Syrian military leaders marked the 35th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War Monday by saying that Syria was interested in peace, not war, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported. "In their speeches, military leaders spoke about the just and comprehensive peace that Syria hopes for," SANA said.
Both Syria and Egypt consider the Yom Kippur War a victory over Israel, even though it ended with Israel still holding the land they ostensibly went to war to regain.
In Syria, the day was marked by President Bashar Assad's visit to the tomb of the unknown soldier and a 21-gun salute in each district.
An editorial published by Syrian newspaper Tishreen stated that the indirect peace talks with Israel constitute part of Syria's strategy to recover its lost land. Syria "is taking into account everything that a just peace demands," the editorial wrote, indicating that Damascus is willing to pay the price of normalizing relations with Israel. However, the editorial added, Syria would only countenance a peace that returned all the land it is seeking.
The editorial also called for Arab solidarity and joint action in light of the challenges facing the Arab world. The Yom Kippur War, in which the Syrian and Egyptian armies worked together to attack Israel, is viewed as an exemplar of such cooperation.
In Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak said his country was not being swayed by various threats to the peace with Israel. In a speech to the nation, he vowed that Egypt was moving toward a better future.
Government opponents tried to embarrass the government by an attempt to organize a rally demanding an end to the blockade of Gaza. However, security officials quickly ended the rally.