to the Israelis that the United States would understand if Israel needed more time for military dispositions before the cease-fire took effect on the ground.

The documents pointed out that Meir was hesitant in adopting Kissinger's advice saying " If the Egyptians don't stop, we won't," yet Kissinger told her " Even if they do, go on fighting."

ÊÊÊ According to these documents, Israel made use of Kissinger's green light and attacked the Egyptian Third Army West of Suez Canal.

This made the former Russian President Leonid Brezhnev feel that both Israel and the U.S. made a secret deal, despite the American public call upon both Egyptian and Israeli sides to stick to cease-fire.

Later on, Kissinger felt sorry because his advice caused a crisis with the Soviet Union, to the extent that Washington declared a level 3 nuclear state of alert.

The documents indicated that Brezhnev phoned the Americans expressing his protest because of Israel's continuous advance towards the Egyptian front despite UNSC resolution # 338.

The documents also indicated that Brezhnev suggested that the U.S. and the Soviet Union could send joint forces to compel both sides to stick to UNSC resolution.

Yet, on October 24, 1973, Brezhnev threatened that the Soviet Union would interfere solely if the Israelis did not stick to this resolution.

The documents summed up the situation saying that Kissinger acted in the interest of Israel before, during and after October 6,1973 War.

For example, he warned the Israelis of a joint Egyptian-Syrian attack but called upon them not to wage a preemptive strike.

He was also responsible for supplying Israel with immediate military aid, particularly that the then U.S. President Richard Nixon was occupied with the Watergate scandal.

The documents also mentioned that Kissinger was shocked due to Nixon's approval to establish a joint entity with the Soviet Union to reach a peaceful settlement.

Kissinger refused to carry out Nixon's orders in this respect. Meanwhile, he did not inform the other Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of his country's decision, with respect to declaring the nuclear state of alert, an Egyptian report said.