NASSER AND SIX-DAY WAR

Today marks the anniversary of the Six-Day War. On June 5th, 1967, Israel launched pre-emptive strikes against Egypt and its allies. Aided by the US, Israel went on to invade the Sinai Peninsular and colonise the West Bank, Golan heights and more.

At the time, Egypt was led by one of its most popular presidents, Gamal Abdel Nasser. He’d beaten the British, French and Israelis in 1956 Suez War and changed the landscape of his nation and the Arab world. He also pushed for more African integration with other leaders. But his socialist movement and defiance of the West ultimately came to a head.

Nasser remained resolute before and after defeat in the Six-Day War.
Many believe if he hadn’t died in 1970, Egypt would still be fighting to free all the occupied lands. His successor, Anwar Sadat, did manage to liberate the Sinai Peninsula. However, his normalisation and peace deal with Israel after the Arab–Israeli War remains controversial topic among African and Arabs alike.

Listen to Nasser’s TV interview in 1967 where he spells out, in no uncertain terms, his take on Israel and the US, just before the conflict broke out.