The Seventh Day: Soldiers' Talk about the Six-Day War

by Avraham Shapira

Book Overview

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• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 0684123452
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Scribners

Customer Reviews

Reflections on a victorious war, what it was like and what the Israeli citizen-soldiers hope the fut

Since it was declared an independent state, Israel has been under siege, and at no time was it more intense than in 1967. The armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan were arrayed on the borders and other Arab nations such as Iraq sent forces to participate in the battle. In one of the most stunning military victories of all time, the Israeli defense forces swept the Arab armies aside and in six days conquered substantial territory. Some of that territory is still held by Israel forty years later and the debate as to what to do next began in Israel almost from the day after the six-day war ended. This book is part of that debate; in it several of the Israeli citizen-soldiers discuss their feelings about their Arab opponents and the war. They describe what it was like to kill the opposing soldiers, how they dealt with the Arab civilians when they moved into their territory and what direction they believe Israel and the neighboring nations should take. It is a very candid discussion and the opinions are varied, although most do not express a general hatred of the Arabs. What hatred is expressed is reserved for the Arab leadership, particularly the Egyptian leader Nasser. The Israeli soldiers express genuine sympathy for their Arab counterparts, they understand that both sides shooting at each other was an unfortunate natural order of things. Amidst the decades of hot and cold blowing wars between Israel and the Arabs, there is some hope that a reasonable compromise acceptable to both sides can be found. Some of that hope is expressed here, as the overwhelming opinion is that Israel just wants to be left alone and that there be an end to the killing.