Yugoslavia and the Yom Kippur war 1973

Abstract

This article deals with the role of Yugoslavia in the Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Syria on the one hand, and Israel on the other. In the middle of 1972, relations between Yugoslavia and Egypt improved, after which close cooperation was established. At the Non-Aligned Conference in Algeria in early September 1973, Tito supported the intentions of the Arab states to attack Israel. When the war operations began in early October, Yugoslavia, upon Soviet insistence, allowed the Soviet planes carrying military aid for the Arab states to fly over its airspace. Together with other members of the Non-Aligned Movement, Yugoslavia provided diplomatic support to Arab countries in the United Nations. When the possibility of nuclear war loomed at the end of October 1973, India and Yugoslavia jointly proposed the establishment of UN peacekeeping forces in the Middle East. This was voted by Resolution 340, which led to the calming down of the situation. After the cessation of hostilities Yugoslavia mediated between the great powers and Arab states in order to establish a state of peace.