• The crisis in May 1967 was a pivotal moment in the Middle East, involving Israel, its Arab neighbors, and the superpowers, USSR and USA.

• Israel and Arab countries, particularly Syria, were on a collision course, fueled by Palestinian attacks on Israel and threats issued by both sides.

• Threats and Misinformation

• Israel threatened action against Syria for supporting Palestinian attacks.

• An Israeli general even threatened to occupy Damascus, leading to widespread belief among Arabs that Israel planned to attack Syria.

• The USSR, regarding Syria as a key ally, wrongly informed Egypt that Israel was preparing to attack Syria.

• Nasser's Dilemma

• Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser knew the Soviet report was false, but faced pressure to respond due to accusations of cowardice from Jordan and a defense agreement with Syria.

• Nasser was caught between not wanting war, knowing Israeli forces were superior, and needing to assert his leadership in the Arab world.

• Nasser's Actions

• Nasser took three steps to deter Israel and assert his leadership

  • Moved 100,000 Egyptian troops into Sinai, alarming Israelis.

  • Asked the UN to remove its troops from Egyptian soil to assert Egypt's independence.

• The crisis was marked by a series of miscalculations and misinformation.

• The USSR's false report escalated the situation, possibly as an attempt to expand its influence in the Middle East while the USA was engaged in Vietnam.

• Nasser's actions, driven by the need to assert his leadership and honor defense agreements, led him into a dangerous game of brinkmanship.

A similar situation of misinformation leading to escalation can be seen in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003. False intelligence about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction led to a coalition of countries, led by the USA, invading Iraq.