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Yariv: No rapid conquest; Bar-Lev line is evacuated TEL AVIV — "This is not going to be a short war," Aluf (Res.) Aharon Yariv told a televised press conference last night. Aluf Yariv, a former chief of military intelligence, was recalled this week to serve as special aide to the Chief of Staff. He said the initial advantage gained by the enemy had been reversed but there was still a long way to go. Aluf Yariv said that because "totally justified political considerations" Israel had given the enemy the initiative. This advantage was bolstered by their numerical superiority as well as by improvements in equipment and training in the six years since the 1967 war. Reviewing the position on the battlefield, Aluf Yariv said that on the Golan Heights the cease-fire line attacked by the Syrians on Saturday had now been almost completely restored by the IDF. In doing this the IDF had inflicted heavy losses on the Syrians. He would not say that the Syrian Army had been broken, but that it had been "dealt a very severe blow." He declared: "We will continue to push, bomb and punish them until they and other understand the rules of the game — that it takes two to observe a ceasefire." Yariv said he "fervently‘ hoped that the impact of the heavy losses suffered by the Syrians would not be lost on ’other elements" in the Middle East. He declined to specify to whom he was referring, but this was taken to be a warning to Jordan, not to become involved in the war. On the Egyptian front, Yariv said, Israel had established "a firm base‘ for future operations, along a line ranging 3-6 kms from the Canal. This base would be used to continue striking at the enemy ’in the most advantageous way." Speaking in Hebrew and then in English to a combined press conference of the Israeli and foreign correspondents, Yariv said Israeli troops had "evacuated most of the Bar-Lev Line" on the Suez front and were established 3-5 kms from the Suez Canal. Asked whether he thought there was any "foreign element‘ in the Syrian Army Command, Yariv said there definitely seemed to be such an element ’of advice, occasional supervision and some maintenance help, but none in command, as yet." He estimated that the Syrian and Egyptian air forces combined lost more than 150 aircraft. "Here, the balance is very much in our favor," he said. He said the Egyptians had brought considerable reinforcements "to their bridgeheads on the Canal, but they had quite a bit of trouble in the last 24 hours, thanks primarily to the IAF." The IAF, in turn, "suffered quite a number of losses from the Egyptian and Syrian missile networks." But he thought that IAF counter measures had been effective, and that the missile barriers had been less effective yesterday. Asked about the effectiveness of the Bar-Lev Line, Yariv said that it had "not disappointed.‘ However, its recapture alone would not suffice Israel’s security. ’Israel will remain insecure as long as we have not licked them (the Syrian- Egyptian armies)," he said. Yariv opened the press conference in Hebrew, stressing that Israel had calculatedly taken the risk of Arab military initiative "in order to demonstrate to the world its desire for peace.‘ He added: ’We did not expect to be penalized for this." Under the circumstances, the IDF have had to bear the full consequences of the Arabs’ quantitative superiority. The Arabs had been given unstinting Soviet aid, whereas Israel had to do with what she herself could produce plus "what her friends were giving her — in measured quantities." Cautious Optimism An authoritative appraisal of the military position along the two battle fronts late last night summarized the situation on the Golan Height with cautious optimism. It confirmed that by nightfall Israeli units had retained their hold along almost the entire length of the 1967 cease-fire line. In addition one Israeli column was said to have protruded into Syrian territory in the northern sector of the line. The latest Syrian attacks included units using T-62 tanks, the most advanced armored vehicle in service with the Russian army, the sources said. The Syrians are believed to have thrown some of their reserves into the fray and are now reported to be spread out thinly along the entire line. The implication was that any Israeli offensive today could possibly be able to penetrate or break through the Syrian lines. On the southern front, the Egyptians yesterday clashed head on with Israel units north of Ras Sudar on the Sinai coast south of Suez. No further details of this "new front" were available, other than the fact that the Egyptians appeared to have suffered heavily in the engagement. The situation along the principal Egyptian bridgeheads on Israel’s side of the Canal appears to have remained largely static. The Egyptian tanks were reported to be digging in and covering the approaches with anti-tank missiles and guns. Israeli units continued what was termed "erosive" offensive action based on new lines 3-6 kms east of the waterway. Some action was also reported from the Mediterranean coast east of Port Fuad when an Egyptian unit which had attempted to leapfrog an Israeli position as driven back. Yesterday’s principal offensive efforts were carried out by the IAF. Apart from the aids announced earlier on strategic targets in Syria and Egypt, military installations at Port Said were bombed for the second day. The Egyptians and Syrians yesterday reportedly lost a total of 30 aircraft, in addition to two helicopters. The IAF was also said to have knocked out four bridges across the Canal which Egyptian engineers repaired at night. Informed sources also reported tanks were brought over during Monday night, whereas since yesterday morning the Egyptians concentrated on fuel, ammunition and food for their units.
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