The Battle of Jerusalem: A Key Event in the 1967 Arab-Israeli Six-Day War
The Battle of Jerusalem, fought in 1967, stands as one of the pivotal moments of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War. The city of Jerusalem, one of the most religiously significant cities in the world, was thrust into the conflict as Israel and Jordan clashed for control of the city. The outcome of this battle had profound political, religious, and historical implications, shaping the course of the Middle East for decades to come. In this article, we will explore the battle’s background, its course, and its impact on the broader context of the Six-Day War and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Context of the Six-Day War
The Six-Day War, which broke out in June 1967, was the culmination of growing tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The causes of the war were numerous, including disputes over borders, territorial claims, and the presence of refugees in the region. Leading up to the war, there was a significant buildup of military forces on both sides, with the Arab states—specifically Egypt, Jordan, and Syria—mobilizing their armies in preparation for a potential conflict.
The key immediate trigger for the war was the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser’s decision to close the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping, which Israel viewed as an act of war. This action, combined with the massing of Arab troops on Israel’s borders, led to a preemptive Israeli airstrike on June 5, 1967, targeting Egyptian airfields. Israel’s swift and decisive action in the air gave it a significant upper hand in the war, which quickly spread to other fronts, including the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights.
Jerusalem’s Strategic Importance
Jerusalem’s significance during the Six-Day War cannot be overstated. As a city sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, its control was seen as a major symbol of political and religious power. Prior to the war, Jerusalem was a divided city: East Jerusalem, including the Old City, was under Jordanian control, while West Jerusalem was under Israeli control. The division was the result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which left Jerusalem split between the two sides, with the Jordanian-held eastern part of the city housing many of its most important religious sites, including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In the lead-up to the war, tensions were rising in Jerusalem. While Israel sought to maintain control over West Jerusalem and its holy sites, Jordan, which had controlled East Jerusalem since the 1948 war, was determined to keep the city united under Arab rule. This competing desire for sovereignty over Jerusalem was one of the major factors that led to the outbreak of hostilities in June 1967.
The Battle of Jerusalem
The Battle of Jerusalem took place primarily between Israeli and Jordanian forces, with heavy fighting concentrated around the Old City. On June 5, the war broke out in earnest with Israeli forces launching a series of coordinated attacks across multiple fronts. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) quickly moved to secure key positions in the West Bank, including the area surrounding Jerusalem.
The battle for Jerusalem itself began when Israel launched Operation Kadesh, a military offensive aimed at capturing East Jerusalem and the West Bank. This operation was part of Israel’s larger strategy to secure territorial gains and eliminate any threat from neighboring Arab states. As the IDF advanced toward Jerusalem, Jordanian forces, which were entrenched in the city, put up significant resistance.
The Jordanians, under the command of King Hussein, were heavily outnumbered and outgunned by the Israeli forces. However, the terrain around Jerusalem, with its narrow streets and rugged hills, made the fighting particularly challenging. The Israeli forces faced not only the military resistance of the Jordanian Army but also the presence of civilians, many of whom were Palestinian Arabs who had lived in the city for generations.
One of the most iconic moments of the battle occurred on June 7, 1967, when Israeli paratroopers, led by General Motta Gur, succeeded in breaching the walls of the Old City and capturing the Western Wall. This marked a dramatic turning point in the battle, as the Western Wall held immense religious significance for the Jewish people, who had not had access to the site since the 1948 war.
As Israeli forces continued their advance, the Jordanian Army began to crumble. Despite attempts to hold their ground, the Jordanians were unable to prevent the Israeli encirclement of East Jerusalem. By the end of the day on June 7, Israeli forces had secured all of Jerusalem, including the Old City. Jordanian forces were forced to retreat across the Jordan River.
Aftermath and Consequences
The Battle of Jerusalem ended with a decisive Israeli victory, but its aftermath had profound implications. First and foremost, Israel gained control of the entire city, including East Jerusalem and its holy sites. The unification of Jerusalem under Israeli control was a major political and symbolic victory for Israel. The capture of the Old City, including the Western Wall, resonated deeply within the Jewish community, both in Israel and around the world. For many, the reunification of Jerusalem marked the realization of a long-held aspiration for Jewish sovereignty over the city.
In the immediate aftermath of the battle, Israel declared Jerusalem to be its capital, a move that was not internationally recognized at the time. Most of the international community, including the United Nations, considered Jerusalem to be an international city and continued to support the notion that East Jerusalem should be the capital of a future Palestinian state. The status of Jerusalem remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to this day.
For Jordan, the loss of Jerusalem was a major blow. The kingdom’s control over East Jerusalem had been a source of prestige and influence in the Arab world, and its defeat marked a significant decline in Jordan’s standing. However, Jordan’s King Hussein, who had participated in the war in support of the Palestinian cause, later took the pragmatic step of disengaging from the West Bank in 1988. This decision effectively severed Jordan’s claims to the territory, leaving the Palestinian Authority and Israel to negotiate over the future of the area.
The Battle of Jerusalem also had wider regional consequences. The defeat of the Arab forces in the Six-Day War, particularly the loss of Jerusalem, led to a reassessment of Arab strategies toward Israel. The war marked the beginning of a new phase in the Arab-Israeli conflict, one that would see efforts at peace, such as the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in 1978, but also continued hostilities and military engagements in the years that followed.
The Battle’s Legacy
The Battle of Jerusalem is remembered not only for its military significance but also for its cultural and religious impact. It altered the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict, reshaped the geopolitics of the region, and left a lasting imprint on the identity and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.
For Israelis, the capture of Jerusalem in 1967 was a moment of national pride, symbolizing the fulfillment of a dream that had been nurtured for two millennia. It was viewed as a triumph over adversity and a reaffirmation of the Jewish connection to the land. The reunification of Jerusalem became a cornerstone of Israeli national identity and a rallying point for future generations.
For Palestinians and the Arab world, the loss of Jerusalem was seen as a profound humiliation. The city’s capture by Israel not only deprived Palestinians of their claim to the eastern part of the city but also symbolized the broader defeat of Arab forces in the war. The battle and its aftermath became a focal point of Palestinian resistance and were central to the ongoing struggle for Palestinian statehood.
The Battle of Jerusalem also shaped the way in which the international community views the city. The United Nations and many countries continue to view East Jerusalem as occupied territory, and the status of the city remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The political and religious stakes surrounding Jerusalem continue to fuel tensions, and the city’s fate remains unresolved in the broader context of peace negotiations.
Conclusion
The Battle of Jerusalem in 1967 was a turning point in the Arab-Israeli conflict, marking the moment when Israel gained control over the entire city and symbolizing a broader victory in the Six-Day War. The battle’s outcome was a decisive Israeli triumph, but it left lasting scars on the Arab world, particularly in relation to the Palestinian cause. The status of Jerusalem remains a central issue in the ongoing conflict, and the legacy of the 1967 battle continues to shape the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East. The struggle for Jerusalem, with its deep historical, religious, and political significance, remains one of the most contentious and unresolved conflicts in the modern world.