This episode discusses Israel's history from 1967 to 1987, starting with its quick victory in the Six-Day War which increased its territory and boosted national morale. However, Israel then faced ongoing conflicts, especially against Egypt, which included regular skirmishes and the support of the Soviet Union to Israel's enemies. The 1973 Yom Kippur War saw Arab countries attack Israel to regain lost land, but with help from the US, Israel pushed back. This war led to an oil embargo that caused global economic trouble. Israeli politics also changed with the rise of the conservative Likud party in 1977 after dissatisfaction with the Labor Party. The Camp David Accords in 1978, which led to peace with Egypt and Israel's withdrawal from Sinai, were a major step in Middle Eastern diplomacy. Tensions remained over other occupied territories. In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon to counter the threat from the PLO. Throughout this period, Israel's alliance with the US strengthened, providing support against other Arab states allied with the Soviet Union. The video ends in 1987, with Israel positioned as a resilient nation despite its many challenges.
For Israel, the period from 1967 to 1987 emerges as a remarkable chapter of resilience, strategic triumphs, and decisive navigation through the tumultuous waters of Middle Eastern politics.
The Six-day-war saw an amazingly swift victory, with territorial gains and a new national confidence. However, there were more trials to come.
Between 1967-1970 a kind of War of attrition was simmering. Israel faced persistent low-intensity conflict, primarily with Egypt. Skirmishes bubbled along the crucial Suez Canal. The Soviet Union threw its considerable weight behind Egypt, supplying military and logistical support, but Israel held its ground.
The Yom Kippur War, commencing on October 6, 1973, saw a coalition of Arab states, chiefly Egypt and Syria, launching a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, and also during Ramadan, a sacred month in Islam. Egypt and Syria sought to reclaim territories lost in the Six-Day War of 1967, specifically, the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights, respectively. The early stages of the war, particularly from October 6th to 10th, saw considerable advances by Egyptian and Syrian forces. However, with tangible U.S. support, Israel managed to counterattack effectively by mid-October, pushing back the invaders and eventually crossing the Suez Canal into Egyptian territory by October 15th-16th. A U.S.-Soviet orchestrated ceasefire was agreed upon on October 25th, though skirmishes continued into the following days. The war significantly influenced subsequent peace processes that would come a few years later.
That same year, 1973, an Oil Crisis erupted in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War when the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries proclaimed an oil embargo targeted primarily at nations perceived as supporting Israel during the war, notably the United States and the Netherlands. The embargo, lasting from October 1973 to March 1974, quadrupled oil prices, ushered in a period of economic stagnation in the impacted countries, and underscored the global economy's vulnerability to geopolitical tensions, thereby reshaping international relations and energy policies.
In the 1970s, Israeli politics experienced a seismic shift with the decline of the dominant Labor Party and the ascendancy of the Likud Party. The Likud, under Menachem Begin, capitalized on a growing sense of dissatisfaction among Israelis who were disillusioned by the perceived failures of the Labor Party, especially after the Yom Kippur War in 1973, which was viewed by many as a strategic and intelligence failure. Winning the 1977 elections, Begin's Likud Party brought about a new political era, emphasizing a strong nationalistic stance, security-oriented policies, and a conservative approach to the Palestinian issue, changing the landscape of Israeli politics for decades to come.
The Camp David Accords of 1978, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, sprouted from the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War and under the shadow of UN Security Council Resolution 242, which advocated the "land for peace" principle. Significantly, the Accords led to the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, wherein Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula, adhering to the guidelines of the UN resolution, and Egypt, taking a monumental step, became the first Arab nation to recognize Israel officially. This agreement didn’t just bring relative calm after years of conflict but also set a historical precedent for potential peace among other neighboring nations, despite being perceived with skepticism and resistance by several Arab states.
Several Arab states and Palestinians believed that Israel should fully withdraw from “all” territories it occupied during the 1967 war, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights. Israel, however, did not see retreating these territories as a requirement of the accords.
Enduring a string of belligerent cross-border attacks and deeply concerned by the mounting threat in the north, Israel, after the June 3, 1982, assassination attempt on its UK ambassador, Shlomo Argov, took decisive action. On June 6, 1982, Israel launched a robust defensive campaign into Lebanon, aimed not only at expelling the increasingly menacing PLO but also at facilitating a friendlier government in Beirut, thereby securing tranquility along its northern frontier. The Israeli Defense Forces succeeded in dislodging the PLO from Lebanon, ensuring the safety of Israeli citizens in the north.
During the tense period of the Cold War, Israel judiciously bolstered its strategic alliances, notably strengthening its partnership with the United States. This deepening bond with the U.S. was not just about military might or economic support; it was a union of shared values, a commitment to democracy, and a mutual understanding of the challenges posed by authoritarian regimes.
While Israel and the U.S. grew closer, many Arab nations continued aligning with the Soviet Union, although these bonds started loosening as the 1980s rolled on. These geopolitical maneuvers underscored the ideological divide of the time, with Israel steadfastly siding with democratic powers. This alliance provided Israel with vital support and cooperation, enhancing its ability to defend itself and contributing to its steadfast pursuit of peace and security in the tumultuous Middle Eastern region. Through careful diplomacy and shared commitment to freedom, the U.S.-Israel alliance became a beacon of stability amid the unpredictable currents of Cold War politics.
As we close the chapter on Israel’s political journey at 1987, we observe a nation navigating through a maze of complex regional conflicts, internal political shifts, and global Cold War dynamics. The nation's narrative during this era sets the stage for the next episode, The Intifadas.
