ABSTRACT
The basic condition for Arab success in the war was absolute secrecy. To blunt Israel’s alertness, the Egyptians deliberately created the impression that they despaired of military achievement, and had turned to the diplomatic battlefield. Emphasis was placed on the use of oil as a weapon and efforts were made to isolate Israel diplomatically. Libya expended vast sums of money on persuading African states to sever diplomatic relations with Israel. In Jerusalem, officials explained that Cairo’s resort to oil as a weapon must compel Egypt to compromise with pro-Western Arab countries – Saudia Arabia and the Persian Gulf emirates. As long as Sadat pinned his hopes on oil politics, he would reject any use of hotter weapons. Israel began to swallow the first baited hook.
