The Mideast: A Century Of Conflict", Part 4: The 1967 Six Day War, By Mike Shuster

"The Mideast: A Century of Conflict", Part 4: the 1967 Six Day War, by Mike Shuster"

Summarizing the assigned article, The Mideast: A Century of Conflict, Isreal who had been independent since 1948 and surrounded by Arab states who were dedicated to Isreal's eradication. At this time Egypt was ruled by Gamal Abdel Nassar who had the strongest army in the Arab Middle East. Syria was governed by the radical Baathist Party who was constantly issuing threats to push Isreal into the sea.

The Isrealis attacked Egypt first, on June 5, 1967. In the spring of that year, the Soviet Union led the radical government in Damascus to believe that Isreal was planning to invade Syria. They shared this incorrect information with the Egyptian leader, Nassar, who closed the Gulf of Ababa to shipping, cutting off Isreal's primary oil supplies. Nassar also ordered U.N. peacekeepers to leave the Sinai Peninsula, sending scores of troops into the Sinai. This plan immediately boosted Nassar's importance. Almost overnight he was boosted to God-like status, the sad thing was, Nassar had no idea that Isreal would strike back!!!

After 3 weeks of debate, Isreal's leaders decided and agreed to attack. During the first day of the attack, Isreal almost destroyed the Egyptian Air Force. After the sixth day of war, Isreal had seized all of the Sanai and Gaza from Egypt, the West bank and all of Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Seizing Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Old Jerusalem allowed Isrealis to visit and worship at the holy sites for the first time in decades. The war profoundly changed Isreal itself. It led to the emergence of a strong mythic movement that claimed the West Bank as part of greater Isreal.

In the months after the Six Day War, Palestinian guerilla leader,