n, Jordanian, and Iraqi airfields on June 5, 1967. By theevening of June 6, Israel had destroyed the combateffectiveness of the major Arab air forces, destroying morethan 400 planes and losing only 26 of its own. Israel alsoswept into Sinai, reaching the Suez Canal and occupying most ofthe peninsula in less than four days.King HUSSEIN of Jordon rejected an offer of neutrality andopened fire on Israeli forces in Jerusalem on June 5. But alightning Israeli campaign placed all of Arab Jerusalem and theJordanian West Bank in Israeli hands by June 8. As the warended on the Jordanian and Egyptian fronts, Israel opened anattack on Syria in the north. In a little more than two daysof fierce fighting, Syrian forces were driven from the GolanHeights, from which they had shelled Jewish settlements acrossthe border. The Six-Day War ended on June 10 when the UNnegotiated cease-fire agreements on all fronts.The Six-Day War increased severalfold the area under Israel'scontrol. Through the occupation of Sinai, Gaza, ArabJerusalem, the West Bank, and Golan Heights, Israel shortenedits land frontiers with Egypt and Jordan, removed the mostheavily populated Jewish areas from direct Arab artilleryrange, and temporarily increased its strategic advantages.OCTOBER WAR (1973)Israel was the dominant military power in the region for thenext six years. Led by Golda MEIR from 1969, it was generallysatisfied with the status quo, but Arab impatience mounted.Between 1967 and 1973, Arab leaders repeatedly warned that theywould not accept continued Israeli occupation of the lands lostin 1967.After Anwar al-SADAT succeeded Nasser as president of Egypt in1970, threats about "the year of decision" were more frequent,as was periodic massing of troops along the Suez Canal.Egyptian and Syrian forces underwent massive rearmament withthe most sophisticated Soviet equipment. Sadat consolidatedwar preparations in secret agreements with President Hafezal-ASSAD of Syria f...
