Egyptian army officer had key role in 1973 Arab- Israeli war

CAIRO — Egypt’s state- owned media said the army officer said to have had the idea to destroy the Bar Lev line on the Suez Canal’s eastern bank during the 1973 Arab- Israeli war has died.

The Akhbar al- Youm daily said Baki Zaki Youssef died on Saturday at the age of 87.

State- run Al Ahram daily hailed him as a “hero” while recounting the war’s lead- up and how he thought to destroy the Bar Lev line with water pumps.

In 1973, Egyptian forces launched a surprise attack across the Suez Canal, cutting through the Bar Lev line of Israeli defenses in the war that culminated in the Egypt- Israel Peace Treaty.

Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, in 1979, but relations have always been frosty due to popular support for the Palestinians.