BK+Chapter6+Prelude+and+Road+to+War

Jonathan Staker January 26, 2010 B/K Chapter 6 Section “Prelude to War” and “The Road to War.”

On June 5, 1967 Egypt was attacked and nearly it’s entire airforce was destroyed by Israeli jets.
 * **__PRELUDE TO WAR__**
 * Al Fathah’s first raids into the state of Israel came from the northern country of Syria. Yet most attacks came from Jordan, even as the Jordanian and Lebanese governments attempted to prevent such attacks.
 * Syrian government could not adequately control the attacks from the border. The USSR encouraged Syria to sign a peace treaty with Egypt to enhance the sense of security and stability within the government. The USSR also saw this a deterrent against an Israeli attack, as the Syrians would now have Egypt supporting them as well.
 * In November 1966 Israel raided the Jordanian town of as-Samu because there was reason to believe that al-Fathah had used the town to launch raids against Israel the previous months. Many innocent civilians were either killed or affected by these bombing. Israel was condemned for their actions in this neighborhood.
 * **__ROAD TO WAR__**
 * Gamal Nasser stated that he would never become involved in a conflict with Israel unless Egypt was full prepared militarily and the international circumstances were right. Therefore he never truly supported another Arab nation who was standing up to Israel 100%. When Israel and Syria engaged in an air battle over Damascus in 1967, Israel violated Syrian airspace, shot down six planes, and then buzzed over the city, yet Nasser remained un-phased.
 * On May 18, 1967 Nasser final took action. He ordered the UNEF forces out of Egyptian land. Egyptian armed forces assumed control of the Sinai and the Gulf of Aquaba. Israeli ships frequented the Gulf of Aquaba as they moved supplies in and out of Israel. Israel saw the blocking of this straight as a direct act of aggression against their country.
 * On May 30, 1967 King Hussein of Jordan flew to Egypt to sign a defense pact with Egypt and Nasser. This pact including the allowance of Iraqi troops to come to Jordan’s aid if there were to be any act of aggression towards them.
 * Israel was put in a very difficult situation, as all of its boarders were ready to be crossed by the armies of the Arab nations. Israeli government saw the only option as a pre-emptive strike against these countries, to catch them off guard. Yet Nasser saw this as well, and was counting on an Israeli attack, as he felt Israel would be condemned international for such an attack. If Egypt were to attack first the world would see it as an attack against all Jews.