In June 1967, a conflict known as the Six-Day War broke out between Israel and its neighboring Arab countries. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Israel emerged as the dominant power in the Middle East. Here are some key points:

• Israeli Triumph: Israel's military victory was nothing short of spectacular. The Arab forces lost 15,000 men, while the Israelis lost fewer than a thousand. Although the Arabs had modern Soviet missiles and larger armies, their air forces were destroyed. On the other hand, Israel had French fighter planes, tanks, advanced US electronic equipment, and highly skilled and well-trained forces. Above all, the Israelis believed they were fighting for their nation's survival.

• Conquered Lands: After the war, Israel had to decide what to do with the lands they had conquered: the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai, and the Golan Heights. Initially, the Israeli government decided on military occupation, which later became a central issue in Arab-Israeli relations for the next 40 years. These occupied territories acted as a buffer zone between Israel and its three main enemies, making its borders more secure.

The victory and the subsequent occupation of territories had both immediate and long-term consequences.

• Israeli Actions

  • The Israeli government ordered the army to confiscate Arab land and build Jewish settlements to make the areas more secure.

  • Israel took control of east Jerusalem, the Old City, for the first time in nearly 2000 years. General Dayan, the Israeli Defence Minister, declared that they had returned to the holiest of their holy places and would never part from it again.

• Arab Reactions

  • The Arab states felt more hostile than ever and blamed their defeat on the USA, Britain, and other European powers for helping Israel.

  • Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Libya agreed to pay £135 million annually to Egypt and Jordan as compensation for their suffering.

  • The Soviet Union decided to replace the weapons lost by its allies, Egypt and Syria.

  • Arab leaders declared at a conference in August 1967 that there would be no peace, recognition, or negotiation with Israel, insisting on the rights of the Palestinian people in their country.