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Israel's History:
1981
1981:
by Michael Bassin, 2003 Israel Affairs IGB
1981 was truly an eventful year for the state of Israel and all those who were
affected by the events of Israel.
- Maccabi Tel Aviv win its second consecutive European championship in basketball.
- A memorandum of understanding between the US and Israel on
strategic cooperation was signed. The main objective was to stop Soviet threats in the
Middle east. Provisions included joint military exercises, planning for the
establishment of joint readiness activities. The Arab world and the Soviet Union did not
really like this agreement because they thought it would deter America's ability to deal
fairly with the peace process in the region.
- The Israeli Knesset also ratified the Golan Heights Law on December
14, 1981 which extended Israeli law to the Golan Heights.
- Probably the most momentous and most controversial action of the year 1981 for
the state of Israel, was the Israel Air Force's bombing and subsequent destruction
of Iraq's Osirak nuclear facility near Baghdad. With French assistance, Iraq
built the Osirak facility to produce weapons of mass destruction. The Israeli government
decided to attack and decided that the raid had to occur at a point when the reactor's
destruction would not hurt the Iraqi people. Lt. Gen. Rafael Eitan headed the mission.
On June 7, 1981, F-15's and F-16's left Etzion Air Force base and Iraqi defenses were
caught by surprise. The late Colonel Ilan Ramon was part of that mission and the Osirak
facility's destruction threw off Iraq's nuclear weapons program for at least a decade.
That's it for 1981...
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