ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: The new fighting in the Middle East began as the region was preparing to observe the anniversary of one of the region's defining events: the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. Although Israel won that war, Arabs remember it as a time of unity. Egypt's ETV reports the war marked a turning point for the Arab armies.</s>MOHAMMAD EL-HUSSIN NASSAR, ETV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A 1973 October war is generally regarded to be one of the most important events in the history of the modern Middle East, seen as one of the real moments of Arab unity and collective effort. At the 27th anniversary of the 6th of October war, President Mubarak urged a divided Arab world to huddle together, he called for an immediate Arab summit to address pressing issues concerning Arab solidarity. 1973 war changed completely the strategy of the Egyptian army.</s>MAJ. GEN. AHMED FAKHR, EGYPTIAN ARMY: Things changed. The reasons for national security and the reasons for the Egyptian military strategy became defending and preserving the vital international interests of Egypt: Egyptian land, Egyptian territorial water, Egyptian air. That's why Egypt now is procuring only legitimate defense needs when it comes to the military equipment and military systems. And in the meantime, all resources are not oriented toward war, but toward peace. Now we are not in trenches, all the units have their own buildings and their own air condition. This gave the units the opportunity to modernize, and meanwhile, the stress now is on the individual, to improve the health of the individual, to improve the mental capability of the individual, and that is why the Egyptians are very busy now to increase and develop the standard of living of the Egyptian soldier and the Egyptian officer, and their morale. In the meantime, there is no aggressive feelings among them at all.</s>NASSAR: Egypt regarded the 6th of October war as a war for peace, as NATO signed a peace accord with Israel by which Egypt began its full authority over Sinai. (on camera): From Cairo, Egypt, this is Mohammad El-Hussin Nassar, Egyptian Television reporting for CNN WORLD REPORT.
Arabs Remember 1973 Arab-Israeli War as Time of Unity