>Six Day War Conclusion

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On June 4, 1967, Israel was facing oblivion, but by June 10, Israel showed itself to be the dominant Middle Eastern power.

Casualties were immensely lopsided. Total United Arab Republic losses:

Aircraft – 452

Israel lost 46.

Tanks – 617

Israel lost 28.

Military Personnel – Between 13,200 and 23,500 (numbers vary because of differing reports).

Israel lost between 776 and 983.

The military numbers illustrate one picture, but the other aftermath speaks an equally loud story. Israel was a tiny nation surrounded by aggressors on all sides. There was no buffer zone protecting Israel from any assault. The Arabs wanted to overrun Israel and “push it into the sea.” Not only did Israel protect her borders, but it expanded into the West Bank, Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. This certainly was not the Central Command’s goal in the war, but after a week, such prizes elevated Israel into a different world and diplomatic situation.

Israel’s decisiveness made the Palestinian population tremulous. 300,000 Palestinians fled Gaza and the West Bank into Jordan. Another approximately 100,000 Syrians fled the Golan Heights, as Israel was determined to maintain control over such a strategic geographic region. Jews living in Arab countries throughout the world faced immediate persecution, and were also forced to flee their adopted countries.

The most important aspect of the Six Day War was how the world now viewed this tiny giant. Israel could no longer be regarded as weak, and overwhelmingly became the most dominant force in the Middle East. Today, Israel is regarded by many military specialists as being “pound for pound” the strongest military in the world. Such a reputation is something Israel holds with pride. Israel’s victory helped to shed the long-held persona that Jews were slimy, crafty tradesmen. Pictures such as the Jerusalem Brigade’s entering the Old City, Jerusalem painted a romanticized picture of able bodied men and women unified for a national cause.

Zionism, subsequently, was on the rise again throughout the world. Many Jews, other than those persecuted, decided to emigrate “home.” The concerted Arab effort to destroy “evil” Israel was shattered beyond repair. Though another war was attempted on Yom Kippur in 1973, it only continued to prove Arab ineptness, and Israeli superiority. Such harrowing defeat changed how Arab nations would continue to approach Israel. Egypt for instance under Nasser’s successor, Anwar el Sadat, began to enter a peace process in the 1970’s – it cost him his life as he was assassinated. Palestinians organized into the Palestinian Liberation Organization, PLO, under Soviet support, and undertook terrorist campaigns. Druze, Hizbollah, Hamas, et. al. followed suit organizing terrorist incursions into Israel. Arab failures made armies too afraid of full-frontal assaults into a nation which defeated them so completely. This has and continues to be a double-edged sword as terrorist attacks come unexpectedly from anywhere at anytime, much unlike open warfare.

Israel has endured much for her entire history. The future looks bleak; however, God’s promise to Israel has never been broken, nor will it. Men and nations have tried for millenia without success to bring Israel to her knees. God proclaimed Jacob “Israel”, Prince with God, because he wrestled with God and prevailed. Surely, man can never prevail against Israel, while under God’s protection.

 

>Six Day War Part 5

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Egypt was run out of Sinai, Jordan was beaten, and Syria remained, yet Israel was unsure what action should be taken against the northern front. At first, Moshe Dayan refused any action, claiming too many lives would be lost. He thought 30,000 would be lost in a frontal attack against the well-defended Golan Heights. In an ironic twist, Syria was also unsure about attacking Israel. Egypt, once again, sent falsified reports claiming clear victories against Israel in Sinai. Remaining cautious, Syria entered the war on June 5, by shelling northern Israel.

The 75,000 men Syria had positioned on Israel’s border were not sent into Israel, because it had become apparent that Egypt was not victorious. The first instance that revealed Egypt’s false reports was the Syrian Air Force being overpowered by the Israeli Air Force. Syria, because it was under the impression that the IAF was overwhelmed, launched air strikes against Israel. Once the IAF returned from Sinai, it launched a retaliatory strike against Syria, and destroyed 2/3 of Syria’s planes. The remaining third fled to extreme outlying positions in fear, and were never used again. Syria embittered, but cautious, continued shelling northern Israel from the Golan Heights.

As Nasser was defeated, and the Jordanian Army pushed out of the West Bank, Israel’s Central Command debated the importance of the Golan Heights. This region is mountainous with many streams, and was well fortified with an extensive network of dug-in guns, much like the Maginot Line in France. Israel believed the upward climb to such a defensible region was suicidal. It was also believed that the Soviet Union was planning an attack in response to Israel’s now dominant military. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara later revealed that the United States had maneuvered the Sixth Fleet into the Eastern Mediterranean for such fears. This seemingly innocuous action, as both McNamara and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin admitted, almost made the Cold War “Hot”; however, the Sixth Fleet turned around, and the Soviet Union remained idle. By June 7 intelligence reports from the Mossad, Israel’s covert intelligence agency, revealed disunity, panic, and low morale throughout the Syrian army. These reports accompanied with the UN’s imminent call for a cease fire, which Nasser was imploring Syria to accept, and Israeli opinion that Syria must be punish for her actions, changed Moshe Dayan’s early command to not invade Syria.

Beginning June 9, Israel pushed northward with Operation Hammer. Syria immediately responded on the world scene claiming that they were abiding by a cease-fire, and Israel was breaking the agreement. Events unfolded rapidly, as Syria was found culpable and duplicitous, since it was still bombarding Israel, as well as creating false reports that Israel was bombing Cairo and Damascus. Israel pushed onward. Four brigades were sent, including one of Peled’s brigades used in the West Bank. With terrain proving to be Israel’s biggest foe, the IAF could only carry out limited strikes, because Syrian forces were dug into the ground so well. Lack of road combined with the aforementioned terrain also made moving and supporting an armored brigade difficult. What proved decisive was the exacting Mossad reports, detailing Syrian battle positions. With such knowledge, the IDF knew where and when to attack. Israeli ubiquity created fear in Syrian officers, who fled the scene, leaving ranks of soldiers confused. When Israeli forces invaded Syrian fortifications, the weapons used gave the IDF an advantage as well. Israel used Uzi’s, which are designed for close combat such as was happening in the Golan Heights. Syrians were using AK-47’s, used for open field combat, no match for the Israeli Uzi’s in close combat. Syrian forces retreated rapidly.

With Syrian ranks offering no resistance, Israel pushed beyond what should have been the impregnable Golan Heights by nightfall June 9. Reinforcements could now be sent to replace the front lines. Shockingly, Israel’s greatest disaster in the war occurred during this ostensibly easy advance, when one of the replacement brigades, Israel’s 8^th Armored, took a wrong turn and was ambushed. 24 of 26 tanks were destroyed and 13 men were killed. Regardless, the next morning Israel’s Central and Northern units organized a right and left hook into the plateau. Israel’s advance so no resistance. The Syrian Army simply vanished, allowing Israel to move along the “Purple Line”, a line agreed upon for the cease fire. Syria, craving a cease fire, reported to the United Nations fabricating an early report stating that Quneitra fell three hours before Israel invaded. Damascus radio aired the false claim, and the army heard it. Such foolishness destroyed Syrian morale, and caused their hasty retreat, allowing for such facile IDF advancement in the face of Syrian futility.

 

>Six Day War Part 4

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Because of Israel’s attack into Jordan in 1966, King Hussein was hesitant to launch an attack against Israel. He was convinced to do so by Nasser’s lie about Egypt’s being victorious in Sinai. Nasser told Hussein that planes seen returning to Israel were actually Egyptian bombers. They were not. Jordan reluctantly embarked into war with 55,000 men, 300 tanks, and a small air force, which was already being obliterated by Israel’s Air Force. Israel responded to Jordanian maneuvers by deploying 40,000 men, 200 tanks, and also recalled General Mordecai Gur’s 55^th paratrooper brigade.

Israel’s initial plan against Jordan on June 5 was to defend and wait. They never had the idea to provoke an attack; however, when Jordan was coaxed into believing Egypt was gaining a superior position, the Jordanian army began bombarding West Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Kfar Saba. The Jordanian and Iraqi Air Forces also bombed civilians and airfields with little effect. Israel downed many attacking planes, and the Israeli government responded to Jordanian belligerence. At first a message was sent promising no aggression against Jordan, if it pulled back. King Hussein replied “It is too late, the die is cast.” Israel had to act as civilians were being either killed or wounded. Israel reacted on June 6.

Israeli Air Force reciprocated Jordanian strikes by bombing air fields in Jordan. Timing was perfect, as the IAF bombed when Jordanians were refueling grounded planes. All of Jordan’s fighters, two helicopters, and many transport planes were destroyed, while Israel only lost one fighter due to a fire which broke out in the plane.

Israel’s Defense Force began to take the offensive on the ground as well. By nightfall the Jerusalem Brigade had positioned itself just south of Jerusalem, and General Gur’s paratroopers as well as the Harel Brigade surrounded northern Jerusalem. Israel wanted to be careful about entering Jerusalem as they did not want to destroy any part of the old city, so, Israel advanced cautiously. The Jerusalem Brigade captured the strategic Ammunition Hill against some resistance. From there, the IDF located and destroyed Jordanian artillery to effectively stop the barrage against civilian targets. Still fearing the worst Moshe Dayan ordered the IDF not to enter the city itself, once Ammunition Hill was secured.

June 7 witnessed heavy fighting as the Harel Brigade continued its assault in the northwestern mountains outside Jerusalem. Jordan’s fortress at Laturn was captured. Radar Hill and the University of Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus Campus were taken while the Harel Brigade pushed toward Ramallah. They would have met the 60^thJordanian Brigade, but the IAF decimated it. In conjunction with the northern push, General Peled’s division began capturing portions of the West Bank, then held by Jordan. Moshe Dayan was still holding his initial order to not enter Jerusalem, but news leaked that the UN was about to declare a cease-fire. Dayan changed his mind and began the assault into Jerusalem.

Gur’s Paratroopers entered the old city region and captured the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Street to street fighting ensued with the paratrooper brigade solely being used to keep the Holy Sites intact. The Jerusalem Brigade did enter the city once Gur’s Paratroopers were victorious. From there, the IDF moved southward taking Judea, Hebron and Gush Etzion, while Harel’s Brigade to the north moved toward the Jordan River capturing Bethlehem. Because the IAF was so superior, Peled’s Brigade could make further advancements in the West Bank. Soon, Peled joined with the Central Command 10^th and crossed into the East Bank forestalling Jordanian bridge crossings. This maneuver effectively finished Jordan’s involvement on June 7.

The West Bank, Jerusalem, and other sites sacred to Israel were now in possession. Israel had no designs on Jordanian territory, but two days after fighting began, had occupied much of it. More could have been acquired, but U.S. pressure brought Peled’s Brigade back across the Jordan River instead of a longer campaign into Jordan. Israel was not yet done; however, as Syria was still attacking in the north. With Egypt and Jordan both out of the war by June 7, the IDF turned its attention toward the final front of the war, which began in earnest June 8.

 

>Six Day War Part 3

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With complete air superiority in place, Israel quickly decided to move against Egyptian forces in Sinai. On June 5, 1967 General Israel Tal moved his 250 tanks, 50 guns, and paratrooper unit to Israel’s southern border. He rapidly arrived at the Egyptian held Rafah Gap and intense fighting began. Tal’s forces pushed the Egyptians back, and El Arish in Northwestern Sinai fell into Israel’s hands two days later on June 7. Egypt suffered heavy casualties due to confusion as well as prompt, precise Israeli action. While the northern flank was being secured, Israel sent the middle and southern prongs of attack into Sinai under General’s Ariel Sharon and Avraham Yoffe.

Israel’s Air Force preceded further ground action into the Sinai by wiping out Egyptian High Command. Such an air strike sent Egyptian ground forces into chaos. Ariel Sharon’s forces, however, encountered stiff resistance upon arriving at the Abu-Ageila-Kusseima region. 16,000 Egyptians with 90 Soviet WW2 T-34-85 tanks and 22 SU-100 tank destroyers. Israel’s force included 150 AMX-13 tanks, Centurions, M50 Super Shermans, and 14,000 men.

Sharon used his plan to perfection. He sent two brigades north of the region to effectively cut off Egyptian forces to the north, thus surrounding the Egyptian Army already fighting General Tal’s unit. These two brigades then encircled Abu-Ageila from the east, while a paratrooper force was helicoptered behind Egyptian positions. These maneuvers almost completely halted all heavy artillery fire against the remaining Israeli brigades. With Egyptian forces completely surrounded and cut off, Israel broke through resistance on June 6. The casualties were lopsided. Egypt lost approximately 4,000 men and 40 tanks as well as other materiel. Israel lost 19 tanks and 33 men.

From the Abu-Ageila region, Israel pushed through Egyptian positions at Jebel Libni, Bir Gafgafa, and Um-Katef. Egypt had vast numerical superiority in the region; however, Israeli infantry used anti-tank weapons to devastating effect, effectively hampering any Egyptian resistance. When Egyptian General Amer received news that Israel was successfully advancing through North Cental Sinai, he fatally ordered an Egyptian retreat. This sent the already chaotic Egyptian forces into total panic. As the retreat was under way, General Sharon planned to cut off the passes allowing Egyptian safety. Only the Gidi pass was entirely blocked, yet retreating Egyptians were met by the waiting Israeli army.

Israel’s Navy and an Independent brigade comprised the southernmost arm of the three-pronged attack into Sinai. It made light work of the remaining Egyptian defenses and helped to overrun the Peninsula. By June 8, 1967, with Sinai totally lost to the superior Israeli army, and Alexandria now under threat, President Nasser grudgingly signed a cease-fire.

The largest Arab force was utterly humiliated, sending shockwaves through the region also affecting the world. Due to such losses, Nasser and King Hussein of Jordan had to cover their tales. They concocted a story that Israel had received help from the American Sixth Fleet. Arab controlled OPEC was outraged and placed an embargo on oil shipments going to the United States. Many countries protested, and broke diplomatic relations with the United States. U.S. and British Embassies were also attacked. Israeli intelligence uncovered a phone call between Nasser and Hussein, which contained the idea to blame the United States. Israel leaked the information, which turned the neutral United States against Egypt and Jordan ultimately. The lie had turned into a massive blunder, though it did have immense consequences in the United States for the decade to come.

With Egyptian wreckage littering Sinai, and Egypt out of the War, Israel could now turn her attention toward the Eastern front of the war.

 

>Six Day War Introduction

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“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and Jerusalem. And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces.”

Zechariah 12: 2-3

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken then shall the Lord go forth to fight against those nations.”

Zechariah 14:2-3

Israel has been hated for millennia. Nation after nation has sought in its own way some method of Jewish destruction. In the modern era, Islam has, in many forms, continued this hatred. Islam claims to descend from the same source as Israel, Abraham. This is true to an extent, as Israel (Jacob), and Ishmael were both fathered by Abraham; however, only Israel was given all of the promises stated by God in Genesis 12:1-3, and restated in Genesis 15, carried out in Genesis 22, added to in II Samuel 7, Jeremiah 30, and many other places. Ishmael was also given a blessing in Genesis 21, thought it does not contain the same provisions as those given to Israel. God did promise to make of Ishmael a great nation. Certainly the Arab nation as a whole was made great. That does not supersede what God has done, is doing, and will do through and for Israel. All of this aside, and focusing on a sliver of Modern Israel’s existence, one may clearly discern the Bible’s truth as seen in Zechariah regarding Israel.

A brief survey history and then more in depth. The Zionist cause was reborn in the late 1800’s, though it never truly died. Modern European Jews created a voice as a result of instances, most notably the Dreyfus Affair. Theodore Herzl founded the movement in Austria, and it quickly spread through the world’s Jewish communities. By World War 1, the Jews were promised a homeland when Britain issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Nefariously, the Sykes-Picot agreement was also in the works as T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), was leading his Arab Revolt. The Arabs were promised the same land in return for cooperation against the Turkish Army. Britain and France carved the Middle East into “Spheres of Influence” and governed the region. As Britain soon found out, this region is sticky. When war again broke out in 1939, no one knew, rather admitted, that Hitler’s hatred could really spawn the holocaust. After Allied forces liberated death camps, gaunt Jewish bodies, barely alive, were discovered. Many more were found incinerated or in mass graves, thus illustrating Antisemitism. Those liberated Jews desired to return home, but were humiliated by more racist taunts and attacks. They, also, found their homes occupied by others, who moved in, believing the owners to be dead. Though liberated, many Jews were destitute, and many began to emigrate to “Palestine” in search of a new life.

The modern Jewish emigration began soon after World War 2 ended. This emigration recalls Isaiah 11:12 “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Britain soon reneged on the Balfour Declaration, claiming no “will to empire.” Not only did Britain end its promise to the Jews, Britain began to blockade Palestine, as many Jews embarked on boats bound for the region. British vessels fired upon, sank, or turned many ships back to certain death. Thousands of Jews died from disease and/or starvation on these over-populated ships. British policy forgot one other Bible promise “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:3. Britain, the world’s largest land empire, vanished within the next few decades.

Jews, undaunted, pressed onward. Though many endured hardships, thousands still did make it to Palestine, and began reorganizing a nation into a country. It is true that Israel used terrorism, yet it was in response to terrorism. The Irgun made a name for itself as it operated during British occupation, and continued to operate during Israel’s declation of statehood in 1948. Eventually, the Irgun, from whom came many leaders such as Menachim Begin, was called upon to defend the new country in a new capacity, as the Modern Israeli Army was formed. Israel, now a viable state had to fight for her existence from the outset, as Arab nations wanted to “drive Israel into the sea.” However, against all odds, Israel defeated all who came against her in 1948.

With this shame firmly in mind, Arab nations had to regroup. The most powerful Arab nation during the mid-Twentieth Century was the rather strategic Egypt, which had much foreign influence, especially from Britain due to the Suez Canal. The canal was one of the world’s vital corridors, but was under Britain’s control, not Egypt’s. Gamel Abdul Nasser gained control of Egypt and used the United Nations as a powerful tool against the European elite during the Suez Crisis of 1955-6. Nasser won the standoff (More on this in a future post), and nationalized the Suez Canal. This was a massive victory and stepping stone for not just Egypt, but all Arab nations.

Nasser began to block Israel’s access to the Canal and the surrounding water sources that Israel used to collect fresh water. This led to rising tensions in the region, and the world was put on alert as Nasser organized nations into a United Arab Republic front to squeeze Israel into oblivion. Israel responded with a few preemptive strikes late 1966 against a feint delivered by Jordan. This diversion was to take Israel’s attention away from Sinai. It also turned World opinion against Israel. Israel knew it was in trouble, and began to appeal to the United States for help. The United States turned Israel down stating that it did not expect war to arise, and that American involvement in Vietnam took precedence. Also, such an involvement would put American interests in the region at risk. Israel was now alone.

Though Israel received no help, this did not dissuade her continuing cry for help. Intelligence clearly showed that Egypt was amassing an army along the Suez and other Arab nations as well as the Soviet Union were vociferously raising the war cry dreams against Israel. Arab dreams became reality on June 5,1967, and quickly turned into nightmare.