IV.

Aftermath

The speed and scope of Israel’s victory were devastating to the Arabs, who had expected victory. Egypt, Jordan, and Syria lost almost all of their air forces and much of their armed weaponry. About 10,000 Egyptians were killed in Sinai and Gaza alone, compared with 300 Israeli casualties on that front. In all, Egypt lost about 11,000 troops, Jordan lost about 6000, Syria lost about 1000, and Israel lost 700. As a result, Arab leaders endured unpopularity at home while Israel’s government, which had united before and during the war, surged in popularity. Abroad, the USSR, which had strongly supported the Arab powers, was embarrassed because the Arab nations had been defeated by an ally of the United States and Soviet weapons systems had failed to overpower Western weapons.

On November 22 the UN passed Resolution 242, which called for Israel to withdraw from the Occupied Territories; in return Arab states would recognize Israel’s independence and guarantee secure borders for Israel. Events, however, did not follow Resolution 242. The Arabs and Palestinians declared their intention to continue fighting Israel, and Israel refused to return the Occupied Territories under such conditions. Terrorist attacks and reprisals persisted, and Israel and Egypt continued to engage in artillery, sniper, and occasional air attacks for several years. As a result, the Six-Day War was followed by what has come to be known as the War of Attrition. Although cease-fire agreements eventually ended this situation, the region remained volatile.

Israel moved to secure its position in the Occupied Territories by extending its lines of defense to the boundaries of the Arab states. The Sinai, West Bank, and Golan Heights were all fortified, and parts of these areas were lightly settled with Jewish Israelis. Israel also announced its intent to secure Jerusalem as its undivided and eternal capital, further antagonizing the Arab states. These disagreements eventually led to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War of 1973. Nonetheless, Resolution 242, which followed the Six-Day War, created the foundation of the peace process that began to yield results in the late 1970s.