There Four Major Arab-Israeli Wars and Numerous Battles Essay Example

truce, another ten days of conflict ensued. Throughout this period, Israel gained substantial territory and lifted the siege of Jerusalem.

Despite the second UN truce in mid-July, fighting continued resulting in Israel gaining more territory. This included areas such as Galilee and the Negev. By January 1949, when the final battles ended, Israel's borders had expanded by approximately 5,000 sq km (1,930 sq mi). This exceeded the originally designated 15,500 sq km (4,983 sq mi) for the Jewish state according to the UN partition resolution. Independence was also achieved by Israel during this time. In 1949, armistice agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt Jordan Syria and Lebanon with mediation from the UN.

The armistice borders were informal boundaries until 1967.

SUEZ-SINAI WAR (1956)

Despite the provisions in the armistice agreements of 1949 for peace negotiations, conflicts between Israel and the Arabs along the border continued. Many Palestinian Arabs, who had previously left Israeli-held territory during the initial war, gathered in refugee camps along Israel's borders. Their return to their homes or attacks on Israeli settlements along the border became a significant source of tension. The Egyptian-controlled GAZA STRIP, which was often used by Arab guerrillas to launch raids into southern Israel, was a particular area of dispute.

The hostilities were intensified by Egypt's blockade of Israeli shipping in the Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba. These tensions were further fueled by the SUEZ CRISIS, which was triggered by the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian president Gamal NASSER. Nasser's policies were strongly opposed by Great Britain and France, leading to a joint military campaign against Egypt.

It was understood that Israel would lead the campaign by seizing the Sinai Peninsula. The war commenced on Oct. 29, 1956, following an announcement that Egypt, Syria, and Jordan's armies would be integrated under the command of the Egyptian chief.

Israel's Operation Kadesh, led by Moshe DAYAN, lasted for less than a week. Within approximately 100 hours, Israeli forces took control of the Gaza Strip and most of the Sinai Peninsula, reaching the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. At the same time, on November 5th, an Anglo-French invasion occurred resulting in these allies gaining control over the northern section of the Suez Canal. To bring an end to the conflict, a resolution was passed by the UN General Assembly demanding an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of all occupying forces from Egyptian territory. The resolution also established a United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to be deployed along Egypt's borders which encompassed Suez, Sinai, and Gaza. By December 22nd, all British and French troops had left Egypt.

Israel initially refused to withdraw its forces from Egypt without receiving security guarantees against future attacks. However, after facing pressure from the United States and multiple UN resolutions calling for withdrawal, Israel finally withdrew in March 1957.
SIX-DAY WAR (1967)
Over the next decade, relations between Egypt and Israel remained relatively stable. Israeli shipping was still prohibited from using the Suez Canal, and the Arab boycott against Israel persisted. Additionally, occasional border conflicts occurred between Israel, Syria, and Jordan. Despite these challenges, UNEF successfully prevented direct military confrontations between Egypt and Israel.

In 1967, the Arab confrontation states (Egypt, Syria, and Jordan) became increasingly dissatisfied with the current situation. The conflict in propaganda between

them and Israel escalated, leading to more frequent border incidents that heightened tensions. By May, the situation reached its climax when Egyptian forces gathered in Sinai and Cairo demanded UNEF's withdrawal from Sinai and Gaza. Furthermore, President Nasser declared a renewed ban on Israeli shipping entering the Gulf of Aqaba. Near the end of May, Egypt and Jordan formed a new defense alliance that placed Jordan's military forces under Egyptian command.

Despite President Lyndon Johnson's efforts to de-escalate the crisis, his attempts to persuade Western powers to guarantee free passage through the Gulf were unsuccessful. To prepare for an inevitable war, Israeli Premier Levi ESHKOL, Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan, and Army Chief of Staff Yitzhak RABIN agreed on preemptive strikes at Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian, and Iraqi airfields on June 5, 1967. By the evening of June 6, Israel had successfully destroyed the combat effectiveness of the major Arab air forces. They managed to destroy over 400 planes while only losing 26 Israeli planes.

Israel swiftly moved into Sinai and took control of the majority of the peninsula, including reaching the Suez Canal, in a span of four days. On June 5, King HUSSEIN of Jordon refused to remain neutral and attacked Israeli forces in Jerusalem. However, a rapid Israeli offensive resulted in the capture of all Arab Jerusalem and the Jordanian West Bank by June 8. After concluding conflicts with Jordan and Egypt, Israel initiated an attack on Syria in the northern region. Following intense combat lasting slightly over two days, Syrian troops were expelled from the Golan Heights, which they had used as a position for shelling Jewish settlements along the border.

The Six-Day War, which

ended on June 10, saw the UN negotiate cease-fire agreements. This conflict resulted in Israel gaining control over several territories, including Sinai, Gaza, Arab Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Golan Heights. As a result of this expansion, Israel's land borders with Egypt and Jordan were reduced while heavily populated Jewish areas were moved out of direct artillery range from Arab forces. These advantages proved to be temporary.

After the war, Israel became the dominant military power in the region for the next six years. Golda MEIR assumed leadership of the country in 1969 and was generally satisfied with the existing situation. However, Arab leaders consistently expressed their dissatisfaction with Israeli occupation of the territories lost between 1967 and 1973.

After Anwar al-SADAT assumed the Egyptian presidency in 1970, there was a rise in threats and periodic troop build-up along the Suez Canal. Both Egypt and Syria possessed advanced Soviet weaponry. Sadat reached undisclosed agreements with President Hafez al-ASSAD of Syria and King FAISAL of Saudi Arabia to prepare for a potential conflict. On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched an assault that pushed Israeli forces beyond the cease-fire lines established in 1967. Israel was caught off guard as this attack coincided with Yom Kippur, a significant Jewish religious observance that aligned with the Muslim fast of Ramadan.

Israel, despite not fully recovering lost territory, managed to capture a significant bridgehead on the western bank of the canal through counterattacks against Egypt. Additionally, they created a gap in the Syrian lines on the northern front, establishing a strong position near Damascus. The United Nations intervened after 18 days of combat to cease hostilities, marking this as the longest

Arab-Israeli war since 1948. Moreover, this battle resulted in the highest casualties since World War II.

The 1973 war saw significant losses for both the Arabs and Israel. The Arabs lost around 2,000 tanks and over 500 planes, while Israel lost approximately 804 tanks and 114 planes. This conflict lasted for three weeks and had a total cost of about $7 billion, including damages and losses in industrial production, for both Egypt and Israel.

On the political front, the war concluded with disengagement agreements accepted by Israel, Egypt, and Syria. These negotiations were facilitated by U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. KISSINGER in 1974 and 1975.

As a result of these negotiations led by Henry A. KISSINGER in 1974-75, Egypt regained control over a strip of land along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal in Sinai. Additionally, Syria gained control over a small area near Kuneitra in the Golan Heights.

Both the Arab confrontation states and Israel had UN forces stationed on their respective fronts in order to ensure compliance with agreements that restored a political balance. A peace treaty was signed between Egypt and Israel on Mar. 26, 1979, resulting in the return of the Sinai peninsula by Israel to Egypt. However, hopes for extending peace negotiations to other Arab nations were diminished as Egypt and Israel failed to reach an agreement regarding Palestinian self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Throughout the 1980s, tensions escalated in the region due to actions taken by militant Palestinians, Arab extremists, and various measures taken by Israel such as officially declaring Jerusalem as its capital in 1980, annexing the Golan Heights in 1981, invading southern Lebanon in 1982, and

continuing to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Arab-Israeli wars have resulted from the United Nations partition of PALESTINE in 1947 and the subsequent establishment of the state of ISRAEL in 1948. These wars consist of four major conflicts (1947-49, 1956, 1967, and 1973) and numerous intermittent battles. Despite Egypt and Israel signing a peace treaty in 1979, hostilities between Israel and its Arab neighbors continued into the 1980s due to complications arising from Palestinian Arabs' demands.

THE FIRST PALESTINE WAR (1947-49)

This initial conflict arose between Palestinian Jews and Arabs following the United Nations recommendation on Nov. 29, 1947, to divide Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states.

Arab guerrillas initiated attacks on Jewish settlements and communication links in an attempt to hinder the implementation of the UN plan. Despite successful defense by Jewish forces in most settlements, Arab guerrillas, supported by the British-led Transjordanian Arab Legion, besieged Jerusalem. The Haganah, the primary Jewish military group, later took control of the offensive and achieved victories against the Arab Liberation Army in northern Palestine, Jaffa, and Jerusalem. Although officially neutral, certain British commanders provided unofficial assistance to either side. Under David BEN-GURION's leadership and following the departure of the British, Israel was established on May 15th, 1948. Palestinian Arab forces joined forces with foreign volunteers and regular armies from Transjordan (now Jordan), Iraq Lebanon, Syria with limited support from Saudi Arabia. Despite unsuccessful attempts by the UN to resolve the conflict, a four-week truce was eventually declared on June 11th.

The Arab states' refusal to renew the truce led to an extra ten days of conflict. During this period, Israel significantly expanded its control over the land

and lifted the siege on Jerusalem. Despite a second UN truce starting in mid-July, smaller battles persisted, enabling Israel to acquire more territory, particularly in Galilee and the Negev. By January 1949, when the final battles ended, Israel's borders had been extended by around 5,000 sq km (1,930 sq mi) beyond the initial 15,500 sq km (4,983 sq mi) designated by the UN partition resolution. Furthermore, Israel successfully attained independence.

In 1949, armistice agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon under the auspices of the United Nations. These agreements established unofficial boundaries that remained in place until 1967.

During the Suez-Sinai War in 1956, border conflicts between Israel and the Arab countries persisted, despite the peace negotiations outlined in the 1949 armistice agreements. A significant issue arose with hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs who had previously left territory held by Israel during the initial war. Many of them resided in refugee camps along Israel's frontiers and caused tension when they attempted to return home or attacked Israeli border settlements.

A significant point of tension was the GAZA STRIP, controlled by Egypt, which Arab guerrillas utilized for incursions into southern Israel. Egypt's blockade of Israeli shipping in the Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba intensified the hostilities. These escalating tensions coincided with the SUEZ CRISIS triggered by Egyptian president Gamal NASSER's nationalization of the Suez Canal. Great Britain and France vehemently opposed Nasser's policies and devised a joint military campaign against Egypt, with the understanding that Israel would initiate by capturing the Sinai Peninsula. The conflict commenced on Oct.

On October 29, 1956, Israel conducted Operation Kadesh under the leadership of Moshe DAYAN. This

operation was in response to a declaration that unified the armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan under the Egyptian leader's command. In just under a week, Israel's forces reached the eastern bank of the Suez Canal within approximately 100 hours, successfully seizing control of the Gaza Strip and most of the Sinai Peninsula. Additionally, on November 5, there was an Anglo-French invasion of Egypt which resulted in the allies gaining control over the northern part of the Suez Canal. The United Nations intervened in this conflict by issuing a resolution through its General Assembly. This resolution demanded an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of all occupying forces from Egyptian territory. Furthermore, as a result of this intervention, the General Assembly established the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to replace allied troops stationed in Suez, Sinai, and Gaza.

By December 22, the final British and French soldiers had departed Egypt. Nonetheless, Israel postponed its withdrawal and demanded security assurances to prevent future attacks from Egypt. Following several additional United Nations resolutions urging withdrawal and pressure from the United States, Israel's military forces departed in March 1957. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel-Egypt relations remained relatively steady. The Suez Canal remained inaccessible for Israeli ships, the Arab boycott of Israel persisted, and sporadic border clashes unfolded among Israel, Syria, and Jordan.

UNEF played a crucial role in preventing direct military conflicts between Egypt and Israel. However, by 1967, the Arab states involved in the confrontation - Egypt, Syria, and Jordan - grew increasingly restless with the existing situation. The propaganda war with Israel intensified, and there was a dangerous rise in border incidents. In May, tensions reached their

peak as Egyptian forces gathered in Sinai and Cairo demanded that UNEF withdraw from Sinai and Gaza. Additionally, President Nasser declared that Israeli shipping would no longer be allowed access to the Gulf of Aqaba. Towards the end of May, a new defense pact was signed between Egypt and Jordan, placing Jordan's armed forces under Egyptian control. Despite attempts to de-escalate the crisis, they proved to be unsuccessful.

During their visit to the United States, leaders from Israel and Egypt were unable to secure Western powers' guarantee of free passage through the Gulf, as urged by President Lyndon Johnson. Recognizing that war was inevitable, Israeli Premier Levi ESHKOL, Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan, and Army Chief of Staff Yitzhak RABIN sanctioned preemptive Israeli strikes on June 5, 1967. The strikes targeted airfields in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. By the evening of June 6, Israel had effectively neutralized the major Arab air forces, destroying over 400 planes and losing only 26 of their own. Israel swiftly advanced into Sinai and gained control over most of the peninsula in under four days.

King HUSSEIN of Jordon declined an offer of neutrality and initiated an attack on Israeli forces in Jerusalem on June 5. However, an incredibly swift Israeli campaign resulted in the capture of all of Arab Jerusalem and the Jordanian West Bank by June 8. Following the cessation of fighting on the Jordanian and Egyptian fronts, Israel launched an assault on Syria in the north. Within a brief period of just over two days characterized by intense combat, Syrian forces were expelled from the Golan Heights, a location from which they had previously bombarded Jewish settlements on

the neighboring border.

The UN negotiated cease-fire agreements on all fronts, ending the Six-Day War on June 10. Israel's control over territory increased significantly during this war. By occupying Sinai, Gaza, Arab Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Golan Heights, Israel achieved strategic advantages such as shortening its land frontiers with Egypt and Jordan and removing heavily populated Jewish areas from direct Arab artillery range.

OCTOBER WAR (1973)

Israel maintained its dominant military power in the region for the following six years, led by Golda MEIR since 1969. While generally satisfied with the status quo, Arab impatience began to grow.

Arab leaders, between 1967 and 1973, repeatedly issued warnings against the Israeli occupation of the lands lost in 1967. Following Nasser's presidency, when Anwar al-SADAT assumed office in Egypt in 1970, these threats increased and there was periodic massing of troops along the Suez Canal. The Egyptian and Syrian forces underwent significant rearmament with advanced Soviet equipment. In secret agreements, Sadat coordinated war preparations with President Hafez al-ASSAD of Syria for a joint attack and with King FAISAL of Saudi Arabia to finance the operations. On Oct. 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched an attack, pushing Israeli forces several miles behind the 1967 cease-fire lines.

Israel was caught off guard by the surprise attack during Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day for Jews and coincided with the Muslim fast of Ramadan. Although Israel was able to recover from the initial setback, it was unable to fully regain all of the lost territory during the first days of the conflict. On the Egyptian front, Israel launched counterattacks and successfully seized a significant position behind enemy lines on the west bank

of the canal. In the north, Israel also made advances by establishing a foothold just a few miles west of Damascus. After 18 days of intense fighting, making it the longest Arab-Israeli war since 1948, hostilities were once again brought to a halt by the intervention of the United Nations.

The expenses incurred in the battles that took place since World War II were the highest. The Arab forces lost around 2,000 tanks and over 500 planes, whereas the Israelis lost 804 tanks and 114 planes. This three-week long war resulted in approximately $7 billion worth of losses for both Egypt and Israel, including damage to industrial production and material losses. The political aspect of the war came to a conclusion with disengagement agreements, which were accepted by Israel, Egypt, and Syria after negotiations led by U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. in 1974 and 1975.

The agreements that were made stated that Egypt would reoccupy a portion of land in Sinai on the east side of the Suez Canal, while Syria would have control over a small area near the Golan Heights town of Kuneitra. United Nations forces were placed on both fronts to ensure that the agreements were being followed. These agreements helped to restore a political balance between Israel and the Arab countries that were in conflict with them. Eventually, on March 26, 1979, Israel returned the Sinai peninsula back to Egypt as part of a peace treaty between the two countries.

Hopes for expanding the peace process to include other Arab nations diminished due to the inability of Egypt and Israel to reach an agreement on Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza

Strip. Regional tensions escalated in the 1980s due to militant Palestinians, Arab extremists, and Israeli actions. These actions included declaring Jerusalem as the Israeli capital in 1980, annexing the Golan Heights in 1981, invading southern Lebanon in 1982, and expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.