Eyeing the Golan Heights

Dayan changes tack and Syrian forces are overwhelmed

Early in the morning, Nasser – finally coming to terms with the reality of the situation – cabled the Syrians, advising them not to fight Israel: “Keep the Syrian army intact,” he counselled. “We have lost this battle. God will be with us in the future.”

Then the mercurial Dayan decided to go on the offensive, having argued against such a move the day before.

When Israeli troops started bombing and attacking up into the Syrian-held Golan Heights, Eshkol was furious, as he had agreed not to attack. Dayan’s position on Syria was so inconsistent that some have argued that only a psychologist could understand it.

The die was now cast and Israel’s northern front exploded in a final round of fighting that would see Arab forces humiliated again.