A torrid summer: timeline of events
MAY 25, 1967
State-controlled Cairo radio announced: “The Arab people are firmly resolved to wipe Israel off the map.”
MAY 27
Egyptian President Nasser announced that he had mined the Straits of Tiran, thereby denying Israeli ships access to Eilat.
MAY 28
Encouraged by Nasser, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia moved troops to Israel’s borders.
JUNE 1
Israel formed a National Unity government with Moshe Dayan as Minister of Defence and Menachem Begin and Yosef Sapir as Ministers Without Portfolio.
JUNE 2
Egypt’s army completed its combat deployment in Sinai.
JUNE 3
Egyptian forces airlifted to Jordan.
JUNE 4
Iraq joined the Egyptian-Jordanian military pact and Iraqi forces were deployed to Jordan. Israel’s government approved an IDF operation, to commence the following day.
JUNE 5
At 7.45am the Israeli air force struck air bases in Egypt, Syria and Jordan, destroying more than 400 war planes on the ground or in hangars and rendering runways unusable. Meanwhile Syria, Jordan and Iraq began air strikes on Haifa. Jordan attacked Netanya and began artillery fire against Tel Aviv.
JUNE 6
Syria launched artillery fire and fighting continued on all fronts. Israel took Gaza, Ras el Naqeb and Jebel Libni from Egypt. They also captured Ramallah, North East Jerusalem, Ammunition Hill and Talpiot.
JUNE 7
The Israeli government decided to enter the Old City of Jerusalem and advance towards the Western Wall.
It began by capturing the Mount of Olives and Kidron Valley and then entered through Lion’s Gate in the afternoon. The blockade of the Straits of Tiran was also broken.
Meanwhile the UN Security Council presented a ceasefire initiative.
Egypt turned it down, while Israel and Jordan accepted.
Fighting between Israel and Syria continued on the Golan border.
JUNE 8
Egypt accepted a ceasefire but fighting continued with Syria. Hebron fell to the IDF.
JUNE 9
Israel ordered an attack on the Golan Heights.
JUNE 10
A ceasefire was agreed with Syria and the war ended with Israel having captured the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal.