The Liberation of Jerusalem and the Turning Tide of the Six-Day War

The Road to Jerusalem: A Moment of Destiny

On the morning of June 7, 1967, forty-eight hours after war erupted across the Middle East, Colonel Mordechai Gur stood atop the Mount of Olives surveying the ancient city spread before him. As commander of Israel’s 55th Paratroop Brigade, Gur recognized this as the defining moment of his military career – an event that would be etched into Jewish history books for centuries to come. The golden dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque glimmered in the morning light, marking the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City that had been under Jordanian control since 1948.

Gur faced a critical decision about how to issue the historic order to his troops. Military protocol required using the operational code name “Vietnam” for their target, the Lions’ Gate on the eastern wall. But the colonel deliberately broke protocol, choosing instead to declare in clear Hebrew: “All company commanders, we’re going into the Lions’ Gate!” This symbolic gesture transformed a tactical operation into a national redemption narrative that resonated deeply with Israeli soldiers and civilians alike.

Breaking Through the Lions’ Gate

The approach to the Lions’ Gate presented formidable challenges – a narrow alleyway flanked by towering stone walls five to ten meters high. At 9:45 AM, Gur’s paratroopers advanced under cover of a Sherman tank that blasted open the ancient gate with a single shell, then destroyed a bus Jordanian forces had positioned as a barricade. Soldiers clutching Uzi submachine guns pressed against the walls as they inched forward, anticipating enemy fire at any moment.

In a dramatic moment that stunned his troops, Gur’s half-track vehicle suddenly accelerated past the cautious infantry, barreling through the burning bus wreckage and becoming the first Israeli military vehicle to enter the Old City in nineteen years. Over the radio, Gur reported to headquarters: “The Temple Mount is in our hands.” Soon after, a soldier scaled the golden dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to plant the blue-and-white Israeli flag – an image that would become iconic.

The Emotional Return to the Western Wall

The paratroopers’ next objective held even deeper significance – the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site. Lost in the maze of the Temple Mount, the soldiers encountered an elderly Arab gatekeeper wearing a white robe and bearing an enormous key. In a moment rich with historical irony, the keeper declared: “I have waited nineteen years for you. I knew you would return someday,” before guiding them to the Moroccan Gate that led to the Western Wall.

What they found was a cramped alley barely two meters wide. For the first time since 1948, Jews stood before the ancient stones. The scene became even more poignant when Rabbi Shlomo Goren, the military’s chief chaplain, arrived breathless from the Sinai front, clutching a Torah scroll and shofar. His impassioned prayers moved even secular soldiers to remove their helmets and join in worship. Goren’s shofar blast and declaration – “I, General Shlomo Goren, chief rabbi of the Israeli Defense Forces, have come to this place never to leave again” – marked a spiritual climax to the military victory.

The Political Aftermath and Symbolism

Defense Minister Moshe Dayan’s arrival at the Western Wall that afternoon cemented the historic moment’s political significance. Following Jewish tradition, he inserted a note between the ancient stones – rumored to contain the word “peace” – before declaring: “We have reunited Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, never to be divided again.” This statement, delivered before global media, established Israel’s claim to the unified city despite international objections.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces transformed the narrow alley into a proper plaza within six days, bulldozing adjacent structures to create space for large gatherings. This physical transformation mirrored the psychological shift among Israelis, who suddenly found themselves masters of their most sacred sites after generations of exclusion.

The Sinai Front: Collapse of Egyptian Forces

While Gur’s paratroopers secured Jerusalem, the Israeli military achieved equally stunning successes on the Sinai front. Egyptian forces, ordered to retreat on June 6, descended into chaos as officers abandoned their troops. The Israeli strategy of bypassing engagements to block key passes proved devastatingly effective.

The critical Mitla Pass, just 50 kilometers from the Suez Canal, became the scene of an extraordinary race. Lieutenant Colonel Yisrael Bar-Am’s tank battalion, reduced to just twelve operational vehicles due to fuel shortages, arrived moments before the retreating Egyptians. Through the night of June 7-8, these few tanks held off 30,000 Egyptian troops and 300 tanks. By dawn, Israeli air strikes turned the retreat into a slaughter, with 10,000 Egyptian soldiers perishing that single day in the Sinai.

The Political Unraveling in Cairo

The military collapse triggered political crisis in Egypt. President Gamal Abdel Nasser disappeared for days following the initial defeats, while Field Marshal Abdel Hakim Amer ordered bridges across the Suez Canal destroyed – stranding his own forces. When Nasser finally emerged, his hopes for Soviet military intervention were dashed. The Kremlin pressured Egypt to accept a UN ceasefire instead.

The moment of truth came on June 8 when Egypt’s UN ambassador, Mahmoud Kony, received the shocking order to accept ceasefire terms after days of being fed victory narratives. His tearful announcement at the United Nations marked the formal end of Egypt’s participation in the war.

The Unexpected Decision on the Syrian Front

While victories mounted on other fronts, Northern Command chief David Elazar chafed under restrictions against attacking Syria’s Golan Heights. Despite Syrian artillery barrages on Israeli villages, Defense Minister Dayan repeatedly vetoed offensive action, fearing Soviet reaction and damage to relations with France, Israel’s arms supplier.

The dramatic reversal came in early June 9 when Dayan intercepted a message from Nasser warning Syria’s president that Israel would soon turn its full force against them. Recognizing total Arab collapse, Dayan awakened Elazar with a simple question: “Can you attack?” Within hours, Israeli forces launched what would become another stunning victory, capturing the strategic Golan Heights.

Legacy of the Six-Day War

The events of these pivotal days reshaped the Middle East. Israel’s territorial gains – Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai, and the Golan – created new strategic realities and ongoing conflicts. The emotional return to Jerusalem’s holy sites transformed Israeli national identity while complicating peace prospects. The war’s aftermath saw the rise of religious nationalism in Israel and Palestinian resistance movements.

Fifty years later, the images of paratroopers at the Western Wall and the reunification of Jerusalem remain powerful symbols in Israeli consciousness, while the occupied territories continue to fuel regional tensions. The six days of June 1967 demonstrated how quickly military fortunes – and geopolitical landscapes – can change, leaving legacies that endure well into the 21st century.