Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Historical Context

In June 1967, Israeli aircraft, armor, and soldiers launched a massive surprise attack against the Egyptian forces of General Gamal Abdul Nasser, and changed the face of the entire Middle East. When the firing died down, the 19-year-old State of Israel had tripled in size, and brought millions of Palestinian refugees under its military control. Although the result was a rapid victory for Israel, and the near-total destruction of the neighboring Arab military forces, Israel had plunged itself into a swamp of demographic, security, and diplomatic problems in which the country remains mired.