Hostilities Between the Arabs and Israel

was elected, Britain and the United States withdrew their financial support from his Aswan High Dam project, a dam across the Nile River in southern Egypt. In order to obtain funds to complete the dam, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. Israel, in alliance with France and Britain, were furious with this action. The United Nations Emergency Force placed troops on the border between Egypt and Israel to prevent an outbreak of disorder. This decision by the UN acted as a separation between the countries. In May of 1967, the UN withdrew its troops, leaving the borders open.
Hostilities between Israel and the Arab nations had been at a high point for years with the Arab nations refusing to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish

Many people are under the impression that the series of wars between Israel and the Arab nations first began in 1967, during the Six Day War. Several sources believe that the wars initiated in 1948, when Israel became a nation. In actuality, this feud has been going on for thousands of years. At the time when Israel became a nation, many Arabs believed that this should not have happened. While they were furious, the Arabs did not show their anger strongly enough to provoke the Israeli’s. Their blood was already boiling.
In 1956, Gamel Abdel-Nasser was elected President of Egypt. Nasser gained power through his military career. Shortly after he

state. Nasser called for the complete destruction of Israel.
          Terrorist attacks waged upon Israel increased to the time of the war. Nasser closed the Straits of Tiran to all Israeli shipping and all ships headed for Eilat on May 22. This blockade cut off Israel’s only supply route with Asia; and, stopped the flow of oil from its main supplier, Iran. The blockade violated a convention adopted by the UN in 1958. The United States government and other nations from around the world declared Nasser’s blockade illegal.
          On May 30, Jordan joined the Egyptian and Syrian military alliance of 1966. Under the command of Egypt, Jordan placed its armies on both sides of the Egyptian river. Iraq soon followed, agreeing to send reinforcements and issued a warning order to two
brigades. Algeria and Kuwait followed suit. A massive Arab military force confronted Israel.
          A direct threat along the whole length of Israel’s territory was created. The Voice of the Arabs proclaimed, “The sole method we shall apply against Israel is total war, which will result in the extermination of Zionist existence,” (Leibler-60). Despite many futile attempts by Israel to work out peace with the Arab nations, war seemed inevitable.