Editing Yom Kippur War (section)

==UN-backed ceasefire==
[[File:1974 in Golan.ogv|thumb|A 1974 news report about warfare on the Golan prior to the May disengagement accords]]
On 24 October, the UNSC passed [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 339|Resolution 339]], serving as a renewed call for all parties to adhere to the ceasefire terms established in Resolution 338. Most heavy fighting on the Egyptian front ended by 26 October, but clashes along the ceasefire lines and a few airstrikes on the Third Army took place. With some Israeli advances taking place, Kissinger threatened to support a UN withdrawal resolution, but before Israel could respond, Egyptian national security advisor [[Mohammed Hafez Ismail|Hafez Ismail]] sent Kissinger a stunning message—Egypt was willing to enter into direct talks with Israel, provided that it agree to allow non-military supplies to reach the Third Army and to a complete ceasefire.

About noon on 25 October, Kissinger appeared before the press at the State Department. He described the various stages of the crisis and the evolution of U.S. policy. He reviewed the first two weeks of the crisis and the nuclear alert, reiterated opposition to U.S. and Soviet troops in the area and more strongly opposed unilateral Soviet moves. He then reviewed the prospects for a peace agreement, which he termed "quite promising", and had conciliatory words for Israel, Egypt and even the USSR. Kissinger concluded his remarks by spelling out the principles of a new U.S. policy toward the Arab–Israeli conflict saying:<ref>Quandt 2005, pp. 123–124.</ref>
<blockquote>Our position is that ... the conditions that produced this war were clearly intolerable to the Arab nations and that in the process of negotiations it will be necessary to make substantial concessions. The problem will be to relate the Arab concern for the sovereignty over the territories to the Israeli concern for secure boundaries. We believe that the process of negotiations between the parties is an essential component of this.</blockquote>

Quandt considers, "It was a brilliant performance, one of his most impressive." One hour later the United Nations Security Council adopted [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 340|Resolution 340]]. This time the ceasefire held, and the fourth Arab–Israeli war was over.