Editors: Anat Kurz, Kobi Michael, Gabi Siboni
The Institute for National Security Studies, Nov 2018
The Six Day War, which broke out on the morn of June 5, 1967, was a formative lawsuit that changed the human face of the State of State of Israel and, to a large extent, the entire Middle East. Prior to the war, State of Israel had been nether existential threat together with inwards half dozen days, the State of Israel Defense Forces succeeded inwards removing the threat past times achieving a decisive armed services victory together with positioning State of Israel every bit a pregnant forcefulness inwards the region. This victory was accompanied past times novel complexities, together with 50 years after the war, about of its implications nevertheless rest every bit heavy dilemmas, which the Israeli populace together with the ground institutions must address. Five decades later, the events direct related to the state of war together with its loni-term implications tin can move examined to a greater extent than broadly together with to a greater extent than rationally than was possible inwards the menses right away after the war. The study of the past times together with the drawing of insights from the state of war together with its results enable us to analyze the complex security, political, together with social challenges currently facini the State of Israel, every bit good every bit assess those inherent inwards time to come scenarios. On the fiftieth anniversary of the war, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) chose to seat out this mass devoted to the state of war together with its lessons, which was written past times researchers from the institute together with exterior of it. Together these articles introduce a comprehensive together with in-depth flick of the Six Day War, its results, together with its implications. Fifty Years since the Six Day War: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Retrospective
There is a wide consensus that the Six Day War of June 1967 was a formative lawsuit for the State of State of Israel together with the Middle East every bit a whole, evidenced past times the numerous academic, public, together with political events held to grade the fiftieth anniversary of the war. Likewise at INSS, much thought together with enquiry were devoted toward a amend understanding of this landmark episode. Various aspects of the state of war together with its results, both curt together with long term, are discussed at length inwards this collection’s essays. In addition, INSS held a one-day conference inwards collaboration with Yad Yitzhak Ben Zvi, which included the presentation of about of the essays compiled here. The collection is thence a contribution past times INSS to the populace discourse next the fiftieth anniversary of the war, which every bit good oft reflects a mutual vogue to emphasize ane of 2 opposing viewpoints on this pregnant occurrence: superlative evaluations of the state of war itself together with its immediate political together with territorial outcomes; or a critical watch of Israel’s political together with armed services leadership prior to together with during the war, together with the war’s consequences inwards subsequent decades.
The State of State of Israel together with Israeli guild choose changed dramatically since the Six Day War. The results of the state of war non solely tripled the territory nether Israel’s command together with strengthened the icon of the IDF inwards Israeli society, inwards the international community, together with inside the armed services itself; they also all at ane time bolstered the sense of safety amid the Israeli populace together with the self-confidence of its political leadership together with its military, to the betoken of euphoria together with intoxication.
Alongside Israel’s territorial achievements together with upgraded regional together with international status, the results of the state of war created a deep political rift inwards Israeli society. They also shaped armed services together with political thinking for years to come. Furthermore, in that location has been a alter inwards the nature of IDF activity every bit a final result of the tremendous resources it was forced to invest inwards policing operations inwards the Gaza Strip together with Judea together with Samaria. Likewise over the past times 5 decades, the Palestinian national displace grew rapidly, together with this translated into greater international pressure level on State of Israel to soften its opposition to the national claims of the Palestinians. The State of State of Israel became increasingly perceived inwards the international arena every bit an occupying force—a form of “David turned Goliath.”
A historical perspective facilitates a critical exam of events together with their results that is every bit balanced every bit possible, but it tin can nonetheless move misleading. The vogue to ascribe diverse trends together with developments to the Six Day War together with its aftermath tin can move problematic, since about of the developments attributed mightiness choose occurred inwards other historical contexts every bit well. Nonetheless, it appears that this state of war created iv main conflict arenas together with affected their respective developments inwards subsequent years: the internal Israeli arena; the Israeli-Palestinian arena; the regional arena; together with the international arena every bit it relates to Israel. These arenas, of course, overlap together with influence ane another. The connector betwixt them is reflected inwards many of the essays inwards this collection, which choose been divided into 3 sections past times subject: security-political issues, armed services dimensions, together with civil-military relations.
This introduction discusses issues that seem inwards many of the essays together with inwards all 3 sections: the military-security challenge facing Israel, every bit it developed since the Six Day War together with against the background of the war’s political together with territorial outcomes; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which joined the regional together with international agendas every bit a final result of the war, together with became the middle of discourse together with struggle inwards Israeli guild itself; together with questions on relations betwixt the socio-political together with armed services leaderships that arose next the state of war together with remained of vital importance inwards subsequent decades.
The Military Challenge together with the Paradox of Power
Prior to the Six Day War, the State of State of Israel lived nether the shadow of the Arab armed services threat. Although the armed services leadership conveyed a sense of confidence inwards the powerfulness of the IDF to defeat the Arab armies despite its numerical inferiority, this was conditional on a preemptive strike. In contrast, the political leadership did non percentage this flat of confidence, together with then-Prime Minister Levi Eshkol asked that all political possibilities move pursued on the international flat inwards monastic enjoin to avoid war. The waiting menses significantly heightened the anxiety amid the Israeli populace spell disrupting economical activity, due to the large scale mobilization of reserves.
The outcome of the state of war changed the atmosphere all at once, together with the sense of achievement together with euphoria inwards Israeli guild may choose reduced the motivation to larn together with internalize the lessons of the war. As a result, armed services thinking froze, together with this inwards plough affected IDF operations upwards to the Yom Kippur War (October 1973). The territory appended to the State of State of Israel non solely solidified the sense of self-assurance but also led to the neglect of thinking most defence together with to solely partial internalization of the geostrategic implications of the added territory. The Six Day War itself tin can also move interpreted every bit the erosion or fifty-fifty failure of Israeli deterrence. The armed services achievement together with impressive victory were meant to revalidate together with reinforce Israel’s deterrence, together with indeed the feeling after the state of war was that the magnitude of the accomplishment, the clear-cut victory, together with the stupor experienced past times the Arab leaders together with their armed services commanders would deter the Arab countries from whatsoever farther armed services activity against State of Israel together with would postpone the adjacent state of war good into the future.
However, Israeli deterrence did non transcend the evidence together with the War of Attrition began presently after the Six Day War. It continued until the summertime of 1970 together with exacted a high number of causalities. Israeli deterrence ane time to a greater extent than failed the evidence when the Yom Kippur War broke out solely 3 years after the cease of the War of Attrition. The Egyptian success inwards the early on stages of the 1973 state of war together with the terms inwards soldiers’ lives to State of Israel tin can also move attributed to stiff armed services thinking together with the euphoria amid about of the IDF commanders next the spectacular victory of the Six Day War. Despite the occupation of deterrence, the powerfulness of the IDF together with the spirit of its commanders together with soldiers sustained the State of State of Israel during the War of Attrition together with to an fifty-fifty greater extent during the Yom Kippur War. The IDF found itself inwards an inferior seat inwards Oct 1973 but was able to recover together with destination the state of war with an impressive armed services achievement. The stupor of the Yom Kippur War led to an accelerated—and about would say excessive—buildup of force, when inwards fact it was the final state of war inwards which the IDF fought regular armies (apart from a express number of skirmishes with the Syrian Earth forces inwards 1982, inwards what became known every bit the First Lebanese Republic War).The impressive achievements of the IDF inwards the Yom Kippur War became a pregnant element inwards the State of Israel’s deterrent powerfulness together with encouraged the conclusion amid the Arab leaders that they were unable to defeat State of Israel on the battlefield.
Another final result of that war, also relevant to the number of deterrence, was the transformation of State of Israel into a strategic property for the U.S.A. together with the evolution of the “special relationship” betwixt the 2 countries. State of Israel together with the U.S.A. drew closer already inwards the early on 1960s, together with this procedure accelerated next the embargo imposed past times President Charles de Gaulle on weapons shipments to the IDF during the Six Day War. Israel, for its part, replaced its strategic orientation to Europe with an orientation toward the United States, inwards recognition of its decisive role inwards the international arena. For many years, the U.S.A. has been Israel’s strategic patron together with also the IDF’s main source of weapons.
In the decades next the Yom Kippur War, terrorism together with hightrajectory weapons replaced conventional weapons every bit the main safety threats facing the State of Israel. In addition, the opponents facing the IDF were at nowadays non-state organizations. The prolonged presence of the IDF inwards Lebanese Republic next the First Lebanese Republic War, the kickoff Palestinian intifada (1987–1993)the suicide terror attacks inwards the 1990s against the background of the endeavour to implement a political procedure based on the Oslo accords, the minute intifada (2000–2005), together with the Second Lebanese Republic War (2006), every bit good every bit the 3 rounds of conflict with Hamas inwards the Gaza Strip (2009, 2012, together with 2014) all served to let on the paradox of powerfulness that limits the IDF’s liberty to operate. Thus, the characteristics of the state of war against the IDF together with the citizens of Israel, waged past times non-state forces that blend into the civilian population together with piece of work inside it, create non enable the IDF to choose to behaviour its capabilities every bit a powerful together with well-equipped army. The terror organizations that piece of work inwards the Palestinian areas usage the population every bit human shields, together with choose upgraded their powerfulness inwards the usage of high-trajectory weapons. They are thus able to drag the IDF into prolonged conflicts, which inwards their watch constitute a state of war of attrition against a modern Western guild that finds it hard to suffer depression flat conflict over fourth dimension together with is concerned most casualties. From their betoken of view, their methods of warfare emphasize the paradox of power, whereby a conventional army, due to normative, legal, together with political constraints—rather than military—considerations, it inwards effect prevented from manifesting its total force. Essentially, the powerfulness of the IDF became weakness inwards many cases, spell the armed services weakness of the non-state players, including Hamas inwards the Palestinian arena together with Hezbollah inwards Lebanon, translated into powerfulness because they piece of work inwards populated areas.
The line of the Gaza Strip together with the West Bank inwards the Six Day War exposed State of Israel together with the IDF to direct together with immediate contact with a large Palestinian population. After the stupor of defeat, this population experienced an economical smash every bit a final result of access to the Israeli economic scheme together with labor market. At the same time, State of Israel became a protected together with convenient infinite for the activities of the Palestinian terror organizations. In the early on 1970s, State of Israel embarked on a large scale exertion inwards Gaza to destroy the terror infrastructure together with managed to improve its command on the expanse together with to cut back terror attacks, though they were non completely halted. Until the outbreak of the kickoff intifada inwards Dec 1987, the IDF express itself to a pocket-size presence inwards the Gaza Strip together with the West Bank.
The kickoff intifada was the turning betoken inwards relations betwixt State of Israel together with the Palestinians. The flat of friction betwixt the sides increased significantly together with the trigger-happy confrontations with the Palestinian population exposed the IDF to the limits of powerfulness together with operational capability to grapple with this novel type of threat. The Earth forces found itself facing a trigger-happy grassroots uprising together with had to reinforce its forces on the ground, modify its operational methods, together with develop non-lethal agency for crowd control. From this betoken onward, the IDF began to piece of work inwards the format of demanding policing tasks, which required specific adaptations. The nature of IDF activity inwards the territories required it non solely to alter its modus operandi but also to brand structural together with organizational changes. In this context, 2 novel territorial divisions were created (the Judea together with Samaria segmentation together with the Gaza division), every bit good every bit exceptional units, such every bit surreptitious units together with the Kfir Brigade, together with inwards addition, Border Patrol forces were to a greater extent than deeply integrated inside armed services activity.
The prolonged duration of the intifada undermined the confidence of Prime Minister together with Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin inwards the powerfulness of the IDF to run into the challenge. Arguably, this was ane of the reasons for his back upwards of the dialogue, which was concurrently held inwards Oslo behind the scene betwixt Israelis together with Palestinians inwards an exertion to formulate understandings expected to lay the Earth for a peace talks (which until May 1993 was nether the auspices of Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who also took a leading role inwards advancing the process).
Since the slow 1980s, Hamas (much similar Hezbollah) has increased inwards strength organizationally, together with amongst its command of population together with territory has fought State of Israel using terror tactics together with missile together with rocket fire. Hamas’ activity together with increasing strength, together with inwards item the warfare waged inwards urban areas, choose required the IDF to upgrade its operational capabilities on an asymmetric battlefield. The minute intifada, which began inwards September 2000, also led to comprehensive alter inwards the IDF’s operating methods, inwards purpose with the aim of dealing with suicide terrorism. It broke out inwards a novel political reality, inwards which the Palestinian Authority had already been established past times the Oslo Accords. However, when the violence began, the PA safety forces took a leading purpose inwards the confrontation.
In comparing to the province of affairs prior to the Six Day War, when State of Israel faced an existential armed services threat, Israel’s economic scheme together with guild are currently much larger together with much stronger, together with State of Israel is economically together with technologically prosperous. Israeli guild is characterized past times a modern Western lifestyle, together with the economy, which is far to a greater extent than powerful than all of the neighboring economies combined, is admired every bit ane of the strongest inwards the world. However, it is precisely these sources of strength that acquire inwards to a greater extent than sensitive to terrorist assaults every bit good every bit to rocket together with missile fire.
Furthermore, the sensitivity to casualties, both civilian together with military, limits the liberty of activity of both the IDF together with the government. At the same time, the struggle against non-state actors places the IDF inwards problematic situations inwards which civilians are harmed, despite the efforts to minimize this phenomenon every bit much every bit possible. The contemporary battlefield, where the media command an extensive presence together with the social media broadcast move together with with manipulative bias, has led to a province of affairs inwards which IDF operations are champaign of study to harsh international criticism. Against this background, the IDF together with the State of State of Israel are exposed to international legal proceedings together with delegitimization campaigns.
The Challenge of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The line of the Gaza Strip together with the West Bank changed the Israeli- Palestinian reality overnight. Less than a twelvemonth after the cancellation of armed services dominion over the Arab population inside the State of State of Israel (in 1966), which was imposed right away next the War of Independence (1948), State of Israel found itself inwards direct command over a Palestinian population significantly larger than the Arab population inside Israel’s previous borders. The regime of State of Israel did non define strategic goals with regard to the occupied territories, together with the burden of governing the Palestinian population vicious on the IDF, which became the sovereign inwards the territories due to their international status every bit territory nether armed services occupation. Defense Minister Moshe Dayan was the main political say-so involved inwards the management of the territories together with the day-to-day lives of the Palestinian population. He fifty-fifty defined policy guidelines, though they were non discussed inwards whatsoever comprehensive way past times the regime together with did non Pb to whatsoever decisions inwards this context, apart from the full general together with vague intention that the territories would move kept inwards reserve every bit a bargaining fleck for usage inwards whatsoever time to come peace negotiations. Essentially, the regulation of “land for peace” was non defined officially together with publicly past times the regime of State of Israel but rather was a byproduct of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242.
In monastic enjoin to implement Dayan’s policy, the Coordinator of Government Activities inwards the Territories (COGAT) was created. COGAT, which reported to the Minister of Defense, was responsible for administering the daily lives of the Palestinian population inwards Gaza together with the West Bank. This was accomplished past times agency of armed services governors who were appointed inwards the diverse districts of Gaza together with the West Bank. Later, COGAT’s responsibleness was extended to include the Jewish population inwards the settlements established inwards the territories. Following the peace understanding with Arab Republic of Egypt (in 1979), the armed services regime inwards the territories was replaced past times the Civil Administration, inwards an exertion to give Israeli command of the territories a to a greater extent than civilian flavor, although this alter proved to move largely cosmetic.
Following its establishment, the Palestinian Authority received about of the powers of the Civil Administration. The Israeli disengagement from Gaza inwards 2005 farther reduced the expanse nether the Civil Administration’s command to Area B (where command is coordinated betwixt State of Israel together with the PA) together with Area C (under total Israeli control) inwards the West Bank. Since then, the main activity of the Civil Administration has been inwards Area C together with inwards civilian together with safety coordination with the PA. The tidings of the Palestinian number together with the partition of the Land of State of Israel prior to the Six Day War remained theoretical together with superficial, together with barely took identify on the political level. The territorial results of the state of war intensified the tidings together with injected novel content into it, together with the Israeli village company inwards the Gaza Strip together with the West Bank kept the struggle alive. The time to come of the territories became a watershed inwards Israeli politics. It is the main number distinguishing correct from left, together with since the Oslo Accords has also served to separate betwixt those demanding a novel Israeli deployment inwards the territories, including a withdrawal that would enable the implementation of the “two states for 2 peoples” idea, together with those demanding Israeli sovereignty inwards the West Bank, whether for reasons of safety or ideology. The years next the Six Day War saw the rapid evolution of Palestinian nationalism together with the consolidation of the PLO’s status every bit the exclusive instance of the Palestinian people. However, ironically, the outcome of the war, which, according to many inwards Israel, returned parts of the historic Jewish homeland to the State together with facilitated a revival of Zionism, strengthened Palestinian nationalist sentiments. There are fifty-fifty those who watch the results of the Six Day War every bit a replay of the dynamic that spurred the evolution of Palestinian nationalism prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. From this betoken of view, the Six Day War, which eliminated the existential threat to State of Israel from its Arab neighbors, returned the State of State of Israel to a menses prior to its establishment, inwards which the partition of the Land of State of Israel together with sovereignty over it were the champaign of study of populace discourse.
The Effects of the War on Israeli Society
The struggle over the time to come of the territories deepened rifts inwards Israeli guild together with fifty-fifty created phenomena that pose a threat to the State’s democraticliberal values. Fifty years after the war, the declaration focuses primarily on the threat that inwards the long run the command over about other people volition non solely undermine Israel’s international standing but is also liable to challenge the Zionist company every bit a whole, every bit manifested inwards the vision of a Jewish democratic state.
The complexity together with importance of civil-military relations inwards the State of State of Israel choose also move evident from the immediate together with long term outcomes of the Six Day War. The IDF’s command of disputed territory places it inwards sensitive together with problematic situations. Among the most serious challenges is that inwards many cases, professional person recommendations presented to the regime are viewed through ideological lenses, although the senior armed services commanders are committed to a wide together with holistic watch of the reality inwards the territories together with beyond. Therefore their insights together with proposals are primarily based on an analysis of regional together with international implications; the media together with PR environs together with legal ramifications; together with an in-depth familiarity with the population inwards the territories together with its way of life. Thus, to a greater extent than than ane time the Earth forces has been the ane to advocate the express together with measured usage of armed services force, with the goal of separating betwixt those who pose a safety threat together with the civilian population at large that desires stability. The government’s difficulty inwards deciding the time to come of the territories—as a final result of the complexity of the negotiations together with the prolonged impasse inwards the political process, every bit good every bit the belief that it volition move hard to gain wide populace back upwards for a peace conception that requires far-reaching concessions—has created a province of affairs inwards which, at the cease of the day, the IDF finds itself at the middle of the populace together with political debate.
The electrical flow main of the General Staff, Gadi Eisenkot, has sought to alter this reality. This tin can move seen inwards the IDF Strategy, which was also released to the populace inwards Israel. This document lays out the armed services doctrine for the usage of forcefulness inwards diverse scenarios, every bit derived from policy decisions together with the clear Definition of goals past times the government. It includes a telephone phone to upgrade the flat of tidings betwixt the armed services together with the government. The document distinguishes betwixt 2 main types of dialogue, clarification together with learning, together with emphasizes the demand to define objectives regarding the time to come of the territories.
Although the Six Day War is perceived every bit an impressive achievement for the IDF together with the State of Israel, its results were non aligned with the relatively express goals of the regime prior to the war. The exploitation of the armed services victory on 3 fronts was non the final result of instructions issued past times the government; rather, inwards most cases, the course of study of the state of war was determined past times armed services commanders nether pressure level from commanders inwards the field, without the regime advising on the possible outcomes together with implications for the future. The euphoria of the armed services success, the territorial gains, together with the sense of release from the anxiety that prevailed prior to the state of war allowed the populace together with the regime on the ane paw together with the armed services on the other to postpone the struggle on state of war together with society’s goals. Unlike the Sinai Campaign a decade earlier—which involved clear goals that were pursued past times the army—the disrupted connector betwixt state of war together with its long term outcomes inwards the Six Day War has, to a large extent, determined the problematic nature of civil-military relations inwards State of Israel together with the lapses inwards the interface betwixt the political together with armed services echelons, primarily inwards the context of the reluctance of the one-time to flora clear goals inwards a war. The editors of this mass wishing to give thank you lot the contributing authors for the enquiry together with composition of their essays. Many thank you lot move to the INSS publications staff—Moshe Grundman, the Director of Publications, Ela Greenberg, who oversaw the editing of this volume, together with Judith Rosen, the Institute’s editor of English linguistic communication publications. Special thank you lot move to Gal Perl Finkel for his contribution to coordinating the project.
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