The Six Day War was a transformative event in the history of Israel and the Jewish people. Surrounded on all its borders and threatened with annihilation, Israel emerged after just six days of battle with a decisive military victory against the combined armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. The victory ended the Jordanian occupation of parts of Jerusalem in which access to Jewish holy sites had been denied since the founding of the state two decades earlier. After two thousand years, Jews were once again able to pray at the Western Wall, their most holy site. For this reason, the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem is a moment to celebrate.
It is also, however, a time to take a close look at the unresolved challenges resulting from the war which Israel grapples with to this day.
In light of this anniversary and the complex issues that surround it we are providing the following resources that both provide historical background on the war itself and the complex issues that continue as a result of the historic victory.