After six days, the war is ending. By mid-June 1967, Israel’s lightning victory still dominates world headlines. But now questions are being asked about the war’s aftermath – questions still not resolved as we mark the 45th anniversary of the Six Day war.
June 11: Six-day Middle East war apparently comes to an end
CAIRO (AP) – The six-day Middle East war apparently came to an end Saturday night with Israeli forces in control of all the land between the Suez Canal and the eastern shore of Galilee. [http://bit.ly/6day30]
June 12: Revenge or peace: the choice
From The Guardian: Now comes the bargaining, and it will be hard bargaining. So hard that a settlement may never be reached. The Arab governments, with strong Soviet backing, will refuse Israel’s minimum demands. The Israelis, after total victory in the war, will not water down their requirements. Thus a deadlock is likely… we should be foolish to count on such a quick settlement. [http://bit.ly/6day31]
June 13: Russians pushing to dislodge Israel
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (AP) – The Soviet Union requested today an emergency special session of the General Assembly to press its demands that Israel withdraw from occupied territory in Egypt, Jordan and Syria… The Soviet Union has a resolution pending before the council that demands Israel “remove all its troops on the territory of those states and withdraw them behind the armistice line” fixed after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. [http://bit.ly/6day32]
June 14: Wailing Wall opened for holiday
From the London Express: Today is a great day for tens of thousands of Israelis. On the occasion of the Jewish feast of Shavuot (feast of weeks or of first fruits), a gate of Jerusalem’s old walled city will be opened to the public for the first time in almost 20 years. They will pray at the Wailing Wall built of huge rock chunks, the last remnant of the biblical Second Temple. [http://bit.ly/6day33]
June 15: Israel annexing Jerusalem
UPI – Israel took the first steps today to annex the Old City of Jerusalem without waiting for any formal peace settlement with the defeated Arab states. The move was expected to arouse the fury of the Arabs. [http://bit.ly/6day34]
June 16: Israel can’t ‘dictate’ lasting peace
From the St. Petersburg Independent: The Israelis have unequivocally stated that they wish to negotiate directly with the Arab governments only and will not accept mediation from the outside. This is the traditional position of the victor, but it doesn’t guarantee that the vanquished will remain quiescent… A dictated “peace” doesn’t remove the threat of more war. It merely marks the beginning of a buildup to get revenge. [http://bit.ly/6day35]
June 17: Israel vows to keep captured territories
JERUSALEM (UPI) – Indications mounted today that Israel will not surrender one inch of occupied Arab territory unless permanent peace is assured in the Middle East. Three Israeli ministers served notice Friday night that this country has “no intention of squandering our military feats in any other way than by translating them into a permanent peace.” … [Cabinet] minister Menachem Begin said, “Until we have peace, we shall not budge from an inch of territory come what may.” [http://bit.ly/6day36]
For many more articles written during June 1967, go to http://bit.ly/6day37.
Highway@rogers.com
