Yom Yerushalaim

In Israel today Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) was celebrated on the Hebrew date of the reunification of Jerusalem on June 6, 1967, during the Six-Day War. This was the height of inspiration during the war, because although the IAF vanquished the whole Egyptian airforce in a few hours, and although the Tank Corps destroyed several Egyptian armies in Sinai and stopped a huge tank attack from Syria in the Golan Heights, all miraculous acts, nothing compared to the spiritual effect of the reunification of Jerusalem, when it became known that "HAR HaBAYIT B'YODAINU" "the Temple Mount is in our hands," said by Motti Gur the Chief of the paratroops who captured the Old City and made Jerusalem Jewish again in its entirety for the first time in 2,000 years.

It might be thought that this was a predetermined plan of attack for Israel to recapture the Old City and reunite Jerusalem under Israeli control. But, that was not the case, incredible as it may seem, the IDF had no such plans and the Government had no intention of attacking East Jerusalem, Why not? Because they did not think the war would take that turn, they reckoned on fighting Egypt and Syria, two well-armed enemies, but they thought of King Hussein of Jordan as a weaker partner who they had warned not to attack Israel, and they assumed that he would not. But, on the eve of battle, in order to avoid being labelled a traitor to the Arab cause and also to avoid direct personal responsibility, King Hussein put the Jordanian Army under Egyptian control, he merged his forces with those of Nasser's Egypt and relinquished control himself of the battle.

So the Egyptian General ordered the Jordanian Army to bombard West Jerusalem, which they did. As a result the Israeli war cabinet, taking cover in a broom cupboard at the Knesset, realized that they needed to confront the Jordanians, and ordered Moshe Dayan to act. So the paratroop regiment that was enplaned and waiting to fly to Sinai, was suddenly ordered to deplane and move to Jerusalem. Meanwhile a few scattered groups of IDF soldiers fought bravely to prevent a Jordanian breakout in Jerusalem, notably a fierce battle took place at Ammunition Hill, where ca. 120 soldiers held out and actually defeated the attacking Jordanians, but at great cost. This is now a memorial site for the war. Then Gur's paratroops were ordered to capture the Old City and the Temple Mount. They did so by attacking the Jordanians from the rear, coming thru the Lion Gate in the east of the Old City. The Jordanians, realizing that they were surrounded, withdrew. And so the historic feat was accomplished.

Many brave Israelis died to reunite Jerusalem under Jewish control. May their memory be blessed and may the reason for which they died never be reversed, for any reason.