THE SIX DAY WAR OF 1967
Visual Source:
_Six_Day_War.jpg)
Unknown, (2009), The Six Day War [ONLINE]. Available at:http://trailofourvinylbook.blogspot.com/2009/03/israeli-army-songs.html [Accessed 20 October 13].
Map of the Six Day War Troop Movement:
Unknown, (2010), Map of Six Day War [ONLINE]. Available at: http://orthodox.exteen.com/20100310/kgb-cia-mossad [Accessed 20 October 13].
Causes of the war
Written secondary source by accredited author:
"The main cause of the Six Day War was a dramatic increase in tension between Israel and its Arab neighbours during the mid 1960s.
Terrorist activity against Israel also increased during the 1960s, especially following the formation of the PLO and Al Fatah. This heightened the already extreme tension between Israel and its neighbours. Most of this activity came from the Golan Heights and bases in the West Bank. Israel was determined to wipe these terrorists out and saw all-out war as an effective solution.One cause of this tension was Israel's policy of diverting water from the Jordan River down to the Negev Desert. This angered Arabs, who threatened to stem the flow of water into Lake Galilee. Syria had begun earthworks to divert water away from Israel but these were bombed by Israel in 1965 and 1966.
In 1966 the Ba'ath party gained control of Syria. Ba'ath was a very militant anti-Israel group. Due to accusations of hiding behind the UN, President Nasser of Egypt also took a more militant stance towards Israel.
Many historians consider that the economic problems the Israelis were having at the time were a major reason for wanting a war with the Arabs. A war would distract people's minds from unemployment and low growth and would also bring in foreign money to boost the economy.
As well as this, many Jews believed that the former Israeli government should have been harder on the Arabs in the previous conflict, the 1956 Suez War. David Ben-Gurion, a former Prime Minister believed that another war would secure Israel's borders against further Arab aggression."
Causes of the war - The Six Day War. 2013. Causes of the war - The Six Day War. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.sixdaywar.orconhosting.net.nz/html/causes.htm. [Accessed 20 October 2013].
It can therefore be said that Jewish Nationalism was proactive as the tension between Jewish and Arab Nationalism was a key factor in the fuelling of the Six Day War of 1967, in combination with the survival instincts of the Israelis bringing them together in a time of attack.
Bibliography: Barkai, R. 2013. Jewish Nationalism Reactive and Proctive?. Interviewed by Jordan Barkai [radio] Camps Bay, 12 October 2013.
Results of the war
"As a result of its overwhelming airpower and military strength, Israel ended up gaining a surprising amount of territory in 1967. From Egypt, its generals pressed forward to take the Sinai Peninsula. From Syria, the Israelis took the strategic Golan Heights, from which artillery can reach Jerusalem or Damascus. And from Jordan, Israel took Jerusalem and the West Bank."
Results of the war - The Six Day War. 2013. Results of the war - The Six Day War. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.sixdaywar.orconhosting.net.nz/html/results.htm. [Accessed 20 October 2013].
Israel won the war in a short six days, their victory leaving them as heroes due to such a quick successful conquer of the Arab states in comparison to the tiny country itself. The patriotic, proud Jewish Nationalism was further grown due to this victory. In addition unification of Jewish Nationalism grew through an increasingly spread hatred for the Arab states which they had just fought in the war, and of the Arabs now living in the newly Israeli territory. Therefore Jewish Nationalism in the Middle East was reactive to the Six Day War of 1967.
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