The Six Day War

• 16 May 1967: Egypt prepares for war, warns the UN to withdraw its peacekeeping forces from the territory.

  22 May 1967: Egypt blocks Israel's access to Gulf of Aqaba by closing the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.

  5 June 1967: Israel launches pre-emptive strike on grounded Egyptian and Arab air forces. Destroys over four hundred aircraft belonging to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq.
• 6 June 1967: UN reacts - Security Council unanimously backs a ceasefire resolution. Israel rejects it.

  7 June 1967: Israel defeats Jordan's forces, taking west bank and the Arab sector of Jerusalem.

  • Many Palestinians flee.
  • UN security council adopt another ceasefire resolution
• 8 June 1967: Egypt defeated.

  1. Israel crosses Sinai Penisula
  2. Traps Egyptian forces in the desert and reaches the Suez Canal
  3. Egypt accepts UN's latest ceasefire resolution
• 9 June 1967: Another Ceasefire resolution, this time Syria accepts, but Israel rejects.
• 10 June 1967: Israel win the six day war.

  • Israel defeats Syria and takes control of the Golan Heights
  • Well placed in advance towards Damascus, the Syrian capital.
  • Israel has strengthened its borders considerably and now controls all of Jerusalem.
  • Hundreds of Palestinians have fled areas now occupied by Israeli armed forces
  • The UN security council passes another ceasefire resolution which Israel adapts
• 22 November 1967:

  • UN passes resolution 242 which sets out proposals for finding lasting peace in the Middle East.

  Israeli forces were to withdraw from recently taken territory

  All states in the region were to accept each others borders and political independence

  Swedish diplomat Gunnar Janning was appointed as the UN's special envoy to the middle east
• UN had been involved in region since 1948

  • November 1966: UNEF I (UN Emergency Force) began peacekeeping duties
  • May 1967: Colonel Nasser (Egyptian leader) demanded UN forces withdraw from Egypt
  • U Thant (Secretary General) failed to diplomatically resolve the conflict
• The Six day war was a great success for Israel

  • Took control of 70,000 Square km of land
  • Destroyed 800 tanks and 430 aircraft
  • Only lost 779 men