by Eli E. Hertz
International law makes a clear distinction between defensive wars and wars of aggression.
In
June 1967, the combined armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan attacked
Israel with the clear purpose expressed by Egypt's President:
"Destruction of Israel." At the end of what is now known as the Six-Day
War, Israel, against all odds, was victorious and in possession of the
territories of Judea and Samaria [E.H., The West Bank], Sinai and the
Golan Heights.
International
law makes a clear distinction between defensive wars and wars of
aggression. More than half a century after the 1948 War, and more than
four decades since the 1967 Six-Day War, it is hard to imagine the dire
circumstances Israel faced and the price it paid to fend off its
neighbors' attacks.
Who Starts Wars Does Matter
Professor, Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, past President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) states the following facts:
"The
facts of the June 1967 'Six Day War' demonstrate that Israel reacted
defensively against the threat and use of force against her by her Arab
neighbors. This is indicated by the fact that Israel responded to
Egypt's prior closure of the Straits of Tiran, its proclamation of a
blockade of the Israeli port of Eilat, and the manifest threat of the
UAR's [The state formed by the union of the republics of Egypt and Syria
in 1958] use of force inherent in its massing of troops in Sinai,
coupled with its ejection of UNEF.
"It
is indicated by the fact that, upon Israeli responsive action against
the UAR, Jordan initiated hostilities against Israel. It is suggested as
well by the fact that, despite the most intense efforts by the Arab
States and their supporters, led by the Premier of the Soviet Union, to
gain condemnation of Israel as an aggressor by the hospitable organs of
the United Nations, those efforts were decisively defeated.
"The
conclusion to which these facts lead is that the Israeli conquest of
Arab and Arab-held territory was defensive rather than aggressive
conquest."
Judge Sir Elihu Lauterpacht wrote in 1968, one year after the 1967 Six-Day War:
"On
5th June, 1967, Jordan deliberately overthrew the Armistice Agreement
by attacking the Israeli-held part of Jerusalem. There was no question
of this Jordanian action being a reaction to any Israeli attack. It took
place notwithstanding explicit Israeli assurances, conveyed to King Hussein through the U.N. Commander, that if Jordan did not attack Israel, Israel would not attack Jordan.
"Although
the charge of aggression is freely made against Israel in relation to
the Six-Days War the fact remains that the two attempts made in the
General Assembly in June-July 1967 to secure the condemnation of Israel
as an aggressor failed. A clear and striking majority of the members of
the U.N. voted against the proposition that Israel was an aggressor."
Eli E. Hertz
Source: http://www.mythsandfacts.org
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Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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