1967 – Chief of Staff, The Six-Day War
In 1967, in the fourth year of Rabin’s term as Chief of Staff, the Six-Day War broke out. At the beginning of the year, war had yet to become foreseeable to anyone, certainly not a war with Egypt. Ongoing clashes on the northern border were the focus of tensions. In response to Syrian activity, the Israeli Air Force took action, and in an air attack on April 7, six Syrian MiG aircraft were taken down. Egypt, which was allied with Syria by a defense pact, subsequently began recruiting its military reserve forces. The entry of Egyptian military forces in Sinai, in violation of agreements, was seen by Rabin as a belligerent move, and he recommended calling up the reserves. President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, instructed the UN forces to leave Sinai, after which he closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli maritime traffic. On Israel’s part, this was understood as a declaration of war. The situation continued to deteriorate rapidly, and the war became inevitable.
Rabin was convinced of the power of the IDF to win, and that the army under his command was ready for battle. The price of recruiting the reserves was heavy. The public was anxious. The General Headquarters pressed for preemptive action. Nevertheless, Rabin understood that the government had to be given the time necessary for a diplomatic move. Senior figures with whom he consulted, shook his confidence in the power of the IDF to embark upon a war without the backing of a friendly superpower. Torn between his recognition of the need for landing a preemptive military blow and his recognition of his obligation to obey the political ranks, and while working around the clock and smoking incessantly, he was overcome by exhaustion and had difficulty fulfilling his role. Yet, after 24 hours of rest, he returned to the job.
The anxiety of the public during the “waiting period” resulted in the formation of a National Unity Government. Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Levi Eshkol, was forced to relinquish his position as Minister of Defense, and Moshe Dayan was appointed to the job. On June 4, the government decided to launch an attack.
On June 5, with almost all the IDF fighter planes participating, the Israeli Air Force attacked the airports and the air forces of Egypt Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, dealing them fatal blows. After this crushing attack, the way was opened for the armored corps and the infantry to break into Sinai. The Egyptian army was defeated in just a few days and retreated to the Suez Canal. Following attacks by the Jordanian army in the Jerusalem area, another front was opened. Within two days, the IDF forces conquered the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and reached the Kotel – the Western Wall. Following the defeat of Egypt’s and Jordan’s armies, on the fifth day of the war, the IDF attacked the Syrians in the Golan Heights. After completing the task of conquering the Golan, the ceasefire went into effect and the threat over the northern towns and settlements was removed.
Rabin supervised the major attack by the Air Force from its headquarters. Once the results became clear, he moved to the so-called “pit,” the highest command post of the IDF. From there he followed the execution of the war plans and departed for tours in the various battle arenas. Except for a visit to Jerusalem after Israel took hold of the Kotel, he refrained from visits with media coverage and largely avoided being interviewed.
At the end of the war, Israel was a different place. The area under its control was three times what it had previously been, and responsibility for one and a half million Palestinians was placed on its soldiers. The controversy over the borders of the state which had ostensibly come to an end at the conclusion of the War of Independence was now reopened.
For his part in the victory, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem bestowed an honorary doctorate upon Lt. Gen. Yitzhak Rabin in acknowledgement of the appreciation felt by the Israeli public for the Chief of Staff of the victory.
In his speech, summarizing the war, he highlighted the heavy price of the war for the beaten and the victors alike, without either arrogance or victor’s jubilance.
“The combatants in the front lines saw with their own eyes not only the glory of victory, but its price. Their friends fell by their sides wallowing in their blood. And I know that the awful price that the enemy paid also touched the depth of the hearts of many of them.”
