The Gathering Storm: Egypt’s Provocations and Israel’s Dilemma
On what should have been a day of celebration during Israel’s Independence Day festivities, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol received disturbing reports from intelligence sources. Egyptian armored columns were rumbling across the Suez Canal into the Sinai Peninsula, marking the beginning of a crisis that would bring the Middle East to the edge of war. This moment in May 1967 would test the young nation’s resolve and military preparedness like never before.
Israel’s Chief of Staff Yitzhak Rabin immediately recognized the gravity of the situation. In a country with only 2.7 million citizens, Israel couldn’t maintain a large standing army. Its defense relied on a unique system where trained civilians – doctors, teachers, farmers – could rapidly mobilize when called. Rabin urged Eshkol to activate one or two reserve brigades, but the prime minister hesitated, fearing such action might validate Arab accusations of Israeli aggression against Syria.
The Escalation: From Military Posturing to Blockade
The situation deteriorated with alarming speed. What initially appeared as Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s saber-rattling quickly transformed into a full military buildup. Within days, Egyptian forces in Sinai swelled from one division to five, totaling 80,000 troops, 550 tanks, and 1,000 artillery pieces. The withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces at Nasser’s request removed the last buffer between the two armies.
On May 22, Israel’s worst fears materialized when Nasser announced the closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. This strategic waterway represented Israel’s only access to the Red Sea and vital oil supplies from Iran. Nasser’s declaration – “The Jews threaten war. We tell them: You are welcome, we are ready for war” – electrified the Arab world while plunging Israel into crisis.
The Leadership Crisis: Indecision and Psychological Toll
As the military situation worsened, Israel’s leadership appeared paralyzed. Eshkol, simultaneously serving as prime minister and defense minister, clung to hopes of diplomatic resolution. His cautious approach increasingly alienated both the military and public. Rabin, bearing the immense stress of preparing for war while political leaders hesitated, suffered a nervous breakdown, temporarily leaving Israel without its top military commander at this critical juncture.
The national mood darkened as Egyptian radio broadcasts threatened annihilation. Civilians dug trenches and piled sandbags around homes, while Tel Aviv authorities prepared 10,000 graves in anticipation of heavy casualties. Maintaining mobilized reserves cost Israel $20 million daily – an unsustainable burden for the small nation’s economy.
The International Gambit: Waiting on American Promises
Foreign Minister Abba Eban’s mission to Washington yielded ambiguous results. President Lyndon Johnson promised U.S. commitment to keeping the straits open, suggesting a multinational fleet might challenge the blockade within weeks. His carefully worded statement – “Israel will not be alone unless it decides to go it alone” – sparked endless interpretation among Israeli ministers but provided no clear path forward.
Eshkol’s disastrous national radio address on May 28, where he stumbled through a speech and asked aides for clarification on live air, became emblematic of the government’s faltering response. The public’s frustration reached a boiling point, with even senior military officers like Ariel Sharon reportedly considering a coup.
The Turning Point: Moshe Dayan’s Return
The crisis demanded a dramatic change, and it came in the form of Moshe Dayan, Israel’s legendary one-eyed general. A hero of the 1956 Sinai Campaign, Dayan embodied military competence and victory. Though Eshkol personally disliked the flamboyant general, calling him an “Arab one-eyed bandit” in private, public pressure forced the prime minister’s hand.
Their May 31 meeting revealed the depth of the crisis. Dayan rejected a ceremonial deputy prime minister position, demanding real authority over military matters. His dramatic declaration that he’d rather drive a half-track at the front than accept a meaningless office captured the national mood of impatience with political indecision.
The Countdown to War
As May turned to June, Israel stood at a crossroads. The nation had mobilized nearly its entire adult male population, crippling the economy. Egyptian forces continued their buildup while Jordan’s King Hussein placed his army under Egyptian command, creating a three-front threat. The psychological strain on soldiers waiting endlessly at the border became unbearable, with tank crews starting engines daily at 3:30 AM in anticipation of an Egyptian dawn attack that never came.
The stage was set for one of the most dramatic military campaigns in modern history. Israel’s survival appeared to hinge on a single decision – whether to strike first or continue waiting for international intervention that might never come. The tension between military necessity and political caution would define the coming days, as the young nation faced its greatest test since independence.
The Legacy of the Crisis
The events of those tense May days would profoundly shape Israel’s national psyche and strategic doctrine. The crisis demonstrated both the strengths and vulnerabilities of Israel’s unique defense system, the importance of clear leadership during existential threats, and the limits of international guarantees. Most significantly, it established the principle that Israel could not afford to wait for enemies to strike first when facing an imminent threat – a lesson that would inform its security policy for decades to come.
The countdown to the Six-Day War revealed the complex interplay between military preparedness, political leadership, and public morale in times of crisis. It showed how quickly regional tensions could escalate from posturing to the brink of war, and how the memory of existential threats would continue to influence Middle Eastern politics long after the guns fell silent.