NASSER responded by sending troops into Sinai & on 16th May demanded the withdrawal of UNEF force.
Over next week crisis escalated as Nasser sent troops up to Sinai border with Israel & into Sharm el-Sheikh
Then on 22 May he closed Gulf of Aquaba to Israeli shipping, regarded by Israel as a cause of war -a "causus belli".
US talked about a multilateral naval force to protect maritime rights in the Gulf of Aquaba- wanted to avoid deterioration in relations with Arabs & urged Israelis to show restraint.
Pressure building on Israeli for a pre-emptive strike:
-King Hussein of Jordan signed mutual defense pact with Egypt's Nasser
-US tied down in Vietnam -was not going to take action &
-President Johnson indicated to Israelis that US was unlikely to take action if she acted alone.
CHRONOLOGY OF THE SIX DAY WAR
-On 5 June 1967 Israeli attacked
-On 6 June she had destroyed air forces of Egypt, Jordan & Syria
-On 8 June she had defeated Egyptian army & taken Gaza & Sinai down to Sharm el-Sheik
-Swiftly defeated Jordanian army invading from the East
-On June 10th she moved against Syria taking Golan Heights- -No significant Russian assistance or intervention because of fear of US involvement -US 6th Fleet in Mediterranean. -Russia sought early cease-fire & Israeli withdrawal from Syria
CONSEQUENCES OF WAR
Spectacular Israeli military victory -Israel had overturned regional
balance of power & emerged as the strongest power in the Middle East.
-Gaza & West Bank & Arab East Jerusalem under Israeli control as well as Golan Heights in Syria.
-over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza & West Bank now under Israeli rule.
The Palestinians became leading actor in the region after war through their organisation, the P.L.O, first set up in 1964.
Although Great Powers stayed out of Middle East their rivalry cont'd to divide the region.
LAND FOR PEACE OFFER
-Cease fire came into effect on June 10, 1967
-Followed by Israeli offer to return most of the occupied territories -Sinai & Golan -they were determined to keep Jerusalem & wanted to hold on to West Bank -in return for guarantees of peace & security
-But from Arab side there was no response to this serious peace initiative immediately after 6 Day War
-Arab states would not consider direct negotiations with Israel let alone recognising its existence & signing a peace treaty with it until they got back the territories they had lost & there was a settlement of Palestinian demands.
AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY WAS MISSED -NO MOVEMENT FOR ANOTHER DECADE
Diplomatic impasse -negotiation of agreement would require the active involvement of the Superpowers & UN to break the diplomatic logjam
SUPERPOWER ACTIVITY IN REGION -1968-71
-Each superpower began to militarily re-equip its client states after the war.
1. lncreased Russian activity in the Middle East -they were re-building the Egyptian army & air force & there was a continuing Soviet presence in Syria. USSR assumed responsibility for Egyptian air defence -20,000 military advisers sent to Egypt but Russians continued to support cease-fire at Canal Zone & to urge restrain upon the Egyptians
2 (a)US took over role of major arms supplier to Israel after de Gaulle stopped French arms deliveries in wake of 1967 war.
Washington took position:
-that Israel's security requirements would have be comprehensively addressed -she would have to receive a quid pro quo if she were to withdraw from the occupied territories conquered in 1967.
-Supported UN Resolution 242 passed in November 1967 -was to provide basis for future agreement.
(b) lsrael and Jordan were important regional partners for the United States.
-civil war broke out in September 1970 between King & PLO -threatened to destabilise Jordan where Palestinians comprised half the population.
-Syrian army moved into Jordan
i) Substantial American arms shipments to Jordanian ruler to help him hang on to power .
ii) Sought to contain crisis within Jordan, prevent further intervention of outside powers
which might draw in Superpowers & cause the crisis to escalate.
RUN-UP TO YOM KIPPUR WAR
1) During 1967-1970 Egypt & Israel fought a "war of attrition" across the Suez Canal and the Sinai border .
2)New leadership in Egypt -ANWAR SADAT became President in 1970 following death of Nasser
-SADAT'S PEACE INITIATIVE -1971-1972
Sadat wanted to move away from pro-Soviet position & improve relations with US to get peace agreement with Israel.
Offered to re-open Canal if Israel withdrew from Sinai
Israeli Govt. did not respond to his overtures.
ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY
CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE OF PEACE INITIATIVE
1) Sadat prepared for a limited war to draw in powers & change status quo in Middle East
2) Tensions built up between Moscow & Cairo.
-Russian refusal to supply Egypt with offensive weapons & long-range bombs after failure of peace initiative led Sadat to expel Soviet military advisers in July 1972
3)Nixon & Kissinger were concerned with Vietnam & wider issues of US-Soviet relations -ignored regional pressures building up for war
YOM KIPPUR WAR
-It began with attack on Israel by Egypt & Syria on 6 Oct1973 -Israel suffered reverses during first 4 days. There was huge US military airlift & Israel regained initiative on 18 October
-Arab states sought to use oil weapon for first time as lever against West:
-reduced production
-increased prices
-embargoed oil shipments to US
-There were worries that this regional war would draw in the super-powers
-BREZHNEV & KISSINGER attempted to broker a ceasefire which finally came into effect on 24 Oct.1973
THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF THE YOM KIPPUR WAR
1) It enhanced Sadat's prestige
-Arabs had achieved element of surprise -they had fought well
-use of the oil weapon linked to diplomatic/military offensive
2) Sadat anxious to work with Washington for political settlement -only US had leverage to get Israel to negotiate
3) US policy shift as a result of war
-i)realised that a powerful Israel did not guarantee regional stability & could not effect a political settlement
-ii)US could not remain aloof from Middle East
-iii)US began to pursue a more active foreign policy in the region-sought to improve its relations with Arab Governments, most notably Egypt.
KISSINGER'S SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY -1973-1975
-US prepared for a new diplomatic effort to mediate between the two sides
-Used step-by step incremental approach to get all parties involved -Egyptians & Israelis & Egyptians &Syrians -to disengage
1)THE FIRST DISENGAGEMENT -JANUARY 1974
-Kissinger sought Israeli pull-back from Canal with UN force to act as buffer between Egyptians & Israelis
-Similar pull-back of Israelis from Syrian territory
Problems Encountered :
-i)US had no overall strategy of how to bring long-term peace to region
-ii) Kissinger believed that comprehensive settlement was not possible because of entrenched hostility between the two sides
-iii)Russians would have to be involved in any comprehensive settlement & her wanted to keep them out of the Middle East
-iv)Kissinger never attempted to confront Palestinian question in all its complexity
-v)Domestic turmoil in US over Watergate scandal led to Nixon's resignation in August 1974. His successor, Gerald Ford was not very conversant with foreign policy issues
2) SINAI AGREEMENT IN SEPTEMBER 1974
-this breakthrough was result of months of "shuttle diplomacy" by Kissinger
TERMS OF SINAI AGREEMENT:
1) Israel to withdraw from Giddi & Mitla passes in Sinai
2) In return US promised to man early warning stations to be located between the two sides
3) Washington also promised Israel military & financial assistance
4) US promised not to recognise PLO until it recognised Israel's right to exist & accepted UN Resolution 242
5) Egypt & Israel agreed to peaceful resolution of disputes in future
6) Both agreed that next step was to negotiate a comprehensive peace settlement between them
REACTION TO AGREEMENT:
-it was condemned by Syria & Palestinians
-Sadat accused of abandoning struggle against Israel
-No new diplomatic initiatives until 1976 Presidential election was over & a new President was in White House
NEGOTIATING THE EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI SETTLEMENT
-President Carter sought an end to Arab-lsraeli conflict -Initially favoured comprehensive Middle East Peace involving creation of a Palestinian homeland
-Proposal had to be abandoned because of intense opposition from Israel
SADAT then moved to break the deadlock
-travelled to Israel to address Knesset on 20 Nov1977
Main difficulties in negotiating an Egyptian-Israeli settlement:
1) Neither Syria or Jordan would follow Sadat's lead
2) Israel was less willing to exchange "land for peace" than she had been in aftermath of 6 Day War
-her position had hardened because of PLO terrorism
-she was creating Jewish settlements in both West Bank & Gaza & was unwilling to abandon them
BREAKTHROUGH AT CAMP DAVID
-President Carter sought to overcome these difficulties by inviting President Sadat of Egypt & Prime Minister Begin of Israel to Camp David in September 1978.
-After 3 days of negotiating they produced outline of an EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI PEACE ACCORD which was signed in March 1979
TERMS:
1) Both states agreed to end state of war between them & establish full diplomatic relations
2) The Sinai was to be returned to Egypt & Israeli settlements to be removed
3) In return Israeli ships were promised free use of Suez Canal & Straits of Tiran
4) Egyptians accepted vague commitment from Israel to grant autonomy to West Bank & Gaza but Israel to retain overall control
CONSEQUENCES OF SETTLEMENT- THE COLD PEACE
-EGYPT was denounced by other Arabs for betraying Arab cause- they cut off diplomatic & economic ties with Cairo
-Opposition within Egypt itself led to assassination of Sadat in 1981
-Israel would not agree to self-determination for West Bank & Gaza -continued to establish settlements there -no movement in this direction for over a decade until diplomatic
movement began as a result of :
-massive protests by Palestinians which began in West Bank & Gaza in 1987(the INTIFADA) &
-recognition of Israel's right to exist by PLO in 1988