The 1967 (Six-Day) War

In 1964, at conferences in Cairo and in Casablanca, the Arab powers decided to intensify their struggle against Israel by diverting the headwaters of the Jordan River. The following year the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded, and a new Palestinian guerrilla organization began operating: FATAH (an acronym which translates to "the movement for the liberation of Palestine). Small bands of guerrilla fighters were sent from bases in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan against Israel.

On November 4, 1966, Syria and Egypt signed a mutual defense pact. In April 1967, the Syrian harassment of Israeli farming operations and the shelling of Israeli villages increased. An air battle developed in which Syria lost six planes. The Syrians turned to the Egyptians. On May 16, Nasser asked the United Nations to withdraw its forces from Sinai, and the UN complied. On May 30, Egypt and Jordan signed a mutual defense treaty, and, on May 31, Egypt moved 100,000 troops, 1,000 tanks, and 500 heavy guns into the Sinai Desert.

A summary of Michael Oren's Six Days of War

Rather than sit by and leave the initiative to Egypt, Israel attacked, on June 5, virtually eliminating the Egyptian air force in a single blow. By June 7, Israeli troops had secured the eastern bank of the Suez Canal, and on June 8 Nasser accepted a cease-fire in order to keep the Israelis from driving to Cairo. Also, Israel drove the Jordanian and Syrian offensives back. Israel had complete control of the skies, dropping napalm on the Arab forces. When the final UN cease-fire was imposed on June 11, Israel stood in possession of the Sinai Desert, the Golan Heights and Arab East Jerusalem. Israeli occupation of the West Bank (still officially ruled by Jordan) and of the Gaza Strip had begun.

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