Page 61 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies

In 1967 – just 19 years after Israel’s rebirth – Egypt led a
three-nation coalition that seemed to be determined to
destroy the Jewish state. The lead-up to the Six-Day War
(June 5-10, 1967) began when Egypt blocked Israel from
receiving shipping trade through the Straits of Tiran.
Gamal Nassar, the president of Egypt, also mobilized a
massive force in the Sinai Peninsula, threatening to
invade Israel from the south. Jordan and Syria mobilized
forces to the east, in Jerusalem, and in the Golan Heights
on the northern border.

Israel decided to make a preemptive strike, attacking
Egypt’s air bases in a perfectly coordinated surprise
attack. When it was obvious that war had begun, Nassar
falsely assured his counterparts in Jordan and Syria that
his forces had repelled the Israeli air strike. In reality,
Israel had destroyed Egypt’s air force in the first few
hours of the war. Thinking they would have the support
of the Egyptian Air Force, Jordan and Syria attacked.
With complete dominance of the skies, Israel
counterattacked swiftly, taking Jerusalem and the West
Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights in the north
from Syria. Facing imminent attack from Egypt, Jordan and
Syria, Israel responded with a surprise,
preemptive strike against the Egyptian Air Force
By the time the fighting stopped, just six days after it had on June 5, 1967. Six days later, Israel had taken
begun, Israel had tripled its land area. It later turned the control of the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank,
Sinai Peninsula over to the United Nations and the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights and
voluntarily asked the Jordanians to police the Temple Jerusalem. Though Israel has since relinquished
Mount. Israel did not return any of the land it took in the control of the Sinai and Gaza Strip, it still
Golan Heights, though it has been pressured to do so for maintains control over Jerusalem, the Golan
Heights and portions of the West Bank.
decades.

In 2005, Israel withdrew its forces from the Gaza Strip, though much conflict continues between Israeli
forces and Palestinians living inside the narrow strip of land. Most notably, Israeli forces invaded the
Gaza Strip in December-January of 2008-2009 to stop terrorist attacks. Another 50-day effort to stop
terroristic activity against Israel came in 2015. Despite the wide-scale destruction inside Gaza, violent
protests and terrorist activity continue against Israel from the Gaza Strip.

There have been other wars or large-scale military operations since 1967, most notably the Yom Kippur
War, October 9-25, 1973. Israel was caught by surprise by this two-sided attack. Egypt came from the
southwest, and Syria attacked from the north. Though initially caught off-guard by the attack on the
holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Israeli forces rallied to take control of the fighting. At one point,
Israel was within 60 miles of Cairo and 20 miles of Damascus.

Israel has not had a major conflict with Egypt, Syria, or Jordan since 1973, though the current Syrian Civil
War has led to some military action on Israel’s part.

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