All language subtitles for The 50 Years War - Israel and the Arabs (1999) part1_eng

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FUING FORTHE 50 YEARS WAR:
ISRAEL AND THE ARABS

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Narrator:
PALESTINE--

A HOLY PLACE, A BATTLEGROUND

A HOMELAND CLAIMED
BY BOTH ARABS AND JEWS.

[Captioning sponsored

by THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

and VIEWERS LIKE YOU]

Narrator:
BY 1947, THE LINES WERE DRAWN.

Announcer:
TO THE JEWS

PALESTINE IS THEIR
TRADITIONAL AND SPIRITUAL HOME--

THE PROMISED LAND.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE
INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE

ARE ARABS.

THEY, TOO, REGARD PALESTINE
AS THEIR RIGHTFUL HOME.

BUT WITH THE END OF THE WAR

INTO PALESTINE PORTS
CAME SHIP AFTER SHIP

CRAMMED WITH
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS--

REFUGEES FROM RECENT PERSECUTION

REFUGEES FROM RECENT PERSECUTION
IN GERMABELSEN AND DACHAU.D,

THE ARABS, FEARFUL
OF BECOMING A MINORITY

PERSUADED THE BRITISH
TO LIMIT JEWISH IMMIGRATION.

JEWISH EXTREMISTS
ATTACKED BRITISH TROOPS

WRECKED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS,
BLEW UP TRAINS AND SHIPS.

AND SO PALESTINE REMAINS
A PLACE OF MARTIAL LAW

WHERE ALL GO THEIR WAYS
ONLY UNDER WATCH

WHERE THE INNOCENT
MUST SUFFER WITH THE GUILTY.

ator:
GREAT BRITAIN HAD RULED
PALESTINE FOR THREE DECADES.

AFTER YEARS OF STRENUOUS
BUT

HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
HAS REACHED THE CONCLUSION

THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BRING
ABOUT A SETTLEMENT IN PALESTINE

BASED UPON THE CONSENT
OF BOTH ARABS AND JEWS

AND THAT THE MANDATE
IS NO LONGER WORKABLE.

Announcer:
A YORK TRANSPORT LANDING AT
LEYDA AIRPORT BRINGS DELEGATES

TO THE UNITED NATIONS
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PALESTINE.

Narrator:
THE DERED
THE PARTITION OF PALESTINE

INTO A JEWISH AND AN ARAB STATE.

Announcer:
AND ON THE SHOULDERS
OF THESE DELEGATES

.
RESTS A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY

Narrator:
BUT THE ARABS DID NOT WANT
TO TALK TO THE COMMITTEE.

THEY WANTED NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE JEWS.

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
SABRI ABDEEN WAS AN HONORABLE
SHEIKH AND AN ELOQUENT SPEAKER

AND HE SAID, "IF THE JEWS WANT
TO TAKE PALESTINE FROM US

WE SWEAR THAT WE WILL THROW
THEM INTO THE SEA."

AND HE POINTED
TO THE MEDITERRANEAN

WHICH WAS A FEW HUNDRED METERS

FROM THE PLACE
WHERE WE HAD GATHERED.

Narrator:
THE ARAB LEADERSHIP BELIEVED
THAT IF A PARTITION WAS IMPOSED

THEY COULD REVERSE IT BY FORCE.

(Nusseibeh speaking Arabic)

Translator:
JAMAL HUSSEINI, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE ARAB HIGHER COMMITTEE

SAID THAT ONLY
400 TO 500 RIFLEMEN

CAN EASILY TAKE OVER TEL AVIV.

Narrator:
WHILE THE COMMITTEE
WAS STILL IN PALESTINE

A SHIP CALLEDEXODUS
ARRIVED IN HAIFA

LOADED WITH JEWISH
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS.

Announcer:
BUT NOW SHE HAD ON BOARD
SOME 5,000 JEWS

WHO'D HOPED TO ENTER
PALESTINE ILLEGALLY.

WHEN SHE WAS BOARDED AT SE
A BY THE NAVY

A FIERCE BATTLE
WAS FOUGHT ON HER DECKS

RESULTING IN MANY CASUALTIES
ON BOTH SIDES.

Narrator:
THE U.N. COMMITTEE SAW FIRSTHAND
THE IMMIGRANTS' DESPAIR

WHEN THEY WERE FORCED
TO RETURN TO EUROPE.

THE JEWS ARGUED
THAT REFUGEES NEEDED A HOME

AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE
WELCOMED BY AN ARAB STATE.

THE U.N. COMMITTEE AGREED.

THEY RECOMMENDED
THAT PALESTINE BE PARTITIONED

WHEN THE BRITISH PULLED OUT.

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE FELT THAT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
TO THE PALESTINIANS WAS UNJUST

AND THAT THE DIVISION
OF PALESTINE WAS NOT FAIR.

E ARABS WERE OUTRAGED.

Man:
WE HAD A MAN CALLED MUSTAFA

WHO MANAGED TO PENETRATE

LITERALLY INTO THE CIRCLE
OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

TO READ A LETTER
WRITTEN IN THE BLOOD

OF SOME SEVERAL THOUSAND
EGYPTIAN MUSLIM BROTHERS

DENOUNCING ISRAEL AND, UH...
THE SUPPORT OF ISRAEL AND SO ON.

YOU ALL KNOW
HOW TO VOTE:

THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR
WILL SAY "YES."

THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST
WILL SAY "NO."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
NO ONE RELIED
ON THE CALCULATIONS

MADE BY THE PRESIDENT
OF THE ASSEMBLY.

EACH PERSON HELD HIS OWN PENCIL
AND PIECE OF PAPER

AND CALCULATED WHETHER OR NOT

THERE WAS TWO-THIRDS
FOR THE PARTITION OR NOT.

UNITED KINGDOM-- ABSTAIN.

UNITED STATES-- YES.

PARAGUAY-- YES.

VENEZUELA...

-
Translator:
AND TOWARDS THE END
DURING THE LAST COUNTRIES-

U.S.A., VENEZUELA, ETC.--
WE FOUND THERE WAS TWO-THIRDS.

WE JUMPED FROM OUR PLACES
WITH JOY.

WE WEPT, WE HUGGED, WE KISSED.

Man:
THE RESOLUTION...

OF THE DUCT COMMITTEE
FOR PALESTINE

WAS ADOPTED BY 33 VOTES,
13 AGAINST, 10 ABSTENTIONS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I WAS GLAD, I WAS VERY GLAD

BECAUSE FOR ME IT WAS IMPORTANT

THAT THE U.N., ACCORDING
TO THE DECREE OF NATIONS

WAS GIVING, GRANTING THE
JEWS-- I'D SAY THE ZIONISTS-

AN INDEPENDENT
COUNTRY ON THE LAND OF ISRAEL.

Translator:
AND I THOUGHT IN MY HEART,
HISTORY IS TURNING A HUGE PAGE.

(speaking Arabic)

THE NEWS WAS BROADCAST
AT 8:00 P.M.

THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
LISTENED TO IT EVERYWHERE

AND THERE WAS THIS FEELING
OF FRUSTRATION AND SADNESS

A FEELING OF CATASTROPHE

WHICH WAS ABOUT
TO BEFALL PALESTINE.

RIOTS ANTRATIONS
STARTED EVERYWHERE.

Narrator:
THE ARABS ATTACKED JEWS
AND THE JEWS HIT BACK.

CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS

WERE DIVIDED
ALONG RELIGIOUS LINES.

IN JERUSALEM, AN ARAB CAR BOMB

DESTROYED
THE JEWISH AGENCY OFFICES.

SEVEN WERE KILLED,
MORE THAN A HUNDRED WOUNDED.

THE 50 YEARS WAR WAS UNDERWAY.

PALESTINIAN FORCES
FROM TOWNS AND VILLAGES

M
ALONG THE ROAD TO JERUSALE

WERE COMMANDED
BY ABDUL KADER EL HUSSEINI.

THEY BLOCKED SUPPLIES GOING
FROM JEWISH HELD TEL-AVIV

TO A BESIEGED JERUSALEM.

KEEPING THE JEWS
OF JERUSALEM SUPPLIED

WAS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF
THE JEWISH ARMY, THE HAGANAH.

THEY TRIED
TO DEFEND THE

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IT WAS VERY HARD
TO PROTECT THE CONVOYS.

WE HAD A HUGE NUMBER
OF CASUALTIES

AMONG THE CONVOY ESCORTS

AND THERE WAS
A BIG PRODUCT.

(Navon speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WHEN A CONVOY GOT THROUGH,
THE WHOLE CITY KNEW.

THE TRUCKS BROUGHT
VITAL SUPPLIES, FLOUR.

WE REALLY NEEDED MATCHES
AND CIGARETTES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE SOLDIERS
WITHOUT CIGARETTES?

Man:
WE STARTED
WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS

TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROAD
BETWEEN TEL AVIV AND JERUSALEM

WILL NOT BE ENDANGERED
BY THE BIG VILLAGES OR TOWNS

THAT WERE ALONG THE ROAD

WHERE FROM CAME ALL THE
ATTACKERS ON THE CONVOYS.

Narrator:
A SPECIAL HAGANAH BRIGADE
WAS FORMED

TO OPEN THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM.

THE SYSTEM WAS
TO ATTACK THE VILLAGE

ILIANS TO GIVE WARNING

TO DESTROY THE VILLAGE.

AND BY THE ELIMINATION
OF THE VILLAGES

ALONG AND ADJACENT TO THE ROAD

WE WERE SURE THAT THERE
WOULD BE NO ATTACKS.

Narrator:
THE JEWS TRIED TO SEIZE KASTIL

A VILLAGE CONTROLLING
THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM.

(Narkiss speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IT WAS A PALMACH UNIT--
MY TROOPS--

THAT CAPTURED THE KASTIL

AND IT WAS HERE
THAT ABDUL KADER EL HUSSEINI

THE PALESTINIAN LEADER,
WAS KILLED.

Narrator:
ENRAGED, HUSSEINI'S SOLDIERS

WENT TO RECOVER
THE BODY OF THEIR LEADER.

Narkiss (translated):
THE ARABS COUNTERATTACKED.

OUR REINFORCEMENTS
WERE WIPED OUT.

IT WAS A VERY BLACK DAY.

Narrator:
DOWN THE ROAD FROM KASTIL

THERE WOULD BE
ANOTHER BATTLE THAT DAY.

TWO JEWISH
EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS

IRGUN AND LEHI,
WHICH HAD FOUGHT THE BRITISH

WERE EAGER TO PROVE THEMSELVES
IN THE NEW WAR.

Translator:
IT WAS SUCH A TRAGEDY.

DEIR YASSIN WAS
A LOVELY VILLAGE.

Narrator:
THE EVENTS AT DEIR YASSIN

WOULD HAUNT RELATIONS
BETWEEN JEWS AND ARABS

FOR YEARS TO COME.

DEIR YASSIN HAD STAYED
OUT OF THE FIGHTING.

IT WAS NOT ON THE HAGANAH'S LIST
OF HOSTILE VILLAGES.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I RAN INTO A MAN

WHO HAD LEFT US
FOR THE TERRORISTS.

HE TOLD ME
THAT THE IRGUN AND LEHI

HAD GOT PERMISSION
FROM OUR COMMANDER

TO ATTACK THE VILLAGE
OF DEIR YASSIN.

HE WAS VERY PROUD.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE IRGUN AND LEHI FORCES

WERE ORDERED
TO TAKE DEIR YASSIN.

WERE ORDERED
TO TAKE DEIR YASSIN.I RAN
TO MY COMMANDER AND ASKED,
"WHY DID YOU ALLOW IT?"

HE SAID, "I SUGGETWO OTH
ER TARGETS.

THEY TURNED THEM DOWN."

HE SAID,
"I CAN'T SHOOT THEM, CAN I?"

SO I DECIDED TO SPY ON THEM.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THEIR LOUDSPEAKERS BLARED OUT,
"LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS.

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES."

THEN I HEARD
OUR MACHINE GUN.

I WAS KNEELING DOWN
LIKE THIS.

WHEN I LOOKED UP,
I SAW THE VILLAGE ABLAZE.

THEIR ATTACK
LIT UP THE WHOLE VILLAGE.

Narrator:
THE VILLAGE WAS NOT THE SOFT
TARGET THE JEWS HAD EXPECTED.

Translator:
FROM THE WINDOWS
OF THEIR HOUSES

ARABS WERE SHOOTING
AT OUR SOLDIERS

AND FROM A FORCE OF 132,
WE HAD 42 WOUNDED AND SIX DEAD.

Narrator:
THE COMMANDER ORDERED
A HOUSE-TO-HOUSE ATTACK.

SO I GAVE THE ORDER

"BEFORE ENTERING A HOUSE, THROW
A COUPLE OF GRENADES INSIDE."

THEY THREW A GRENADE
INTO ONE HOUSE.

28 WERE KILLED.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE
TO ATTACK THE ENEMY

WITHOUT HURTIN

IT WAS DIFFICULT.

IT WAS PAINFUL AND
I'M SORRY WE HAD TO DO IT

BUT WE HAD NO CHOICE.

(Mahmoud speaking Arabic)

Translator:
AFTER THE BATTLE,
THEY TOOK 14 PRISONERS.

THEY LINED THEM UP
BY THE QUARRY

AND MOWED THEM DOWN.

THEY THREW THEIR BODIES
IN THE QUARRY.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

hen speaking Hebrew)
(

Translator:
WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON,
JEWS CAME FROM THE NEXT VILLAGE.

MOST OF THEM WERE RELIGIOUS,
BY THE WAY.

THEY STARTED YELLING, "BASTARDS,
MURDERERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

SOME SHOUTED IN HEBREW,
OTHERS IN YIDDISH.

THEY STOPPED THE MASSACRE.

Narrator:
110 ARABS DIED IN DEIR YASSIN.

SOME DIED FIGHTING,
OTHERS WERE MURDERED.

THE SURVIVORS WERE TAKEN
TO JERUSALEM.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE GATHERED IN JERUSALEM
AT THE HEBRON GATE.

WE CHECKED WHO WAS MISSING
AND WHO HAD SURVIVED.

THEN THE PALESTINIAN LEADERS
ARRIVED, INCLUDING DR. KHALIDI.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I ASKED DR. KHALIDI
HOW WE SHOULD COVER THE STORY.

HE SAID, "WE MUST MAKE
THE MOST OF THIS."

N
SO HE WROTE A PRESS RELEAS
E STATING THAT AT DEIR YASSI

CHILDREN WERE MURDERED,
PREGNANT WOMEN WERE RAPED

ALL SORTS OF ATROCITIES.

Narrator:
ARAB RADIO STATIONS PASSED O
N THE FALSE REPORTS

IGNORING THE PROTESTS
OF THE WITNESSES.

(speaking Arabic)

"
Translator:
WE SAID, "THERE WAS NO RAPE.

HE SAID, "WE HAVE TO SAY THI
S SO THE ARAB ARMIES WILL COME

TO LIBERATE PALESTINE
FROM THE JEWS."

(speaking Arabic)

.ator:
THIS WAS OUR BIGGEST MISTAKE

.
WE DID NOT REALIZE
HOW OUR PEOPLE WOULD REACT

N
AS SOON AS THEY HEARD THAT WOMEN
HAD BEEN RAPED AT DEIR YASSI

PALESTINIANS FLED IN TERROR.

THEY RAN AWAY
FROM ALL OUR VILLAGES.

Narrator:
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS,
OVER HALF THE ARAB POPULATION--

TH OF A MILLION PEOPLE--

FLED THEIR HOMES IN PALESTINE.

ISRAEL NEVER ALLOWED THEM BACK.

THE BRITISH DID LITTLE

TO PREVENT THE ATROCITIES
COMMITTED BY BOTH SIDES.

AS THEY PREPARED TO LEAVE

R HANDS
OF THE WHOLE MESS.

AT THE UNITED NATIONS,
THE JEWS ANNOUNCED THEIR PLANS.

Man:
NOT LATER THAN MAY 16 NEXT

A PROVISIONAL JEWISH GOVERNMENT
WILL COMMENCE TO FUNCTION

IN COOPERATION
WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES

OF THE UNITED NATIONS
THEN IN PALESTINE.

Narrator:
THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP SOUGHT
POLITICAL SUPPORT ABROAD.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
ARGUED AGAINST IT.

THEIR FIRST RESPONSE WAS:
NO COUNTRY, NO STATE.

Narrator:
BEN GURION SENT HIS CLOSE
COLLEAGUE, MOSHE SHARETT

TO CONVINCE THE AMERICANS
TO RECOGNIZE

THE PROPOSED JEWISH STATE.

SHARETT TRIED TO PERSUADE

SECRETARY OF STATE
GEORGE MARSHALL

WHO WAS TOTALLY OPPOSED
TO THE IDEA.

Marshall:
...BACK TO PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

SHARETT EXPLAINED THAT WE HAVE
NO OTHER WAY THAN TO PROCEED.

THIS IS A HISTORIC JUNCTURE.

IF WE MISS THAT, WE MAY CREATE A
TRAGEDY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Narrator:
BUT PRESIDENT TRUMAN
SURPRISED EVERYONE

WITH HIS STRONG SUPPORT.

I WAS TOLD BY ALL THESE
SO-CALLED EXPERTS

THAT IF IT WAS DONE

IT'D INVOLVE THE WHOLE NEAR EAST
IN A WAR

AND IT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE
THE UNITED STATES.

HITLER HAD BEEN MURDERING
JEWS RIGHT AND LEFT.

I SAW IT, AND I DREAM
ABOUT IT EVEN TO THIS DAY.

THE JEWS NEEDED SOME PLACE
WHERE THEY COULD GO.

IT IS MY ATTITUDE
THAT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

COULDN'T STAND IDLY BY WHILE
THE VICTIMS HITLER'S MADNESS

ARE NOT ALLOWED
TO BUILD NEW LIVES.

Narrator:
MARSHALL WAS WORRIED
THAT WAR WOULD BREAK OUT.

.
Marshall:
WE ARE IN THE MIDST
OF A VERY CRITICAL SITUATION

WE SHOULD THEREFORE
CAREFULLY AVOID

APPROACHING INTERNATIONAL
PROBLEMS ON AN EMOTIONAL BASIS.

Narrator:
HE WANTED TO??AINTAIN GOOD
RELATIONS WITH THE ARABS.

S
Sabit:
I WAS ON THE RECEIVING END
OF AZAM PASHA'S IMPRESSION

OF HIS MEETING WITH MARSHALL,
AND HE WAS HAPPY.

I MEAN, HE FELT MUCH MORE
REASSURED ABOUT THE AMERICANS

AFTER HAVING TALKED TO MARSHALL
THAN BEFORE.

AND WE HAD THE SAUDIS WITH US.

THEY WERE OUR PARTNERS
IN THIS BUSINESS.

Narrator:
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE BRITISH
LEFT PALESTINE

TRUMAN SUMMONED MARSHALL
TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

CLARK CLIFFORD WAS ASKED
TO SUPPORT THE CASE

FOR A JEWISH STATE.

.
Clifford:
GENERAL MARSHALL STARTED OFF

THE PRESIDENT LISTENED
ATTENTIVELY

AND THEN SAID, "I WOULD LIKE NOW
TO HEAR FROM CLARK."

BUT AS I SPOKE, I SAW MARSHALL'S
FACE GETTING REDDER AND REDDER

AND WHEN I FINISHED,
HE EXPLODED.

Narrator:
MARSHALL ACCUSED TRUMAN

OF A TRANSPARENT DODGE
TO WIN THE JEWISH VOTE.

Man:
CLARK CLIFFO DID NOT
DISGUISE THE FACT

.
THAT MARSHALL WAS RAGING MAD

"THEY DON'T NEED A STATE,
EY DON'T DESERVE A STATE

IT ISN'T THEIRS,
THEY'VE STOLEN THAT LAND."

THESE WERE MARSHALL'S WORDS.

Clifford:
HE TURNED TO THE PRESIDENT
AND SAID

"I'M OBLIGED, MR. PRESIDENT,
TO TELL YOU

"THAT IF YOU SHOULD ADOPT
THE POLICY

"THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY CLIFFORD

"I WOULD BE UNABLE
TO VOTE FOR YOU

IN THIS COMING ELECTION
IN NOVEMBER."

WELL, DEAD SILENCE IN THE ROOM.

NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD
ANYTHING LIKE IT.

I HAD NEVER HEARD
ANYBODY THREATEN

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES IN THAT MANNER.

Narrator:
BEFORE MARSHALL COULD GO
ANY FURTHER

TRUMAN ENDED THE MEETING.

I GATHERED MY PAPERS TOGETHER,
AND THE PRESIDENT SAID

"WELL, THAT WAS TOUGH AS A COB."

Rafael:
MARSHALL SAID TO SHARETT

"WELL, IT'S YOUR DECISION.

"DON'T COUNT THAT
WE CAN BAIL YOU OUT.

"BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
REACHED AN HISTORIC STAGE

AND GOD PROTECT YOU."

Newsreel narrator:
EASTWARD, THE ARAB LEGION
POISED FOR INVASION

ON THE TRANSJORDAN BORDER.

A RARELY PHOTOGRAPHED
KING ABDULLAH

REVIEWED A BRIGADE
OF REINFORCEMENTS FROM IRAQ.

Narrator:
MARSHALL'S PREDICTION OF WAR
WAS ABOUT TO COME TRUE.

FIVE ARAB STATES MOBILIZED
ON THE BORDER

THREATENING TO ENTER PALESTINE

D CRUSH A JEWISH STATE
THREIF IT CAME INTO BEING.TINE

.
FOR THE JEWS OF PALESTINE,
THIS WAS A CRITICAL MOMENT

BEN GURION WAS DETERMINED
TO GO AHEAD

WITH OR WITHOUT
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I HAD TO ACT FAST.

I DIDN'T CONSULT ANYONE.

(speaking Hebrew)

.
Translator:
TODAY, THE BRITISH MANDATE
OVER THE LAND OF ISRAEL ENDS

WE DECLARE A JEWISH STATE
IN THE ANCIENT LAND OF ISRAEL.

IT WILL BE CALLED
THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

(onlookers applauding)

Narrator:
AT THE SAME TIME

THE U.N.'s ROLE IN PALESTINE
WAS SUPPOSED TO END.

WHEN THE HANDS POINTED TO 6:00

THE IRAQI DELEGATE GOT UP
AND SAID...

MR. PRESIDENT, THERE IS A VERY
IMPORTANT MATTER TO CONSIDER

BEFORE WE PROCEED.

THE TIME IS
ONE MINUTE PAST 6:00

THE UNITED STATES DELEGATE WHEN
HE CAME TO THIS ROSTRUM DECLARED

THAT IF BY 6:00 WE CANNOT ARRIVE
AT ANY CONCLUSION

THE WHOLE GAME IS UP.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT

TO GIVE US YOUR RULING.

THE TIME IS PAST 6:00 NOW.

THAT WAS ABOUT THE ONLY OCCASION

WHEN THE IRAQI DELEGATE AND
I HAVE EVER AGREED ON ANYTHING
.

HE WAS FULL OF EXUBERANCE

BECAUSE HE THOUGHT
THE GAME IS UP

AND NOW THE ROAD IS OPEN
FOR THE ARAB INVASION.

I FELT THAT THE GAME IS UP

AND THAT MEANT THAT WE WERE FREE
TO ESTABLISH OUR STATE

WITHOUT BEING ACCUSED

OF IMPINGING UPON
AN INTERNATIONAL DECISION.

Narrator:
THEN THE NEWS
FROM ISRAEL ARRIVED.

THIS GOVERNMENT
HAS BEEN INFORMED

THAT A JEWISH STATE HAS BEEN
PROCLAIMED IN PALESTINE

AND RECOGNITION
HAS BEEN REQUESTED

BY THE PROVISIONAL
GOVERNMENT THEREOF.

THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZES
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT

.
AS THEDE FACTOAUTHORITY
OF THE NEW STATE OF ISRAEL

Eban:
SCARCELY HAD THE UNITED STATES
PRONOUNCED

ITS WORDSOF RECOGNITION

AND ALMOST UNNOTICED
BY OUR OWN DELEGATION

WHICH WAS STILL CELEBRATIN
G OUR AMERICAN VICTORY

ANDREI GROMYKO ROSE AND SAID
THAT THE SOVIET UNION

WHICH UNLIKE THE WESTERN POWERS

WHICH HAD ABANDONED
THE JEWISH PEOPLE

TO ITS DARK AND FEARFUL FATE

THE SOVIET UNION RECOGNIZE
S THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

AND THEREFORE I WOULD SAY

THAT THE ISSUE OF ISRAEL'S
RECOGNITION WAS SOLVED

Y

.
WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF
OUR INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION

Narrator:
AFTER 2,000 YEARS OF EXILE

THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAD A STAT
E OF THEIR OWN.

BUT EVEN AS THEY DANCED

ISRAEL'S FATE HUNG
IN THE BALANCE.

THE DAY AFTER BEN GURION
DECLARED THE STATE OF ISRAEL

THE ARMIES OF EGYPT, JORDAN,
IRAQ, AND SYRIA INVADED.

BUT THE LARGEST ARAB ARMY,
THAT OF EGYPT

HAD ONLY BEEN TESTED
ON THE PARADE GROUND.

AT ITS HEAD WAS THE PLAYBO
Y ON TKING FAROUK.OUND.

Sabit:
THE KING HADN'T HAD

ANY R.

NOBODY, IN FACT,
HAD ANY EXPERIENCE OF WAR

INCLUDING THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
OF THE EGYPTIAN ARMY, YOU SEE.

AT THE TIME, EUPHORIA REIGNE
D IN THE ARAB RANKS.

THE BOYS WERE VERY PLEASED
WITH THE WAR.

THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA

BUT THEY HAD NO IDEA OF...
OF THE LOGISTICS

AND THE PROBLEMS
THEY WERE GOING TO FACE.

Narrator:
STILL, THE ARAB STATES,
WITH A POPULATION OF 40 MILLION

.
LOOKED CERTAIN TO OVERWHEL
M ISRAEL'S HALF MILLION JEWS

IT SEEMED THAT BEN GURION'
S NEW STATE

.
WOULD LAST ONLY A FEW DAYS

WE THOUGHT IT WAS
GOING TO BE A PUSHOVER

THAT THE JEWS
WERE GOING TO RUN AWAY

M
THE MOMENT THEY SAW
THE ARAB REGULAR ARMY UNIFOR

.
MOVING ON TO THEM
WITH BAYONETS AND WHATEVER

Narrator:
EGYPT'S ARMY,
ATTACKING FROM THE SOUTH

HEADED TOWARDS THE MAIN
JEWISH CENTER, TEL AVIV.

JORDAN'S ARAB LEGION
TOOK THE WEST BANK

AND THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM.

THE SYRIANS MOVED TOWARDS
NAZARETH

WHILE THE LEBANESE ATTACKE
D FROM THE NORTH.

THE ARAB REGULAR ARMIES
CONVERGED ON PALESTINE

SUPERIOR IN NUMBERS
AND EQUIPMENT.

EARLY IN THE WAR,
THEY HAD A NUMBER OF VICTORIES.

WHENEVER THEY OVERRAN
ISRAELI VILLAGES

THE INHABITANTS WERE
EITHER EXPELLED OR KILLED.

WAS FINALLY HALTED

ONLY 20 MILES FROM TEL AVIV.

THE ISRAELIS WERE FIGHTING
FOR THEIR SURVIVAL

AND AFTER THREE WEEKS
OF FIERCE RESISTANCE

THEY BROUGHT THE ARABS
TO A STANDSTILL.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE HAD NO AIRCRAFT,
WE HAD NO TANKS

AND WE WERE GOING INTO WAR
THIS WAY.

WE HARDLY EVEN HAD GUNS.

WE WOULD TRY TO BUY GUNS AS MUCH
AS WE COULD, ANYWHERE WE COULD.

IN THIS SITUATION WE WERE REALLY
SAVED BY CZECHOSLOVAKIA--

THAT IS, RUSSIA.

AMERICA DIDN'T GIVE US ARMS.

WHEN THE... THE...
THE WEAPONS CAME IN

THE WHOLE BALANCE
OF POWER CHANGED

AND THE ISRAELIS WOULD
THEN PASS ON TO THE OFFENSIVE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE WEREN'T EVEN
MENTALLY PREPARED.

WE JUST WEREN'T READY.

SO OUR OFFICERS WERE CONFUSE
D AND PANIC-STRICKEN.

Sabit:
AND SO THE EGYPTIAN ARMY
WAS SURROUNDED

AND THEN THE JORDANIAN ARM
Y JUST KEPT NEUTRAL--

DIDN'T INTERFERE IN ANY WAY.

FINALLY, OUR PRIME MINISTE
R HERE IN EGYPT--

NOKRASHY PASHA-- WAS MURDERE
D BY THE MOSLEM BROTHERS

AND HIS SUCCESSOR SA"THERE'S
NO FUTURE IN THIS WAR.

LET'S MAKE PEACE."

Narrator:
BUT THERE WAS NO PEACE,
ONLY A CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT.

THE ARABS BELIEVED

A PEACE TREATY WOULD BE
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DEFEAT.

BOTH SIDES MOURNED THEIR DEAD.

EVEN BEFORE THE CEASE-FIRE
AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED

ISRAEL HELD ITS FIRST
DEMOCRATIC ELECTION.

ISRAEL HELD ITS FIRST
AND HIS LABOR PARTY WON.RION

(crowd cheering, band playing)

ISRAEL CELEBRATED THE TRIUMP
H OF ITS ARMED FORCES.

BUT THE ARABS REFUSED
TO RECOGNIZE

ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST.

FOR THE ARABS,
THE LEGACY OF THE '48 WAR

WAS THE DISPLACEMENT
OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

THE PALESTINIANS NOW FACED
POLITICAL EXTINCTION.

THE WEST BANK WAS ANNEXED
BY JORDAN

.
AND GAZA WAS RULED BY EGYPT,
WHICH LEFT THEM WITH NOTHING

EGYPT, THE MOST POWERFUL
ARAB COUNTRY

WAS SHAKEN BY THE DEFEAT.

A GROUP OF YOUNG OFFICERS,
FRUSTRATED BY THE INCOMPETENCE

OF THE KING
AND THE NEW PRIME MINISTER

PLOTTED A COUP.

I WENT TO THE PRIME MINISTER

AND DELIVERED
THE ULTIMATUM TO HIM.

HE WAS SHOCKED, BELIEVE ME

BECAUSE UP TILL THIS MOMENT,
HE DIDN'T KNOW

THAT WE WERE GOING TO DETHRONE
THE KING-- AT ALL.

HE WAS SHOCKED

AND RECEIVED ME LIKE THIS.

I TOLD HIM YES.

HE SAID, "ARE YOU... ARE YOU...
ARE YOU POWERFUL ENOH?"

I TOLD HIM, "YES,
GO AND DELIVER IT TO THE KING.

HE MUST LEAVE BY 6:00
THIS EVENING."

Newsreel announcer:
FROM CAIRO COME THESE
FIRST AUTHENTIC PICTURES

OF THE BLOODLESS COUP

BY WHICH THE ARMY TOOK OVE
R CONTROL OF EGYPT.

IT WAS THE END OF THE KING'S
ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN POWER.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
AS WE TOOK THE KING
TO THE SHIP, HE SAID:

"YOU ATE ME FOR LUNCH

BEFORE I COULD EAT YOU
FOR DINNER."

Narrator:
EGYPT'S NEW LEADER, GAMAL ABDEL
NASSER, PLEDGED RADICAL REFORM.

THERE WERE SIX PRINCIPLES:

TO PUT AN END TO COLONIALISM
, TO PUT AN END TO FEUDALISM

TO CORRUPTED...
OF EXPLOITATION BY CAPITALISM.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I READ THAT NASSER
WAS GOING TO YUGOSLAVIA.

I THOUGHT PRESIDENT TITO
COULD HELP MAKE PEACE.

I KNEW A FRIEND OF TITO'S,
I ASKED HIM TO GO TO YUGOSLAVIA.

I SAID, "GET TITO TO ASK NASSER
IF HE WILL MAKE PEACE."

(speaking Hebrew)

(speTranslator:w)
TITO PASSED ON THE MESSAGE
.

NASSER SAID THAT IF HE WAS SEEN
TALKING TO ISRAEL

HE WOULD BE OVERTHROWN,
EVEN KILLED.

Narrator:
SHARETT, BEN GURION'S
FOREIGN MINISTER

INITIATED MORE SECRET CONTACTS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SHARETT BELIEVED THE BEST WA
Y

TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF ISRAEL

WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE ARAB
S AND NEGOTIATE PEACE.

S
Narrator:
SHARETT SENT DIVON TO PARI

THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY'
S TEMPORARY HOME.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I TOLD A FRIEND I WAS ORDERE
D TO PARIS TO MEET ARABS

AND HE SAID, "ZIAMAH,
I KNOW YOU LIKE CERVANTES

"BUT I NEVER SAW YOU
AS DON QUIXOTE.

"WILL YOU GO TO THEU
PLACE DE LA CONCORDE AND SHOUT:

'ANY ARABS HERE?'"

king Arabic)
'ANY ARABS HERE?'"spea

Translator:
I WAS SITTING
ON THE BALCONY OF THE U.N.

A YOUNG MAN CAME IN
AND SAT NEXT TO ME.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE BEGAN TO TALK.

I SAID TO HIM,
"MY DEAR SIR, I AM A JEW."

I LOOKED IN HIS FACE.

I SAW NO SIGN OF EMBARRASSMENT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
SO I ASKED HIM,
"WHO DO YOU REPRESENT?"

WHEN I PRESSED HIM,
HE SAID, "SHARETT."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "I AM AN ISRAELI WHO
DREAMS OF PEACE WITH EGYPT."

Narrator:
FOR EGYPTIANS, TALKING
TO ISRAELIS WAS TABOO

SO ABDEL RAHMAN SADEK
WAS NERVOUS

WHEN HE WAS SUMMONED
BY PRESIDENT NASSER.

(Sadek speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WENT IN AND I FOUND
GAMAL ABDEL NASSER

STANDING IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ROOM.

HE SAID, "I WANT TO TELL YOU
THAT YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION

TO CONTINUE TALKS WITH
THE ISRAELI IN PARIS."

.
Narrator:
THE DIPLOMAT'S REPORTS WER
E TO BE FOR NASSER'S EARS ONLY

(Sadek speaking Arabic)

E
Translator:
HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO SE

IF THERE IS A CHANCE
OF AVOIDING BLOODSHED."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WHILE WE CONDUCTED THE TALKS
WITH ABDEL RAHMAN

THERE WAS ONCE IN A WHILE
A RADICAL ESCALATION

OF EGYPTIAN STATEMENTS
ABOUT ISRAEL.

AN EGYPTIAN LEADER EVEN SAID

D
THAT ISRAEL WAS THE CANCER I
N THE MIDST OF THE ARAB WORL

AND WE ASKED HIM TO REFRAI
FROM SUCH INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE.

Narrator:
NASSER'S ENVOY RETURNED TO PARIS
WITH PROMISES TO TONE DOWN

THE ANTI-ISRAELI PROPAGAND
A ON CAIRO RADIO

AND TO RESTRAIN THE GUERRILL
A RAIDS AGAINST ISRAEL.

BUT NASSER WOULD NOT
TERMINATE THE WAR

NOR WOULD HE ESTABLISH
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

OR ALLOW ISRAELI SHIPS
THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL

AND THE STRAITS OF TIRAN.

SHARETT WAS DISAPPOINTED.

(speaking Hebrew)

E
Translator:
SHARETT'S MESSAGE SAID
THAT WE WERE SORRY, OF COURS

THAT THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT
WOULD NOT CHANGE

ITS OFFICIAL POLICY

WHICH WAS A CLEAR
ANTI-ISRAELI POLICY.

S
Narrator:
SHARETT'S REPEATED OFFERS
TO START PEACE NEGOTIATION

WERE TURNED DOWN.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I HAD REALIZED

THAT THE ISRAELIS CONTINUOUSLY
SAY THAT THEY WANT PEACE.

I REALIZED ALSO
THAT THE ARABS REFUSED TO TALK.

Narrator:
ISRAEL DESPERATELY NEEDED PEACE.

JEWISH REFUGEES FROM EUROP
E AND ARAB COUNTRIES

WERE STREAMING IN.

.
ITS POPULATION DOUBLED
DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS

ITS ECONOMY WAS IN RUINS.

NEW IMMIGRANTS
WERE OFTEN SETTLED

ALONG ISRAEL'S FRONTIERS.

THEY LIVED IN FEAR
OF FREQUENT ARAB RAIDS.

BEN GURION BLAMED NASSER
FOR THE RAIDS.

HE ORDERED THE ISRAELI ARM
Y TO RETALIATE

BY STRIKING ARAB COUNTRIES
HARBORING INFILTRATORS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
BEN GURION KNEW ARAB VILLAGERS
SUPPORTED THESE TERRORISTS
.

WE HAD TO SHOW THEM THAT
HELTERRORISTS WAS DANGEROUS

.
TO PROTECT OUR SETTLEMENTS

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I WAS CALLED TO SEE MOSHE DAYAN.

A MOTHER HAD BEEN KILLED,
MURDERED ON A SETTLEMENT.

Narrator:
THE MURDERERS LEFT TRACKS

WHICH LED TO A VILLAGE
ACROSS THE BORDER IN JORDAN.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
MY ORDERS WERE TO REACH
THE VILLAGE IN JORDAN.

WE HAD TO BLOW UP AS MANY
BUILDINGS AS POSSIBLE

AND CAUSE AS MANY ARAB
CASUALTIES AS POSSIBLE.

l announcer:
THE TINY VILLAGE OF QIBYA
AND CAUSE AS MANY ARAB
CASUALTIES AS POSSIBLE.ree

ON THE ISRAEL-JO IS IN R
UINS

AS DAZED SURVIVORS RELATE

HOW TROOPS STRUCK ACROSSONTI
ER AT NIGHT.

THEY ACCUSE ISRAELI FORCES
OF LEVELING BUILDINGS

WITH GRENADES, SHELLFIRE
AND EXPLOSIVES

TRAPPING ENTIRE FAMILIES
IN THE RUBBLE.

THE ATTACK PROMPTS THE UNITE
D STATES, ENGLAND AND FRANCE

TO DELIVER THEIR SHARPEST REBUKE
TO ISRAEL SINCE ITS FOUNDING

AND TO DEMAND STERN ACTION
TO PUNISH THE GUILTY TROOPS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
AFTER THE OPERATION,
I WAS CALLED TO SEE BEN GURION.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I'D MET HIM.

Ben Gurion:
SHARON?

WHAT I THINK ABOUT HIM?

HE'S A NICE BOY...

AND A GOOD SOLDIER.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
HE SAID ONE THING TO ME.

HE SAID, "IT DOESN'T MATTE
R WHAT THE WORLD SAYS.

.
"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY SAY
ABOUT ISRAEL ANYWHERE ELSE

"THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS
IS THAT WE CAN EXIST HERE.

"UNLESS IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE IS
A PRICE TO PAY FOR JEWISH LIVES

WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE,
AND THAT'S WHAT COUNTS."

Narrator:
BEN GURION WAS SUCH A BELIEVER

IN THE IMPORTAE OF
AGRICULTURAL SETTLEMENTS

THAT HE ABANDONED
THE PRIME MINISTERSHIP

AND JOINED A KIBBUTZ
THAT HE ABANDONED
THE IN THE DESERT.SHIP

WHO HOPED HE COULD ADVANCE
ISRAELI SECURITY

THROUGH DIPLOMACY.

BUT HIS MINISTER OF DEFENSE,
PINCHAS LAVON

BELIEVED IN MILITARY SOLUTIONS.

E QUITTING THEIR HUGE
MILITARY BASE ON THE SUEZ CANAL.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE FEARED WE WOULD BE EXPOSE
D TO AN ATTACK FROM EGYPT.

THE FACT THAT THE BRITISH ARMY
WAS THERE SERVED AS A BUFFER.

IT REDUCED THE CHANCE
OF AN EGYPTIAN ATTACK.

Narrator:
ON HIS OWN, LAVON ORDERED PLANS
FOR DESTABILIZING EGYPT

AND FRIGHTENING THE BRITIS
H INTO REMAINING.

LAVON SUMMONED THE DIRECTO
R OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

TO HIS HOME IN TEL AVIV.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
LAVON WOULD NOT STOP TALKING
ABOUT THE NEED FOR ACTION.

HE SUGGESTED ALL SORTS
Translator:
LAVON WOULD NOT STOP TALKING
ABOUT THOF SCHEMES.ACTION.

(continues in Hebrew)

WE COOKED UP A PLAN
TO HIT TARGETS IN EGYPT.

LAVON SAID, "GO AHEAD,
ACTIVATE THE UNIT."

E
Narrator:
IN EGYPT,
ISRAELI MILITARY INTELLIGENC

HAD RECRUITED YOUNG JEWS
TO ACT AS SABOTEURS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I WAS READY TO DO ANYTHING
TO HELP ISRAEL.

I WAS IDEALISTIC.

I WAS NAIVE.

Narrator:
A CODE WORD BROADCAST

DURING ISRAELI RADIO'S
"HOUSEWIVES' CHOICE"

WAS THE SIGNAL TO ACT.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IN CAIRO, I WENT TO ONE CINEMA

MY FRIEND WENT TO ANOTHER.

I PUT THE BOMB UNDER
AN EMPTY SEAT.

Narrator:
NO ONE WAS KILLED, AND THE
SABOTEURS WERE ALL CAUGHT.

.
THE NEWS WAS SPLASHED
ACROSS EGYPTIAN NEWSPAPERS

. SO I WENT TO SHARETT AND SAI
D
THE NEWS WAS SPLASHED
ACROSS EGYPTIAN NEWSPAPERS

"LOOK, THIS IS THE COMMUNIQU
E FROM CAIRO.

"

.
HE SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO

"THIS IS NOT AUTHENTIC,
IT??AN'T BE

"BECAUSE HOW CAN
SUCH A THING HAPPEN

AND I, THE PRIME MINISTER,
DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT?"

Narrator:
AFTER HE LEARNED OF LAVON'S ROLE

SHARETT'S FIRST PRIORITY WAS

OF THE YOUNG JEWS.

(Divon speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
MOSHE SHARETT CALLED ON ME
.

HE SAID, "THE CABINET IS WORRIED
ABOUT THE PRISONERS IN EGYPT
.

WE MUST PREVENT
DEATH SENTENCES."

Narrator:
IN A BID FOR MERCY,
SHARETT SENT DIVON TO PARIS

TO REVEAL THE TRUTH
TO NASSER'S ENVOY.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
DIVON TOLD ME

THE PLOT WAS HATCHED IN
THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.

SHARETT HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IT
.

.
Narrator:
NASSER'S RESPONSE WAS NOT
WHAT SHARETT HAD HOPED FOR

CAIRO, TWO OF THE SABOTEURS

THE OTHERS WENT TO PRISON

MARCELLE NINIO AND ROBERT DASSA
FOR 15 YEARS.

SHARETT, IN HIS OFFICE THAT
NIGHT, CONFIDED TO HIS DIARY

THAT HE WAS LIVING
THROUGH A NIGHTMARE:

"IF I DO NOT REMOVE LAVON, I AM
SUPPORTING SOMETHING ROTTEN

"THAT WILL DESTROY THE DEFENSE
MINISTRY AND ARMY COMMAND.

"IF I DO ACT, IT WILL DESTROY
THE PARTY AND CAUSE A SCANDAL.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?"

LAVON WAS DISMISSED FROM
HIS POST AS DEFENSE MINISTER

BUT THE DA WAS DONE.

EGYPT ALSO WAS
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

IN GAZA, IT RECRUITED
AND TRAINED PALESTINIANS

FOR MILITARY ACTION.

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THEY PAID FOUR POUNDS A MONTH.

IN THOSE DAYS
IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

SO IT WAS GOOD.

Narrator:
THEY WERE SENT TO ISRAEL

TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE
AND COMMIT SABOTAGE.

(speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
THEY WOULD SEE IF AN AIRPORT WAS
BUILT AND COME BACK AND REPORT

OTHERS WENT ON MILITARY
OPERATIONS

AND CARRIED OUT ATTACKS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THESE INFILTRATORS, THE FEDAYN

WERE A TREMENDOUS
SECURITY PROBLEM

WERE A TREMENDOUS
SECURITY PROBLEM THE SET
TLERS
ON THE BORDERS

BUT ALSO IN THE CENTER
OF THE COUNTRY.

THEY WERE ATTACKING PLACES
FIVE KILOMETERS FROM TEL AVIV.

Narrator:
THE FREQUENT ATTACKS
AND THE LOSS OF LIVES

WERE NOT ONLY A DISASTER
FOR THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES.

THEY FOSTERED A PROFOUND SENSE
OF HELPLESSNESS AMONG ISRAELIS.

THE GOVERNMENT SEEMED UNABLE
TO PROTECT ITS OWN PEOPLE.

(wailing)

ONLY ONE MAN COULD SATISFY
THE PUBLIC'S DEMAND FOR ACTION.

.
WITHIN MONTHS, BEN GURION
WAS BACK AS PRIME MINISTER

BY MID-1955, NASSER TURNED
TO THE SOVIET BLOC

FOR ECONOMIC
AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE.

LICT NOW BECAME
PART OF THE COLD WARCONF

AND EGYPT RECEIVED A HUGE ARMS
SHIPMENT FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

NEW TANKS, ARTILLERY,
BOMBERS AND JET FIGHTERS

THREATENED TO RENDER
THE ISRAELI ARMY

AND ITS PROPELLER AIR FORC
E OBSOLETE.

GENERAL MOSHE DAYAN WANTED
TO STRIKE AT THE EGYPTIAN ARMY

BEFORE IT COULD ABSORB
ITS NEW WEAPONS

BUT BEN GURION FELT ISRAEL
COULD NOT FIGHT ALONE.

Rafael:
BEN GURION BECAME
MORE AND MORE CONVINCED

THAT, UH, THERE IS NO DIPLOMATIC
SOLUTION FOR THE CONFLICT

AND BECAUSE OF THE ACCUMULATION
OF ARMS IN EGYPT

WE HAVE TO FORESTALL WAR
TRIGGERED BY EGYPT.

Narrator:
A FEW WEEKS LATER

PRESIDENT NASSER
NATIONALIZED THE SUEZ CANAL.

UNEXPECTEDLY, BEN GURION FOUND
HIMSELF WITH TWO NEW ALLIES.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE HAD
JOINTLY OWNED THE CANAL

AND WANTED IT BACK.

.
BEN GURION SENT SHIMON PERES
TO A SECRET MEETING IN PARIS

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE FRENCH DEFENSE MINISTE
R TOLD ME

BRITAIN AND FRANCE WERE
PLANNING AN OPERATION

TO TAKE THE SUEZ CANAL
BACK FROM NASSER.

AND HE ASKED ME,
"WOULD ISRAEL JOIN THEM?"

"HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE ISRAELI
TROOPS TO REACH THE CANAL?"

Narrator:
BEN GURION WAITED ANXIOUSLY
FOR THE RETURN OF HIS EMISSARY.

(Peres speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
BEN GURION ASKED ME,
"WELL, WHAT DID THE FRENCH SAY?"

SO I BEGAN TO TELL HIM
ABOUT THEIR PLAN.

HE INTERRUPTED AND SAID,
"OKAY, THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.

WE'LL GO WITH THEM."

Narrator:
ISRAEL INVADED EGYPT, SECRETLY
SUPPORTED BY BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

WITHIN A WEEK, ISRAELI TROOPS
HAD CAPTURED THE SINAI DESERT.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE TRIED
TO RETAKE THE SUEZ CANAL

UNTIL INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE
FORCED THEM TO WITHDRAW.

.
Ben Gurion:
WE ACHIEVED OUR MAIN PURPOSE

THE MAIN PURPOSE
WAS FREE NAVIGATION

IN THE STRAITS OF EILAT,
WHICH IS RATHER VITAL--

AT LEAST THEY HAVE BEEN
UNTIL NOW.

THE SECOND OBJECTIVE WAS

SECURE SAFETY FOR OUR
SETTLEMENTS NEAR THE GAZA STRIP.

I CANNOT SAY
WE'VE GOT IT ENTIRELY

BUT THEY ARE MORE SAFE
THAN THEY WERE BEFORE.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI FORCES
WITHDREW FROM SINAI

AND THE POSITIONS
ALONG THE ISRAELI BORDER

AND THE STRAITS OF TIRAN

WERE GUARDED BY
UNITED NATIONS FORCES.

FOR TEN YEARS

R
THERE WAS PEACE ALONG
THE ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN BORDE

UNDER THE U.N. FLAG.

Newsreel announcer:
TROUBLE AND DEATH
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

THE FIGHTING ERUPTED QUICKLY
WHEN SYRIANS ALLEGEDLY FIRED

ON ISRAELI FARMERS
OPERATING TRACTORS.

ISRAEL USED TANKS, MORTARS
AND AIRCRAFT TO COUNTERATTACK.

ISRAELI PREMIER
LEVI ESHKOL SAID

FRIENDLY FOREIGN POWERS
WILL UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.

Narrator:
IN MAY 1967, THE LEADERS O
F THE SOVIET UNION TOOK A STEP

THAT WOULD CHANGE THE MAP
OF THE MIDDLE EAST.

E
THEIR OWN ALLIES.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH A FALSE REPORT
FROM SOVIET INTELLIGENCE.

ANWAR SADAT, SPEAKER OF
THE EGYPTIAN PARLIAMENT

WAS IN MOSCOW FOR TALKS WITH
SOVIET PRIME MINISTER KOSYGIN.

IT WAS A ROUTINE TRIP.

EGYPT WAS NOW FIRMLY
IN THE SOVIET CAMP.

SADAT WAS SEEN TO HIS PLANE
BY THE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER.

(man speaking Russian)

Translator:
THE MINISTER TOOK SADAT ASIDE.

HE SAID ISRAELI TROOPS
WERE MASSING AGAINST SYRIA
.

HE ASKED HIM TO REPORT THI
S AT ONCE TO NASSER.

Narrator:
EGYPT'S PRESIDENT,
GAMAL ABDEL NASSER

WAS THE HERO OF THE ARAB WORLD.

IF ISRAEL WAS MASSING TROOPS
ON THE SYRIAN BORDER

NASSER WOULD BE EXPECTED TO ACT.

HE SENT FOR HIS CHIEF OF STAFF

AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO FIND OUT
WHAT THE ISRAELIS WERE UP TO.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WENT TO A AND ISRAEL.

I FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL,
SO I ASKED TO SEE

THE LATEST AERIAL PHOTOS
OF THE BORDER AREA.

THEY SHOWED ME PHOTOS
FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY

AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT.

I STUDIED THEM,
BUT I STILL FOUND NOTHING.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOUND NOTHING
TO BACK UP THE SOVIET REPORT

BUT THEN THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR
CAME BACK TO US.

HE SAID SOVIET INTELLIGENC
E HAD RECONFIRMED THEIR REPORT--

ISRAELI TROOPS REALLYWERE
MASSING ON THE SYRIAN BORDER

AND THE SITUATION
WAS VERY DANGEROUS.

-
Narrator:
SOVIET DIPLOMATS SPREAD TH
E ALARM THROUGHOUT THE REGION-

EVEN IN ISRAEL

AS THE PRIME MINISTER
AND HIS WIFE SOON FOUND OUT.

(woman speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IT WAS 2:30 IN THE MORNING
.

A SECRETARY CAME IN
LOOKING SLEEPY.

HE SAID, "THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR
IS DOWN IN THE LOBBY.

"HE'S ALL DRESSED UP,
VERY FORMAL

AND HE INSISTS ON SEEING
THE PRIME MINISTER RIGHT NOW."

I SAID TO ESHKOL, "LET'S RECEIVE
HIM IN OUR PAJAMAS."

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
OUR AMBASSADOR GAVE ESHKOL
A TELEGRAM FROM KOSYGIN.

ESHKOL OFFERED TO GO TO MOSCOW

TO DISCUSS
THE REGIONAL SITUATION.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE AMBASSADOR WAS ANGRY:

HE SAID, "YOU ARE MASSING
YOUR TROOPS IN THE NORTH."

ESHKOL SAID,
"WE CAN GO THERE NOW.

"WE CAN GO TOGETHER
TO THE GOLAN BORDER.

YOU'LL SEE WE HAVEN'T
MOBILIZED ANYTHING."

THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR
SAID, "NO."

Narrator:
AT THAT TIME,
SOVIET LEADERS BELIEVED

THAT AMERICA WAS ON THE RU
N IN VIETNAM.

SOME IN THE KREMLIN

NOW SOUGHT TO WEAKEN AMERICA'S
INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

EVEN AT THE RISK
OF ANOTHER REGIONAL WAR.

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
WE BELIEVED A WAR
COULD BRING US POLITICAL GAINS.

EVEN A STALEMATE
COULD BRING US BENEFITS.

EGYPT HAD OUR BACKING,
BOTH POLITICAL AND MILITARY.

WE THOUGHT THEIR FORCES
WOULD DEMONSTRATE

THE BENEFITS OF SOVIET SUPPORT.

SO WE WERE CONFIDENT

THAT THE BALANCE OF POWER
IN THE MIDDLE EAST

WOULD BE ALTERED
BY A LOCALIZED WAR.

Narrator:
IN CAIRO, NASSER HAD PUT
HIS ARMED FORCES ON ALERT

THE MOMENT HE RECEIVED
THE SOVIET REPORT.

IF MOSCOW'S PLAN WAS TO PROVOKE
A WAR, IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE RUSSIAN REPORT
ESCALATED EVERYTHING.

WE FELT OBLIGED
TO MOVE TROOPS INTO THE SINAI.

FROM THERE, WE COULD
RETALIATE AGAINST ISRAEL

IF ISRAEL ATTACKED SYRIA.

Translator:
ABDEL NASSER DID NOT WANT
A WAR WITH ISRAEL.

ABDEL NASSER WAS THINKING
OF HIS IMAGE IN THE ARAB WORLD.

SO HE PUT ON A SHOW OF STRENGTH
USING THE ARMED FORCES.

MARSHAL AMER WANTED TO ATTAC
K ISRAEL RIGHT AWAY.

(speaking Arabic)

THE ARAB MEDIA HAD BEEN
CRITICIZING NASSER.

SOME COUNTRIES
HAD ACCUSED ABDEL NASSER

OF HIDING BEHIND
THE UNITED NATIONS.

Narrator:
SINCE THE SUEZ WAR OF 1956
, UNITED NATIONS TROOPS

HAD PROVIDED A BUFFER ON THE
BORDER BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL.

NOW NASSER ORDERED THEM OUT.

THE EYES OF THE WORLD
FOCUSED ON A SMALL HARBOR

AT THE EDGE OF THE SINAI DESERT,
SHARM EL SHEIK.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
HEADQUARTERS WANTED TO EXPEL

THE U.N. TROOPS
FROM SHARM EL SHEIK.

T
I TOLD THEM, "IF WE DO THA

"EGYPTIAN TROOPS WILL HAVE
TO TAKE OVER AT SHARM EL SHEIK.

"WE WILL THEN BE OBLIGED
TO CLOSE THE STRAITS OF TIRAN.

THAT WILL MEAN WAR."

Narrator:
A BLOCKADE AT THE STRAITS OF
TIRAN BY EGYPT COULD LEAD TO WAR

BECAUSE THE STRAITS,
AT THE FOOT OF THE GULF OF AQABA

CONTROLLED ISRAEL'S
ONLY TRADE ROUTE

TO THE EASTERN HALF
OF THE WORLD.

NASSER, IN THE NAME
OF ARAB SOLIDARITY

.
WAS GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE

(Nasser speaking Arabic)

Translator:
OUR ARMED FORCES
ARE READY FOR WAR.

THE GULF OF AQABA
BELONGS TO EGYPT.

THERE IS NO WAY

THAT WE WILL ALLOW ISRAELI SHIPS
TO PASS THROUGH.

.
THE JEWS ARE THREATENING WAR

WE TELL THEM, "HELLO AND
WELCOME, WE ARE READY FOR WAR."

BUT THERE IS NO WAY
WE WILL GIVE UP OUR RIGHTS

TO THE GULF OF AQABA.

(applause)

Narrator:
IN ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE PREPARED
TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

THEIR PRIME MINISTER,
LEVI ESHKOL

SUMMONED HIS CABINET
AND MILITARY COMMANDERS.

(man speaking Hebrew)

WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN

I'M SURE THE SITUATION
WILL DEVELOP INTO A WAR.

THE STRAITS ARE
ACASUS BELLIFOR US

AND I TOLD HIM FIRMLY

THAT THIS WILL BE THEIR END,
THIS WILL BE THEIR GRAVE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE COMMANDERS TOLD HIM

"WE HAVE NO CHOICE,
WE HAVE TO MOBILIZE.

"WE HAVE TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK
WITHIN 72 HOURS.

"IF WE GIVE THE EGYPTIANS
MORE TIME

THEY WILL PACK THE SINAI
WITH MORE AND MORE DIVISIONS."

Narrator:
THE GENERALS SAW ISRAEL BECOMING
INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE.

Eban:
THE CHIEF OF STAFF,
GENERAL RABIN, WAS VERY WORRIED.

HE SMOKED A GREAT NUMBER
OF CIGARETTES

AND HE ATE NEARLY ALL THE...
THE NUTS AND RAISINS

IN THE LITTLE BASKET THERE

AND HE WAS VERY WORRIED BECAUSE

NOT BECAUSE HE DOUBTED
THE RESULT OF THE WAR

BUT BECAUSE WE WERE REALLY
VERY UNPREPARED FOR WAR.

Narrator:
RABIN ASKED ABBA EBAN
FOR A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION.

Eban:
RABIN HAD SAID

WE WERE REALLY
NOT PREPARED FOR WAR

AND, SECOND, THERE SHOULD
STILL BE SOME ATTEMPT

TO AVOID IT

.
BY EXERCISING WARNINGS AND
PRESSURES UPON THE EGYPTIANS

AND THEN MR. ESHKOL
SENT ME A NOTE

SAYING, "WHAT ARE YOU
DOING HERE?"

Narrator:
PRIME MINISTER ESHKOL

DISPATCHED ABBA EBAN TO SEEK
THE HELP OF ISRAEL'S KEY ALLIES.

HE WANTED AN INTERNATIONAL FLEET

TO KEEP THE STRAITS OPEN
TO PREVENT WAR.

I'VE BEEN ASKED BY MY GOVERNMENT

TO EXPLORE, UH... WHAT THESE
GOVERNMENTS INTEND TO DO

IN ORDER TO REOPEN THIS
INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY

TO A SITUATION OF LAW.

Reporter:
WHAT DO YOU WANT
THE U.S. TO DO?

Y
WELL, I'VE COME HERE REALL

TO FIND OUT WHAT THE
UNITED STATES INTENDS TO DO.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT JOHNSON MADE IT CLEAR

THAT HE DIDN'T WANT ISRAEL
TO ATTACK FIRST.

Man:
THE PRESIDENT HAD SAID
TO DEAN RUSK AND ME--

AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK
RATHER CRUDELY--

"GET EE"--

"SO WE CAN WORK HIM OVER."

BECAUSE WE HAD HEARD

THAT THE ISRAELIS
WERE ABOUT TO PREEMPT--

THEY WERE ABOUT TO ATTACK
THE EGYPTIANS.

Man:
EBAN SPOKE TALKED AT GREAT
LENGTH AND ELOQUENTLY.

HE ALWAYS SPOKE ELOQUENTLY

AND HE ALWAYS SPOKE
AT GREAT LENGTH.

BUT WHAT HE HAD TO SAY
WAS VERY SIMPLE.

THIS WAS A MORTAL CRISIS
FOR ISRAEL

AND HE WANTED TO KNOW

WHAT THE UNITED STATES
WAS PREPARED TO DO.

THE PRESIDENT, HE SIMPLY
EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM

ABOUT THE IDEA
THAT ISRAEL WAS IN DANGER.

HE SAID, "YOU ARE NOT IN DANGER.

"YOU ARE IN
A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION

BUT YOU ARE NOT IN PERIL."

T
Man:
HE SAID TO EBAN,
"WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT EGYP

"IS ABOUT TO ATTACK ISRAEL
.

MOREOVER, IF IT DOES,
YOU'LL LICK THEM."

Narrator:
TO MAKE THE POINT

PRESIDENT JOHNSON ASKED FOR THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S ASSESSMENT

OF THE LIKELY OUTCOME
OF A MIDDLE EAST WAR.

McNamara
WE HAD CONCLUDED

THAT IF ISRAEL PREEMPTED,
THEY COULD WIN... CLEARLY

IN A PERIOD OF ABOUT SEVEN DAYS,
AS I REMEMBER.

WE HAD ALSO ESTIMATED THAT
IF THEY DID NOT PREEMPT

AND EGYPT ATTACKED FIRST

THAT IT WOULD TAKE
SOMEWHAT LONGER--

PERHAPS TEN TO 14 DAYS.

Eban:
THEN THE PRESIDENT TOOK OU
T A PIECE OF PAPER

T
AND STARTED READING FROM I

AS THOUGH THIS WAS SOME KIND
OF A SACRED TEXT.

D
AND WHAT THIS DOCUMENT SAI

WAS ISRAEL WILL NOT BE ALONE
UNLESS IT DECIDES TO BE ALONE.

IF YOU GO ALONE,
YOU'LL STAND ALONE.

THAT WAS A VERY
COLD-BLOODED STATEMENT.

WE WILL NOT COME TO YOUR DEFENSE
IF YOU PREEMPT.

WECANNOTCOME TO YOUR DEFENSE
IF YOU PREEMPT.

Narrator:
AS ISRAEL RECEIVED ITS WARNING
IN THE WHITE HOUSE

AN EGYPTIAN DELEGATION WAS
HEADING TOWARDS THE KREMLIN.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE DIDN'T EVEN SEE MOSCOW.

STRAIGHT INTO THE KREMLIN.

Narrator:
THE EGYPTIANS WERE SELF-ASSURED.

Translator:
SHAMS BADRAN EXUDED CONFIDENCE.

HE SAID THAT IF WAR CAME

COULD HANDLE IT.

IN FACT, HE DESCRIBED THE ARMY
LIKE A WILD HORSE RARING TO GO.

Narrator:
BUT THE SOVIETS
WARNED THE EGYPTIANS

NOT TO BE SEEN
AS THE AGGRESSORS.

(man speaking Russian)

D
Translator:
PRIME MINISTER KOSYGIN SAI

"TELL NASSER
IF HE STRIKES FIRST

"HE WILL ESCALATE THE CONFLICT,
HE WILL PROVOKE THE SUPERPOWERS.

AMERICA WILL NOT STAND ASIDE."

(speaking Arabic)

I SAID, "WE UNDERSTAND

BUT CLOSING THE STRAITS
ISN'T AN ATTACK ON AMERICA."

Narrator:
THE SOVIETS MADE IT CLEAR
THEY MEANT WHAT THEY SAID.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE ASKED ABOUT THE ARMS
CONTRACTS H THEM.

WE ASKED IF THEY
WOULD HURRY THINGS UP

ESPECIALLY SOME SPARE PART
S WE NEEDED FOR OUR PLANES.

WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THEM
WITH US IN A BAG.

Translator:
THEY WERE ALWAYS
ASKING FOR ARMS.

EVERY HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATIO
N WOULD ASK FOR ARMS

INCLUDING BADRAN.

Translator:
THEY DID NOT REFUSE
TO SUPPLY THE ARMS.

THEY JUST CLAIMED THEY HAD NONE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WAS REALLY SHOCKED.

I THOUGHT, "HOW CAN OUR SOVIET
FRIENDS TREAT US LIKE THIS?"

WAR WAS AT OUR DOORSTEP.

Narrator:
NASSER GOT THE MESSAGE:
THE SOVIETS WOULD BACK HIM

ONLY IF HE DID NOT APPEAR
TO BE THE AGGRESSOR.

HIS COMMANDERS WERE INSTRUCTED
TO STAY ON THE DEFENSIVE

READY TO ABSORB
AN ISRAELI ATTACK.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE AIR FORCE CHIEF JUMPED UP.

HE SAID, "IT WILL BE CRIPPLING."

HE SAID, "MR. PRESIDENT, THE
FIRST STRIKE WILL BE CRIPPLING!"

HE SAID IT IN ENGLISH.

HE MEANT THAT A FIRST STRIKE
BY ISRAEL

WOULD CRIPPLE OUR AIR FORCE.

THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF TOLD HIM

"IF YOU LET THEM STRIKE FIRST,
YOU WILL FIGHT ONLY ISRAEL

"BUT IF YOU STRIKE FIRST

YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT
ISRAEL AND AMERICA."

Crowd (chanting):
NASSER! NASSER! NASSER! NASSER!

Narrator:
BUT THE WAR FEVER IN CAIRO
HAD BECOME UNSTOPPABLE.

POPULAR HATRED OF ISRAEL

WHICH NASSER DID NOTHING
TO DISCOURAGE

NOW SWEFORWARD AND DROVE
OTHER ARAB RULERS TO HIS SIDE.

R
EVEN KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN,
FOR YEARS AT ODDS WITH NASSE

DECIDED HE COULD
NO LONGER STAND ALOOF.

Hussein:
IN THE MORNING,
I GOT INTO MY AIRCRAFT

AND FLEW IT TO CAIRO.

AND I WAS MET BY THE PRESIDENT.

I WAS IN MILITARY FATIGUES
WITH MY GUN ON.

AND HE SAID, "WELL I SEE
YOU ARE CARRYING A GUN."

I SAID, "I'VE BEEN LIKE THAT

FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS
WITH MY TROOPS."

AND THEN HE MADE
A STRANGE REMARK:

"WHAT WOULD HAPPENLY TOOK YO
U PRISONER

AND DENIED ALL KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR
ARRIVING IN THIS COUNTRY?"

Narrator:
SOON AFTER

KING HUSSEIND A MUTUAL
DEFENSE TREATY WITH NASSER

AND AGREED TO PUT HIS ARMY
UNDER EGYPTIAN COMMAND.

WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF A...
OF A WAR

THEREFORE ANY RESERVATIONS
I HAD IN THE PAST

TO ANY TROOPS COMING INTO JORDAN

WERE REMOVED,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

Narrator:
SO ISRAEL FACED THE PROSPECT
OF WAR ON THREE FRONTS:

FROM JORDAN IN THE EAST

FROM SYRIA IN THE NORTH

AND FROM EGYPT IN THE SOUTH.

Narkiss (translated):
THAT WAS THE TIME

WHEN AUSCHWITZ CAME UP.

IT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

WHEN PEOPLE SPOKE

THEY SAID THERE WAS A FEELIN
G WE ARE SURROUNDED

WE ARE SURROUNDED, NO ONE WILL
HELP US, NO ONE IS HELPING US

AND GOD FORBID
IF THE ARABS ARMIES INVADE US.

THEY'LL KILL US ALL.

Narrator:
BY THIS POINT

ISRAEL HAD BEEN MOBILIZED
FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS.

ALL MALES AGED 18 TO 55
WERE CALLED TO SERVE.

MOST VEHICLES WERE REQUISITIONED

MOST FACTORIES CLOSED.

ISRAEL COULD NOT STAY
FULLY MOBILIZED FOR LONG.

BUT STILL,
PRIME MINISTER ESHKOL WAITED

FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
TO DO SOMETHING.

HE CAME TO MILITARY HEADQUARTERS

TO REMIND HIS GENERALS
OF AMERICA'S WARNING--

ISRAEL MUST NOT GO IT ALONE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
HE TOLD US THAT THEY WERE MAKING

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS
IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE.

THEY WERE TRYING TO REACH
A DEAL WITH NASSER.

IT MADE NO SENSE TO US.

Narrator:
FLANKED BY RABIN,
ESHKOL FOUND HIMSELF SURROUNDED

BY GENERALS INSISTING
ON A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE.

(Narkiss speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
GENERAL PELED WAS
USUALLY PRETTY QUIET.

NOW HE WAS SHOUTING.

HE WAS ACTUALLY SHRIEKING.

"WHY DO YOU HESITATE?"

HY ARE YOU AFRAID?"
"WHY DO YOU HESITATE?" "W

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "ESHKOL, YOU HAVE
THE BEST ARMY SINCE KING DAVID.

"IF YOU DON'T ATTACK,
YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGIVEN
.

Narrator:
TO REGAIN THE CONFI OF HIS G
ENERALS

PRIME MINISTER ESHKOL APPOINTED
A NEW MINISTER OF DEFENSE--

MOSHE DAN,
HERO OF THE 1956 SUEZ WAR.

OF COURSE, THE NUMBER OF THEIR
FORCES IS BIGGER THAN OURS

BUT STILL I HOPE THAT WE CAN
MAKE IT, BUT MUCH DEPENDS--

VERY MUCH DEPENDS--
UPON WHERE THE BATTLE IS.

Narrator:
THE GENERALS ALSO ASKED

FOR ANOTHER ENVOY
TO BE SENT TO WASHINGTON.

THE PRIME MINISTER AGREED.

HE SAID, "LISTEN, MEIR,
YOU GO TO WASHINGTON

"AND FIND OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

"ARE THE AMERICANS ORGANIZIN
G A NAVAL TASK FORCE?

"IS ANYBODY GOING
TO DO ANYTHING?

WHEN?"

Narrator:
AMIT'S MISSION WAS TO SEE

IF THE AMERICANS PLANNED
TO OPEN THE STRAITS OF TIRAN

OR IF ISRAEL WOULD
HAVE TO ACT ALONE.

THE PENTAGON HAD QUITE ENOUG
H TROUBLE IN VIETNAM

AND DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER WAR.

Translator:
THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A.
MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR.

THERE IS NO INTERNATIONAL
NAVAL FORCE.

THERE ARE NO AMERICAN PLAN
S FOR ACTION.

THERE IS NO TASK FORCE.

Narrator:
SO THE HEAD OF THE MOSSAD,
ISRAEL'S INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

ETARY
OF DEFENSE.

Translator:
I SAID TO HIM,
"YOU KNOW OUR SITUATION.

I AM HERE ON THE INSTRUCTION
OF MY PRIME MINISTER."

HE WAS DOING
MOST OF THE TALKING.

I DID ASK ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS.

Translator:
AT THE MEETING, I REALIZED
THAT AMERICA, BECAUSE OF VIETNAM

WAS UNWILLING TO ACT ALONE
, AND THEY DID NOT SUCCEED

IN ORGANIZING
THE INTERNATIONAL NAVAL FORCE.

ALSO, EISENHOWER
MADE A COMMITMENT

TO ISRAEL
ABOUT THE STRAITS IN 1956.

SO AMERICA WOULD NO LONGER
OPPOSE ISRAEL ACTING ON ITS OWN.

I WAS FRIENDLY
DURING MY DISCUSSION

AND FRIENDLY AS HE LEFT

BUT HE DIDN'T ASK FOR ANSWERS,
HE GOT NO ANSWERS.

Narrator:
AMIT RACED BACK TO ISRAEL

TO REPORT TO THE PRIME MINISTER
AND THE CABINET

NOT TO EXPECT
INTERNATIONAL HELP.

Translator:
I GAVE A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MY
TRIP TO WASHINGTON, AND I SAID

"I RECOMMEND WE LAUNCH THE WAR
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."

NOT ONE OF THE MINISTERS
DISAGREED.

(Miriam Eshkol
speaking Hebrew)

TranslatOUR USUAL
WALK.

SUDDENLY ESHKOL STARTS HUMMING.

HE WAS COMPLETELY TONE DEAF.

HE HAD THIS HASSIDIC SONG
HE LIKED TO SING.

HE SANG IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

"THE RABBI HAS TOLD US
TO ENJOY OURSELVES

BECAUSE HARD TIMES ARE COMING."

(Miri Eshkol singing
in Yiddish)

SO I ASKED HIM,
"WHAT'S HAPPENING, DEAREST?"

.
AND HE TOLD ME,
"TOMORROW THE WAR WILL START

"THERE WILL BE WIDOWS.

"THERE WILL BE ORPHANS.

"THERE WILL BE BEREAVED PARE

WHO KNOWS WHAT
TOMORROW WILL BRING."

Narrator:
THE GENERALS CHOSE THE MORNING
OF JUNE 5 FOR THE ATTACK.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND I
TOOK A DECISION.

ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 4,
WE WOULD SLEEP AT HOME.

THE TOM-TOMS IN ISRAEL WOR
K LIKE IN THE JUNGLE.

IF THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND
AIR FORCE CHIEF BOTH COME HOME

WORD GETS AROUND THAT TOMORROW
IS GOING TO BE QUIET.

THAT WAS THE COMMANDERS'
BEDTIME MESSAGE.

Narrator:
LEAVING BEHIND ONLY 12 FIGHTERS
TO DEFEND ISRAEL

180 AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FOR EGYPT.

THEIR TARGET
WAS 45 MINUTES AWAY.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE OBSERVED TOTAL RADIO SILENCE.

WE FLEW AT THE HEIGHT OF THE
WAVES FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

WE FLEW LOW OVER THE SAND DUNES.

WE CROSSED THE SUEZ CANAL AT
KANTARA AND ENTERED THE DELTA.

AS WE FLEW OVER THE DELTA,
FARMERS WAVED TO US.

THEY PROBABLY THOUGHT
WE WERE EGYPTIAN.

Narrator:
MOST OF THE ISRAELI SQUADRON
FLEW OUT TO SEA FAR TO THE WEST.

THEY HAD EXTRA FUEL TANKS

TO ENABLE THEM TO APPROACH
EGYPT'S AIR BASES

.
FROM AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THAT WAS THE LONGEST
45 MINUTES IN MY LIFE.

THE HANDS ON MY WATCH
DIDN'T SEEM TO MOVE.

THEY WENT VERY SLOWLY.

Narrator:
AS THE ISRAELI BOMBERS
APPROACHED THEIR TARGETS

THE EGYPTIANS RECEIVED
A CODED MESSAGE FROM JORDAN.

Noufal (translated):
THEY SPOTTED ISRAELI PLANE
S HEADING TOWARDS US

SO THEY SENT US A SIGNAL FRO
M THEIR RADAR BASE TO WARN US.

THE SIGNAL WAS IN CODE.

OUR CODES HAD CHANGED
THE DAY BEFORE

AND WE HAD REAL TROUBLE
DECODING IT.

Translator:
THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE ASKE
D THE AIR DEFENSE PEOPLE

WHAT THEY HAD DONE WITH
THE SIGNAL THEY HAD RECEIVED
.

"
IT HAD THE CODE WORD "GRAPE.

THEY REPLIED, "WHAT SIGNAL?"

.
T 0745,
WE PULLED UP TO 6,000 FEET

I LOOKED DOWN

.
AND SAW THE MIGS GLINTING
ON THE EDGES OF THE RUNWAY

THE PILOTS WERE SITTING
INSIDE THE COCKPITS.

I KNEW WE HAD CAUGHT
THEM BY SURPRISE.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS BEGAN THEIR ATTACK
BY DESTROYING THE RUNWAYS

TO PREVENT THE EGYPTIAN AIRCRAFT
FROM TAKING OFF.

THE FEW THAT DID GET
OFF THE GROUND

WERE NO MATCH
FOR E ISRAELI FIGHTERS.

(gunfire)

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I GOT A CALL FROM ONE
OF THE AIR FORCE CHIEFS.

HE SAID, "NOUFAL, NOUFAL."

I SAID, "YES, SIR?"

HE SAID, "OUR AIRFIELDS
ARE BEING ATTACKED."

I SAID, "WHAT THE HELL
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

HE SAID, "OUR AIRFIELDS
ARE BEING ATTACKED."

I SAID, "OUR AIRFIELDS?"

HE SAID, "THE AIRFIELDS IN
THE SINAI ARE BEING ATTACKED."

I SAID,
"ALL THE SINAI AIRFIELDS?

TELL ME IT'S NOT TRUE."

AND HE SAID, "BELIEVE ME

ALL THE AIRFIELDS
ARE BEING ATTACKED."

I HUNG UP,
THE PHONE RANG AGAIN.

HE SAID, "WE'RE BEING ATTACKED."

.
SO I SAID TO MYSELF, WELL,
SOMETHING MUST BE GOING ON

BUT I WAS ALL ALONE.

Narrator:
HE WAS ALONE BECAUSE THE HEA
D OF THE EGYPTIAN ARMED FORCES

MARSHAL AMER, HAD LEFT
WITH THE MINISTER OF WAR

.
AND HIS TOP BRASS TO INSPECT
THEIR POSITIONS IN THE SINAI

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WE
HEARD ABOUT THE ISRAELI ATTACK.

WE TURNED AROUND AND FLEW BACK.

OUR CARS HAD GONE.

WE HAD TO HAIL A TAXI
TO GET BACK TO HEADQUARTERS.

Narrator:
BY THE TIME MARSHAL AMER'S TAXI
GOT HIM BACK TO HEADQUARTERS

EGYPT'S AIR FORCE WAS DESTROYED.

(speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
MARSHAL AMER WAS PANICKING

F
HE TOLD THE AIR FORCE CHIE

TO IMPLEMENT
THE COUNTERATTACK PLAN.

D
THE AIR FORCE CHIEF REPLIE

"HOW CAN I?

I HAVE NO AIRCRAFT."

L
Narrator:
IN THE SINAI, EGYPT HAD THRE
E TIMES AS MANY TANKS AS ISRAE

BUT WITH NO AIR COVER,
THEIR SITUATION WAS DIRE.

Translator:
MARSHAL AMER TOLD ME

.
"DRAW UP A PLAN OF RETREAT

BRING THE TROOPS BACK
ACROSS THE CANAL."

Narrator:
MARSHAL AMER HAD BEEN A CLOS
E FRIEND OF PRESIDENT NASSER

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

THEY HAD FOUGHT TOGETHER
AS YOUNG OFFICERS.

TOGETHER THEY HAD PLANNED

THE COUP WHICH BROUGHT DOW
N THE EGYPTIAN MONARCHY.

NOW THE DEFEATED PRESIDENT

PHONED HIS DEFEATED
ARMY COMMANDER.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WAS THE ONLY
OTHER PERSON THERE.

AMER WAS IN TEARS.

HE WAS CALLING NASSER
BY HIS FIRST NAME.

HE SAID, "LET ME BRING OUR BOYS
BACK SAFELY, GAMAL."

WHEN HE PUT THE PHONE DOWN
I ASKED, "WHY ARE YOU CRYING?"

HE TOLD ME NASSER HAD SAID
, "FORGIVE ME, HAKIM.

.
"I CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHE

FORGIVE ME, HAKIM."

ABDEL NASSER
HAD BEEN CRYING, TOO.

Narrator:
MARSHAL AMER DIDN'T WAIT

FOR HIS CHIEF OF STAFF
TO PLAN A RETREAT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE ORDER WAS WITHDRAW
BACK ACROSS THE CANAL.

.
LEAVE THE ARTILLERY BEHIND

Narrator:
MARSHAL AMER'S ORDER
WAS A DISASTER.

WITH NO PLAN

.
HIS RETREATING UNITS
COULD NOT PROTECT EACH OTHER

THE ISRAELIS GAVE CHASE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
OUR TANKS HAD EGYPTIAN TANKS
IN FRONT AND BEHIND THEM.

WE ATTACKED THEM FROM THE GROUND
AND FROM THE AIR.

THOUSANDS WERE DESTROYED.

THEY WERE ALL BURNING.

IT WAS A TERRIBLE SIGHT.

Narrator:
IS WERE KILLED

BUT THE EGYPTIANS DEAD
NUMBERED 15,000.

Narrator:
DAYS EARLIER
WHEN THE WAR HAD BEGUN

THE ISRAELIS HAD CONTACTED
THE KING OF JORDAN.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE DID NOT PLAN TO TAKE
JERUSALEM OR THE WEST BANK
.

WE DID NOT PLAN
TO TAKE THE GOLAN.

ON THE FIFTH,
WE SENT A TELEGRAM

THROUGH THE AMERICANS
TO KING HUSSEIN

TELLING HIM THAT THE WAR WAS
BETWEEN IANS.

IF JORDAN STAYED OUT,
NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN.

BUT AT ABOUT 10:30,
HE STARTED SHELLING JERUSALEM.

Translator:
TEDDY KOLLECK,
THE MAYOR OF JERUSALEM

ASKED ME AT THE COMMAND POST

WHAT SHOULD HE DO
WITH THE CHILDREN

IN THE KINDERGARTENS
AND SCHOOLS.

Translator:
IN THE COMMAND POST,
WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER.

.
WE SAID, "THIS IS NOT NICE

WE'LL TAKE ON HUSSEIN."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF
CALLED ME.

HE SAID,
"UZI, YOU ARE AUTHORIZED

"TO ENTER THE OLD CITY.

YOU HAVE TO BE QUICK
AND USE YOUR HEAD."

(explosion)

Narrator:
IT TOOK THE ISRAELIS TEN HOURS
OF BITTER STREET FIGHTING

TO DEFEAT THE JORDAN LEGIO
SOLDIERS DEFENDING THE OLD CITY.

L
ONCE THE TROOPS HAD BROKEN
THROUGH TO THE WAILING WAL

KEEPING THE CITY UNITED
UNDER ISRAEL'S RULE

BECAME THE BASIC GOAL
OF THE GOVERNMENT.

WHEN THE BATTLE ENDED

JORDAN HAD LOST
NOT ONLY THE OLD CITY

BUT ALL THE LAND ON THE
WEST BANK OF THE JORDAN RIVER.

Hussein:
I WENT OUT TO THE FRONT
AND I COULD SEE PEOPLE

CROSSING OVER
IN SMALL GROUPS, VERY TIRED.

YOU KNOW, ALL THE YEARS
THAT I HAD SPENT SINCE 195

TRYING TO BUILD THAT COUNTRY
AND BUILD THAT ARMY

ALL THE PRIDE, ALL THE HOPES
, I SAW IT JUST DESTROYED.

I NEVER RECEIVED
A MORE CRUSHING BLOW THAN THAT.

Interviewer:
MR. PRIME MINISTER,
DOES ISRAEL WISH

ANY TERRITORY

BEYOND THE TERRITORY
SHE NOW HOLDS?

NO, SIR...
, SIR.

WE DON'T NEED
ANY ADDITIONAL TERRITORY.

WE WANT ONLY TO DEVELOP
THIS TERRITORY THAT WE HAVE.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO PUT IN
, ENERGY AND MONEY

AND, AND BRAINS
THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE, LITTLE...

UH, BUT WE DON'T WANT
ANY ADDITIONAL TERRITORY.

Narrator:
WITH JORDAN AND EGYPT DEFEATED,
ISRAEL TURNED ITS MIGHT

ON THE GOLAN HEIGHTS, THE SITE
OF FREQUENT ATTACKS FROM SYRIA.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
DAYAN SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
THE GOLAN NOW."

I REMEMBER THAT SOME MINISTERS
FROM THE RELIGIOUS PARTIES

WERE OPPOSED TO THIS.

DAYAN WAS ADAMANT.

HE SAID, "WE'RE NOT
GOING TO LOSE TIME.

H
"I'VE DELAYED IT THIS LONG
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO FINIS

AND JORDANIANS."

(spea)

slator:
WE THREW EVERYTHING WE HAD
AT THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

IN 12 HOURS, WE DROPPED
MORE BOMBS ON THE GOLAN

.
THAN WE HAD ON
ALL THE EGYPTIAN AIRFIELDS

ROCKETS, BOM, NAPALM,
EVERYTHING WE HAD.

Narrator:
THE WHOLE WAR HAD BEEN SPARKED
BY A FALSE SOVIET REPORT

OF A THREAT TO SYRIA.

NOW THAT ISRAEL WAS
ACTUALLY ATTACKING SYRIA

THE SOVIETS WERE FORCED
TO REACT.

WORD CAME THROUGH,
THE HOTLINE WAS UP

AND I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT IT WAS ABOUT

BECAUSE I... I THOUGHT THA
T THE WAR WAS PRETTY WELL OVER
.

NEVERTHELESS, I WENT BACK
IMMEDIATELY TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS WERE THERE,
McNAMARA AND THE REST

AND WE HAD A RATHER
HAIRY MESSAGE FROM THE RUSSIANS.

R
McNamara:
THE SOVIETS MADE VERY CLEA

THEY WOULD INTERVENE MILITARILY.

AND VERY LIKELY THEY WOULD
NOT ONLY TURN ISRAEL BACK

FROM ITS ATTACK ON SYRIA,
BUT THEY WOULD JOIN SYRIA

IN AN EFFORT TO DEAL
A MORTAL BLOW TO ISRAEL.

IT WAS A VERY, VERY
DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Narrator:
THE SOVIETS DID NOT
SEEM TO BE BLUFFING.

STRATEGIC BOMBER COMMAND IN
THE UKRAINE HAD RECEIVED ORDERS

TO PREPARE FOUR SQUADRONS
TO FLY TO THE BATTLE ZONE.

(man speaking Russian)

Translator:
IT WAS ALL ARRANGED
IN A GREAT HURRY.

WE WERE GIVEN STRICT
INSTRUCTIONS

NOT TO SUFFER ANY CASUALTIES
.

THE LOSS OF EVEN
O

.
WOULD BETRAY OUR INVOLVEMENT

BUT WE SAW THIS
WAS UNREALISTIC

SO WE HAD TO FIND ANOTHER WAY.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS WERE THEN ORDERED T
LEAVE BEHIND ALL IDENTIFICATION.

.
THEIR PLANES WERE TO BE
REPAINTED IN EGYPTIAN COLORS

Translator:
OUR RED STARS ARE ONLY
ONE COLOR-- RED.

.
BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT NOW W
E NEEDED FOUR DIFFERENT COLORS

D
I REMEMBER GREEN AND BLACK
AND SOMETHING ELSE, MAYBE RE

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE RIGHT COLORS

.
SO THAT CAUSED A LOT OF FUSS

Narrator:
IN THE WHITE HOUSE
SITUATION ROOM

PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND HIS STAFF
WORKED OUT THEIR RESPONSE

TO THE SOVIET ULTIMATUM.

THE PRESIDENT SENT A MESSAGE
OVER THE HOTLINE

TELLING THE KREMLIN
THAT HE WAS USING "EVERY MEANS"

TO GET THE ISRAELIS
TO STOP THE WAR.

.
THIS WAS NOT STRICTLY TRUE

D
ALTHOUGH HE COULD HAVE PHONE

THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER
DIRECTLY

HE PHONED THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR
TO THE U.N. INSTEAD.

Rafael:
UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR
GOLDBERG ASKED ME

TO COME OUT INTO THE LOBBY
AND TO SEND, TO SAY TO ME

YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY,
IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCE

THAT THE FIGHTING IS OVER.

Narrator:
THIS WAS NOT WITHIN
THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR'S POWER

SO HE ASKED HIS BOSS, ABBA EBAN,
TO PHONE THE PRIME MINISTER.

BUT ESHKOL WAS WITH HIS GENERALS
ON THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

(Miriam Eshkol
speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SUDDENLY ABBA EBAN CALLS
AND SAYS

"TELL ESHKOL TO STOP THE WAR
.

WE'RE UNDER TERRIBLE PRESSUR
E HERE AT THE UNITED NATIONS."

THEN ESHKOL CALLS ME,
AND HE SAYS

"AH, THIS GOLAN IS
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

THE VIEW IS WONDERFUL."

HE WAXES LYRICAL ABOUT IT.

HE CAN'T TAKE TH

HE SAID, "I CAN'T HEAR YOU."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN
YOU CAN'T HEAR ME?

I'M TELLING YOU
IN EBAN'S EXACT WORDS."

HE SAYS, "I CAN'T HEAR YOU
, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

"IT'S A BAD LINE,
IT'S A BAD LINE.

I'LL COME HOME
AND THEN WE'LL TALK."

AND THEN I UNDERSTOOD.

THEY WANTED R
SOME MORE KILOMETERS.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS PRESSED ON
SOINTO THE GOLANTERS.

AND ENCOUNTERED NO SOVIET FORCES

BECAUSE PRESIDENT JOHNSON
HAD RAISED THE STAKES.

Rostow:
HE ASKED McNAMARA

WHAT DISTANCE
FROM THE SYRIAN COAST

THE FLEET, AMERICAN FLEET
WAS AT THE TIME

AND HE SAID 100 MILES.

IT WAS STEAMING TOWARD...
TOWARDS GIBRALTAR

ON A TRAINING EXERCISE.

WE TURNED IT AROUND.

AND THE PRESIDENT SAID,
"MOVE THEM TO WITHIN 50 MILES"

KNOWING THAT THE FLEET
WAS SHADOWED

.
BY SOVIET ELECTRONIC SHIPS
, AND THEY WOULD KNOW DIRECTLY

THAT WAS ALSO
PART OF THE MESSAGE.

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
SO OUR SECRET INVASION
BY THE BACK DOOR NEVER HAPPENED.

THANK GOD FOR THAT.

D
Narrator:
THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WAITE

UNTIL THEIR FORCES HAD ACHIEVED
THEIR OBJECTIVE

BEFORE GIVING THE ORDER TO HALT.

M
A COLLEAGUE OF MINE FROM THE
FOREIGN MINISTRY IN JERUSALE

T
CALLED ME TO GIVE ME THE TEX

OF AN AGREED STATEMENT
ON CEASE-FIRE.

L
Rafael:
ISRAEL ACCEPTS ANY PROPOSA

MADE BY GENERAL BULL
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION

AND THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE
SUPERVISION OF THE CEASE-FIRE.

Rafael:
I READ THIS STATEMENT

SLOWLY TRANSLATING IT
FROM HEBREW INTO ENGLISH

AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE WAR.

S
Narrator:
IN SIX DAYS, THE ARMED FORCE

HAD QUADRUPLED THE TERRITORY
ISRAEL CONTROLLED.

FROM SYRIA, THEY HAD TAKEN
THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

M
FROM JORDAN, THE WEST BANK
AND THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALE

FROM EGYPT, GAZA AND THE SINAI.

WITH SO MUCH LAND TO TRADE

ISRAEL HAD ITS BEST CHANCE EVER
FOR PEACE.

ISRAELIS FLOCKED
TO THE OLD CITY.

.
TO THEM, THE VICTORY WAS A
DELIVERANCE FROM DESTRUCTION

THE ISRAELI CABINET
WAS DETERMINED

TO HOLD ON TO JERUSALETHE TIME B
EING, THE WEST BANK.

THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE BACK
THE GOLAN HEIGHTS TO SYRIA

AND THE SINAI DESERT TO EGYPT.

THE FOREIGN MINISTER TOLD
THE AMERICANS OF ISRAEL'S OFFER.

Eban:
WHEN I PRESENTED THESE
IN A MEETING

HEADED BY DEAN RUSK,
AND GOLDBERG AND SISCO

IN GENERAL, THEY WERE ASTONISHED
BY THE FACT

THAT WE WERE CLEARLY
NOT IN THE MOOD OF ANNEXATION.

THAT WAS... WE BELIEVED THEN

A RATHER REMARKABLE INITIATIVE
ON THE PART OF THE ISRAELI
S

BECAUSE WE WERE OPERATING
ON THE ASSUMPTION

EBAN HAD TOLD US
SOME DAYS BEFORE

"WE ARE NOT INTERESTED
IN TERRITORY."

Narrator:
THAT WEEK, PRESIDENT JOHNSON
WAS HOSTING A SUMMIT

FOR SOVIET PRIME
MINISTER KOSYGIN.

EAGER TO APPEAR AS PEACEMAKERS
AT THE U.N.

.
THE TWO LEADERS HAD
A PEACE RESOLUTION DRAFTED

IN CAIRO, IT WAS SCRUTINIZED
BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY.

THIS WAS ANOTHER TURNING POINT
IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT.

Translator:
WE CONCLUDED THAT THIS PROPOSAL

WAS THE BEST
WE WERE LIKELY TO GET.

WE ADVISED THE FOREIGN MINISTER
TO ACCEPT IT.

Narrator:
THE MINISTER LOOKED AT IT
DIFFERENTLY.

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
WHEN THE RESOLUTION
WAS PROPOSED

ISRAEL WAS READY TO ACCEPT I
T

BUT EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER WAS
UTTERLY AGAINST THE RESOLUTION

BECAUSE IT INDIRECTLY
IMPLIED ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST

AND HE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT
AT ALL.

N
ISRAEL, OF COURSE,
DID NOT WANT ANY RESOLUTIO

THAT ONLY SAID
"PULL BACK YOUR FORCES"

BUT DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL'S EXISTENCE.

SO THIS WAS THE PROBLEM.

.
Narrator:
BUT RECOGNIZING ISRAEL
WAS NOT ON NASSER'S AGENDA

FOLLOWING EGYPT'S DEFEAT, HE HAD
MORE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AT HOME.

Translator:
ABDEL NASSER SAID, "WE'VE LOST.

"THERE IS NO POINT
IN STAYING ON.

I SHALL RESIGN."

Translator:
I HAVE DECIDED TO RESIGN
TOTALLY AND FINALLY

FROM ALL OFFICIAL POSITIONS.

I SHALL RETURN TO PRIVATE LIFE.

I SHALL PERFORM MY DUTIES
LIKE ANY OTHER CITIZEN.

(crowd chanting)

Narrator:
AFTER HIS BROADCAST

CROWDS SURROUNDED
THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

AND BEGGED NASSER TO STAY.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
MOST OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS
WERE GENUINE.

PEOPLE REALLY WERE UPSET.

BUT SOMETHING ELSE
HAPPENED, TOO.

THE PARTY BOSS TOLD MEMBERS TO
GATHER AND LISTEN TO THE SPEECH.

AFTER THE SPEECH, THEY TOO
K TO THE STREETS AND CHANTED

"WE WANT NASSER,
NO LEADER BUT NASSER."

Narrator:
NASSER STAYED ON AS PRESIDENT.

HIS OLD FRIEND MARSHAL AME
R BECAME THE SCAPEGOAT.

.
HE REFUSED TO RESIGN,
SO NASSER HAD HIM ARRESTED

HE DIED IN CUSTODY.

IT WAS SAID IN CAIRO
HE WAS "SUICIDED."

SHORTLY AFTER, NASSER REJECTED
THE SOVIET-AMERICAN PEACE PLAN.

Translator:
NASSER COULD NOT BRING HIMSELF
TO ACCEPT THE PEACE PLAN.

.
HE WAS A HERO TO THE ARABS

HE COULDN'T BE SEEN NEGOTIATING
WITH THE ISRAELIS.

Narrator:
THREE MONTHS LATER,
ARAB LEADERS MET

TO FORMULATE A UNIFIED POLIC
Y TOWARDS ISRAEL.

NASSER, STILL THE IDOL
OF THE ARAB WORLD, WAS SUBDUED.

.
Hussein:
I FOUND HIM... DIFFERENT MAN

I NOTICED FROM THE OUTSET

THAT HE FELT
A GREAT SENSE OF GUILT.

.
Narrator:
THE ARABS AGREED TO REJECT
ANY COMPROMISE WITH ISRAEL

Man:
THE DECISION BY
THE ARAB COUNTIES

NOT TO NEGOTIATE WITH ISRAEL
, NOT TO MAKE PEACE WITH ISRAE
L

AND NOT TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.

E
Narrator:
WITH NO RECOGNITION,
NO NEGOTIATION AND NO PEAC

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

BEFORE WAR
WOULD BREAK OUT AGAIN.

(explosion)

(rapid aircraft fire)

Narrator:
AT THE SUEZ CANAL

THE EGYPTIANS LAUNCHED
A WAR OF ATTRITION

.
AND THE ISRAELIS FOUGHT BACK

WITH GROWING CASUALTIES

.
POLITICAL ATTITUDES
IN BOTH COUNTRIES HARDENED

(rapid gunfire)

.
THERE WAS RENEWED CONFLICT
IN THE JORDAN VALLEY AS WELL

ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE
IN CONSTANT PURSUIT

OF PALESTINIANS WHO CROSSE
D INTO THE WEST BANK

TO ATTACK ISRAELI TARGETS.

(rapid gunfire)

.
THERE WAS NO TALK OF PEACE

INSIDE JORDAN

THE PALESTINIANS WERE BUSY
BUILDING UP THEIR FORCES.

THEIR CHARTER CALLED

FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF ISRAE
L BY A PALESTINIAN STATE

AND THE EXPULSION OF ALL JEW
S WHO ARRIVED AFTER 1948.

IN 1967, A SMALL BAND
OF PALESTINIAN GUERRILLAS

.
SET UP A CAMP IN KARAMEH
IN THE JORDAN RIVER VALLEY

FROM THE BANK OF THE JORDAN,
THEY COULD SEE

THE ISRAELI SOLDIERS
PATROLLING THE WEST BANK.

Translator:
WE WAITED UNTIL THE ISRAEL
I PATROL VEHICLE HAD PASSED BY
.

THEN WE STARTED
TO CROSS THE RIVER.

THE FIRST TO CROSS
WAS ABU AMMAR.

Narrator:
ABU AMMAR, OR YASSER ARAFAT,
WAS AN ENGINEER WHO BECAME

ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF
A RESISTANCE GROUP CALLED FATAH.

THIS WAS THEIR FIRST CROSSIN
G OF THE RIVER JORDAN

LAUNCHING THEIR CAMPAIGN T
O ESTABLISH A PALESTINIAN STATE.

WE KNOW THAT IS NOT EASY..
.

BUT... WE ARE READY
TO PAY THE PRICE.

Shaheen (translated):
ON ME, THE WATER OF
THE RIVER JORDAN

CAME UP TO HERE.

ON TALLER PEOPLE, OF COURSE,
IT WOULDN'T COME SO FAR UP.

NOW, ARAFAT IS SHORT, AND THE
WATER CAME UP TO HIS SHOULDER.

HE HAD HIS CLOTHES
ON TOP OF HIS HEAD

AND HE WADED SLOWLY, SLOWLY.

IF HE SLIPPED, HE WOULD FALL

AND EVERYTHING WOULD GET WET
, ESPECIALLY HIS GUN.

Narrator:
BEYOND THE RIVER,
IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK

G
THE FATAH GUERRILLAS SET
ABOUT RECRUITING AND TRAININ

SMALL RESISTANCE GROUPS
TO STRIKE AT ISRAEL.

-
Shaheen (translated):
THE BEST TARGETS WERE THE ONES
WE COULD TAKE BY SURPRISE-

.
FOR EXAMPLE, MOVING VEHICLES

YOU OPEN FIRE-- A GROUP
OF THREE OR FOUR OF YOU.

THEN IF YOU THROW ONE OR
TWO GRENADES, THAT SETTLES IT.

.
YOU'RE SAFE AND THEY'RE DEAD

Narrator:
THE GUERRILLAS HAD THE SUPPORT
OF JORDAN'S REGULAR ARMY.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
AT FIRST I ENCOURAGED THEM
WHEN THEY WENT ON OPERATIONS
.

WE WOULD PROVIDE COVERING FIRE
THEY CROSSED THE RIVER.

Narrator:
IF THE ISRAELIS HIT BACK

THE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
WOULD TAKE THE BLOW.

Translator:
SO I ASKED HIS MAJESTY
TO MEET THEM.

I HAD NEVER SEEN A PHOTOGRAP
OF... OF ARAFAT UP TO THAT POINT

OR A DESCRIPTION OF HIM,
SO I WAS LOOKING AT

T
A SORT OF A BIG BURLY FIGURE
THAT I THOUGHT MUST BE ARAFA

AND WHEN HE FINALLY
CAME TO SAY GOOD-BYE

IT WASN'T THE IMAGE
I HAD FORMED OF ARAFAT

G
Narrator:
THE ACTIONS LAUNCHED
FROM KARAMEH WORRIED THE KIN

BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THEM.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
KARAMEH HAD BECOME
A HUGE MILITARY BASE IN JORDAN.

THE TERRORISTS THERE WERE
SENDING UNITS INTO ISRAEL.
A HUGE MILITARY BASE IN JORDAN.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE
THE CAMEL'S BACK

WAS AN ATTACK ON AN ISRAELI BUS

TAKING PUPILS ON A SCHOOF THE
DEAD SEA.

IT HIT A PALESTINIAN MINE.

CHILDREN WERE KILLED
AND INJURED.

Narrator:
IN RESPONSE, THE ISRAELI ARM
Y WAS ORDERED TO DESTROY

THE PALESTINIAN BASES IN KARAMEH
AND SOUTH OF THE DEAD SEA.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE WERE NOT VERY CAREFUL.

AFTER THE 1967 WAR, WE DIDN'
T TAKE THE ENEMY SERIOUSLY.

.
WE DIDN'T BOTHER TO HIDE
ANY OF OUR TROOP MOVEMENTS

.THEY CAME BLATANTLY
WE DIDN'T BOTHER TO HIDE
ANY OF OUR TROOP MOVEMENTS

WITH THEIR TANKS AND ARTILLERY
AND TROOPS MASSED UP.

SO WE REALIZED THAT
SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

I THINK THEY WERE OVERCONFIDENT.

D
EARLY IN THE MORNING,
AT ABOUT 5:00, WE WERE TOL

THAT THE FIRST ISRAELI ELEMENTS
HAD CROSSED ONE OF THE BRIDGES.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS ATTACKED.

(artillery fire)

FACING THEM WERE
300 PALESTINIAN FIGHTERS

WITH ORDERS FROM ARAFAT
TO HOLD THEIR GROUND.

BY MIDDAY

HALF OF THEM WERE DEAD AND MOST
OF THE REST WERE ROUNDED UP.

)

Translator:
ARAFAT HAD SLIPPED OUT OF THERE
AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING.

Narrator:
BUT THE BATTLE WASN'T OVER YET.

JORDANIAN ARMY TANKS
ARRIVED IN FORCE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I JUMPED WHEN I WAS TOLD
THE ISRAELI TANKS WERE COMING.

I JUMPED OUT OF BED.

"SHOOT!" I SAID.

I WAS JUMPING WITH EXCITEMENT.

I WANTED TO FACE THE JEWS.

YES, BY GOD, I DID!

Translator:
THE JORDANIAN INVOLVEMENT
IN THE BATTLE WAS VERY MASSIVE.

WE DTROYED
MANY OF THEIR TANKS.

Narrator:
29 ISRAELIS DIED IN THE BATTLE.

THE PALESTINIANS
DECLARED VICTORY.

Arafat:
WE FACED THESE HUGE UP-TO-DATE
MILITARY ISRAELI FORCES.

IN THE BEGINNING WE WERE ALONE.

AFTER FIVE HOURS

SOME SMALL BATTALIONS FROM THE
JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT ATTENDED US

AND FOUGHT WITH US

WITHOUT ANY CENTRAL INSTRUCTIONS
FROM THEIR HEADQUARTERS.

N
BUT AT THE END, IT WAS THE FIRST
VICTORY FOR THE ARAB NATIO

AFTER THIS BIG DEFEAT OF 1967.

THEY CLAIMED IT TO BE
A VICTORY FOR THEM.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE DISPUTED THAT

EXCEPT FOR THE FACT
THAT IT WASN'T TRUE.

Narrator:
BUT IT WAS A PUBLIC-RELATION
S TRIUMPH.

S
ARAFAT WAS CHOSEN
TO COMMAND ALL THE FACTION

IN THE PALESTINE
LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.

gunfire)
IN THE PALESTINE
LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.pid

(soldiers yelling)

INSPIRED BY THE STORIES OF
A GREAT VICTORY AT KARAMEH

VOLUNTEERS FROM MANY COUNTRIES
CAME TO SWELL THE RANKS.

(call-and-response in Arabic)

Translator:
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE MAJORITY
WERE THE WORST TYPE OF PEOPLE.

THEY WERE UNTRAINED
AND UNDISCIPLINED.

THE P.L.O. GREW LARGER,
AND OUR PROBLEMS GREW WITH IT.

(crowd chanting)

Rifa'i:
IT WAS TOTAL ANARCHY.

WE HAD 52 VARIOUS
GUERRILLA ORGANIZATIONS

OF ALL VARIOUS TYPES

AND THEY WEREN'T JUST

PALESTINIAN GUERRILLA
ORGANIZATIONS.

E
EVERY INTERNATIONAL GUERRILL
A ORGANIZATION HAD A PRESENC

IN THE COUNTRY.

(man singing over loudspeaker)

WE WERE NAIVE PEOPLE.

WE WERE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC,
VERY REVOLUTIONARY

AND AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE--
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU--

WE WERE VERY INNOCENT.

WE FELT THAT KING HUSSEIN

AS A REACTIONARY LEADER,
LEADING A REACTIONARY REGIME

IS AN OBSTACLE

AND THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE
OUR REVOLUTION SUCCEED

WE NEED TO REMOVE THIS OBSTACLE.

(sirens blaring)

Narrator:
ONE DAY, SHOOTING BROKE OU
T IN THE CAPITAL, AMMAN

AND THE KING DROVE OFF
TO INVESTIGATE.

Hussein:
AND ON A CROSSROAD...

WHERE THERE WAS
A MILITARY POLICE CHECKPOS
T

WE FOUND THAT ONE SIDE
OF THE ROAD WAS CLOSED

.
AND THE OTHER SIDE ALSO
WAS BLOCKED BY AN ARMY LORRY

Hussein (on tape):
We stopped.

AS WE CAME TO A STOP,
SUDDENLY WE WERE UNDER

VERY, VERY INTENSE
HEAVY MACHINE-GUN FIRE.

THE GUARD CAR
IN FRONT OF ME WAS HIT.

WE LOST A SERGEANT OF MY GUARD
AND ABOUT FOUR WOUNDED.

EVERYONE JUMPED OUT OF MY CA
AND YELLED AT ME TO DO THE SAME.

(rapid gunfire)

S
AND WE COULD SEE THE BULLETS
FROM THOSE HEAVY MACHINE GUN

COMING DOWN AT US,
HITTING THE ASPHALT

THE TARMAC AROUND US.

IT WAS LIKE RAINDROPS ON
A PARCHED LAND JUST MAKING HOLES

AND THOSE ROWS OF HOLES
WERE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER

TO WHERE WE WERE STANDING.

I FELT VERY ANGRY

AND I BELIEVE MY REACTION
WAS TO SAY A BAD WORD

BUT ESSENTIALLY TO THE EFFEC
T OF "HOW DARE THEY?"

(explosions and gunfire)

Narrator:
THE KING D INTO A DITCH.

SPONTANEOUSLY AND ON
THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT

I HAD AN IDEA TO PROTECT
HIS MAJESTY PHYSICALLY

AND THE COMMANDER OF
THE GUARDS HAD THE SAME IDEA

AT THE SAME TIME.

THEY CONVERGED FROM BOTH SIDES
TO TRY TO GIVE ME BODY COVER

AND THEY NEARLY BROKE
MY BACK IN THE PROCESS.

(man yelling and gunfire)

Narrator:
THEIR DRIVER TURNED
THE CAR AROUND.

Hussein:
WE GOT INTO THE CAR,
SHOOTING GOING ON.

ENGINE WAS REVVING LIKE MAD,
BUT WE WERE STILL STATIONARY

AND ENGAGED THE GEAR,
WHICH IN HIS ANXIETY

HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO DO,
AND WE SHOT OFF.

(cheering)

D
Narrator:
THE FACTION MOST DETERMINE

TO OVERTHROW
THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN

WAS LED BY GEORGE HABASH.

Translator:
ALL WE WANTED TO DO WAS
TO FIGHT AGAINST ISRAEL

BUT THE JORDANIAN REGIME SAW US
AS A DANGER OR A THREAT.

THIS WAS THEIR PROBLEM,
NOT OURS.

Arafat:
DR. HABASH WAS THE LEADER
OF A POLITICAL PARTY

AND THEY DECIDED
TO REMOVE KING HUSSEIN.

BUT FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW

WE DON'T LIKE TO FIGHT AGAINST
THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE...

BUT IF THEY ARE INSISTING
TO CLASH, WE'LL FIGHT.

Narrator:
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1970,
THIS BRITISH AIRLINER

WITH 115 PASSENGERS AND SOME
OF DR. HABASH'S ARMED MEN ABOARD

APPEARED OVER AMMAN.

I HEARD ABOUT IT.

WHEN AN AIRCRAFT PASSED OVERHEAD

MY HOUSE-- WEST OF
THE CITY IN THE SUBURBS

PRACTICALLY KNOCKING
THE ROOF OFF.

Narrator:
IN A SINGLE
SPECTACULAR OPERATION

HABASH'S MEN HIJACKED
FOUR WESTERN AIRLINERS

AND FORCED THREE OF THEM
TO FLY TO JORDAN

WITH THEIR HUNDREDS
OF PASSENGERS.

THE PLANES LANDED

ON AN OLD WORLD WAR II AIRSTRIP
IN THE DESERT.

Habash:
WE WAITED FOR 20 FULL YEARS.

NOTHING HAPPENED.

OUR PEOPLE REMAINED
IN THEIR CAMPS, IN THEIR TENTS.

THEY ARE FED UP
WITH THIS CONDITION.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE THOUGHT THAT THE WAY
TO ATTRACT THE WORLD'S ATTENTION

TO OUR CAUSE WAS
TO HIJACK PLANES.

Narrator:
THE JORDANIAN ARMY
SURROUNDED THE AIRSTRIP

AND THE GENERAL IN CHARGE
WENT IN TO NEGOTIATE

WITH THE HIJACKERS.

Translator:
WE SPOKE FOR HOURS.

IT WAS TERRIBLY HOT.

I STAYED IN THE SHADE
OF THE AIRCRAFT.

I MADE A DEAL WITH THEM--

WE TAKE THE PASSENGERS,
THEY KEEP THE PLANES.

T
Narrator:
435 PASSENGERS AND CREW
WERE TAKEN OFF THE AIRCRAF

BUT SOME WERE KEPT AS HOSTAGES.

THE HUMILIATION OF HAVING
AIRCRAFT FLOWN INTO THE COUNTRY

AND INNOCENT PASSENGERS
BEING WHISKED AWAY

AND BEING UNABLE TONG ABOU
T IT

D
WAS SOMETHING THAT QUESTIONE

.
Narrator:
THE HIJACKERS THEN DROVE HOM
E THEIR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD

WELL, THAT WAS THE LIMIT,
AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED.

SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE,
AND DONE SOON.

Narrator:
FOUR DAYS LATER, WITH CONTRO
L OF THE KINGDOM SLIPPING AWAY

KING HUSSEIN DECLARED WAR
ON THE P.L.O.

THAT DAY, JORDANIAN TANKS
AND SOLDIERS

MOVED INTO POSITION
AROUND THE CAPITAL.

ARAB WAS POISED TO FIGHT ARAB.

Hussein:
I THINK I TRIED TO GET A LITTLE
BIT OF SLEEP THAT NIGHT.

I PRAYED A LOT.

AND IN THE MORNING, FIRST LIGHT

THERE WAS MOVEMENT
INTO THE CITY.

(bombing in distance)

Rabbo:
ON THE EARLY HOURS
OF SEPTEMBER 17

I WOKE UP AND WE HEARD THE
ARTILLERY BOMBING OUR BASES.

SO WHAT WE DID IMMEDIATELY

IS THAT WE WENT TO ARAFAT
OFFICE, THE JOINT COMMAND.

ARAFAT WAS THERE, MOST OF
THE LEADERS OF FATAH WERE THERE

EVEN HABASH WAS THERE,
AND THEY WERE CALLING

THROUGH TELEPHONE
AND THROUGH WIRELESS

DAMASCUS, TELLING THEM
ABOUT THE NEWS

AND ASKING IN AN OPEN WAY
FOR A SYRIAN INTERVENTION.

(artillery fire continues)

Narrator:
ON THE THIRD DAY OF FIERCE
FIGHTING, THE SYRIANS RESPONDED.

Man:
OUR INTELLIGENCE AND OUR RADAR

INFORMED US THAT THE SYRIANS
WERE MASSING TANK FORMATIONS

ON THE JORDANIAN-SYRIAN BORDER.

WE HAD BEEN ARGUING
OVER THIS SYRIAN INVASION

PARTICULARLY WITH OUR SOVIET
FRIENDS AT THE TIME

AND WHENEVER RAISED
THE PROBLEM

WITH THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR

HE WOULD RESPOND, "BUT THESE
ARE PALESTINIAN ARMY UNITS

AND PALESTINIAN ARMY TANKS--
THEY ARE NOT SYRIAN."

AND WE ALL KNEW THAT THE P.L.O.
DOES NOT HAVE TANKS.

Narrator:
BUT THERE WERE TANKS,
SOVIET-BUILT ONES

STREAMING IN FROM SYRIA.

Translator:
WE WERE JUST PROTECTING
THE PALESTINIANS

FROM THE ARMY OF JORDAN.

OUR PURPOSE WASN'T REALLY
TO ATTACK THE JORDANIANS.

IT WAS A LIMITED INTERVENTION
ON THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE SCALE.

WAS SUT AND PROTECT
THE PALESTINIAN FIGHTERS

Narrator:
IN WASHINGTON,
PRESIDENT NIXON CALLED IN

HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS

TO ASSESS THE REPORTS
FROM JORDAN.

THE SOVIETS WERE ON EVERY
PLATOON LEADER'S TANK

RIGHT UP TO THE BORDER

AND THEN JUMPED OFF
AS THEY CROSSED THE BORDER

AND SYRIAN OFFICERS
WERE IN COMMAND

OF WHAT WERE ALLEGEDLY
P.L.O. VOLUNTEER FORCES.

SO WE KNEW IT WAS PERPOW
ER CRISIS.

Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT SUMMONED
THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR.

Nixon:
WE WARNED THE RUSSIANS

AND SAID, "STAY OUT OF THERE."

THEY, OF COURSE,
IN TURN WARNED US

AND SAID, "YOU STAY OUT
AND KEEP ISRAEL OUT."

Narrator:
IN THE MEANTIME, KING HUSSEIN'S
FORCES HAD DESTROYED

MANY OF THE SYRIAN TANKS, BU
THEY COULD NOT STOP THE ADVANCE.

.
THE PRESSURE ON THE KING
WAS INCREASING BY THE HOUR

WHEN THE SYRIAN TANKS
HAD REACHED IRBID

WHICH IS ABOUT
TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY

FROM THE SYRIAN BORDER
DOWN TO AMMAN--

THEY'RE ABOUT AT THAT TOWN
, ON THE EDGE OF IT--

THAT'S WHEN HE WAS REALLY
STARTING TO PANIC.

N
WITH ALL THE THREATS
FROM ALMOST EVERY DIRECTIO

S
AND THE SITUATION,
TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSE

LOOKING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO COPE WITH

ARMY HEADQUARTERS
BEGAN TO TELL ME

THAT WE NEEDED HELP FROM OUTSIDE

AND WE SHOULD ASK FOR IT
FROM THE AMERICANS

AND ANY QUARTER THAT WOULD
BE WILLING TO... TO HELP.

Narrator:
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES

"ANY QUARTER" COULD MEAN
ONLY ONE THING: ISRAEL.

WE KNEW THAT HE HAD SAID

HE WOULD ACCEPT HELP FROM
ANY QUARTER, AND WE THOUGH
T

HE'D PROBABLY PREFER DIREC
T AMERICAN INTERVENTION.

HE WAS KEENLY AWARE THAT I
HE WAS RESURRECTED AND PROTECTED

AS A RESULT OF ISRAELI
MILITARY INTERVENTION

THAT THIS WOULD HAVE
A STRONGLY NEGATIVE IMPACT

F
NOT ONLY WITHIN JORDAN ITSEL

.
BUT OBVIOUSLY,
WITHIN THE ENTIRE ARAB WORLD

THIS WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS DISCUSSED

BETWEEN SISCO,
MYSELF, UH... HAIG

AND ONE OR TWO
OF MY STAFF PEOPLE.

D
Narrator:
THE ADVISERS KNEW THAT PRESIDENT
NIXON WOULD HAVE TO BE INFORME

ABOUT THE SITUATION RIGHT AWAY.

Kissinger:
BUT FIRST I HAD TO FIND HIM,
AND THE SECRET SERVICE TOLD ME

HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE
BUILDING

ACROSS THE STREET
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

BOWLING, AND THAT'S
WHERE I FOUND HIM.

I REMEMBER HENRY COMING
BACK INTO THE OFFICE.

HE SAID, "HOLY MACKEREL,
THE GUY'S BOWLING

WITH HIS BLACK DRESS SHOES ON!"

HE WAS THERE BOWLING ALONE
AND WE JUST STARTED TALKING.

HE WANTED TO HAVE
AN AMERICAN INTERVENTION.

.F COURSE, WE DIDN'T JUST
HE WANTED TO HAVE
ANHAVE AN EMPTY CANNON THERE

THAT'S WHY WE MOVED
SOME FLEET UNITS

OVER INTO THAT PART
OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

AND THAT IS WHY WE ALERTED

BATTALIONS AS WELL.

I IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.

.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A COMMANDER

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT
COMBINATION OF FORCES.

.
WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO END IT

Sisco:
"MR. PRESIDENT," WE SAID

.
"WE THINK THE ISRAELIS ARE I
N THE BEST POSITION TO DO THIS

"THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE SCENE.

THE RESOURCES CAN
BE EMPLOYED RAPIDLY."

ONCE HE UNDERSTOOD THAT,
HE AGREED TO BACK THE ISRAELIS.

HUSSEIN WAS QUITE AWARE OF

G
AND APPROVED OF WHAT
WE WERE DOING IN THIS THIN

AND IF HE DIDN'T APPROVE,
HE DIDN'T LET US KNOW.

Narrator:
IT WAS AMERICA'S AMBASSADO
R IN JORDAN

WHO BROKE THE NEWS
TO KING HUSSEIN.

AND WHAT I WAS TOLD
TO SAY TO HIM IS

"WE'LL GET THE ISRAELIS
TO COME IN AND HELP YOU."

AND I THINK THIS IS A VERY
SERIOUS MOMENT FOR THE KING.

WE ASKED RABIN WHAT THE VIEWS OF
THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WOULD BE

IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES

AND RABIN SAID HE WOULD
REPORT HOME AND ASK.

Hotranslated):
I GOT THE AUTHORIZATION

TO SEND PHANTOMS
T OVER THESE TANKS.

I BRIEFED THE LEADER
OF THE FORMATION MYSELF.

I TOLD HIM, "FLY OVER THEM
.

"LEAVE NO DOUBT THAT
THEY SEE YOU AND HEAR YOU.

"MAKE MOCK ATTACKS,
SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND

WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO, WHICH
IS TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK."

.
SO OUR FOUR AIRCRAFT PERFORMED
MANEUVERS OVER THESE TANKS

ON THE SIDE I HAD ANOTHER TWO
QUARTETS WAITING, JUST IN CASE.

BUT NO ONE BOTHERED THEM.

THE TANKS TURNED AROUND
AND WENT BACK.

A QUARTET
OF PHANTOMS WAS ENOUGH.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
DEFENSE MINISTER ASSAD DID NOT
WANT TO COMMIT OUR AIR FORCE
.

WE WERE FIGHTING AN ALLY.

THE JORDANIAN ARMY
IS OUR FRIEND.

WE CAN'T ATTACK THEM
USING PLANES.

Narrator:
WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE
OF ARAB SOLIDARITY

OR THE THREAT OF NIXON'S SIXTH
FLEET AND ISRAEL'S WAR PLANES

SYRIA FINALLY
WITHDREW ITS TANKS.

THE JORDANIAN ARMY COULD NOW
GIVE ALL ITS ATTENTION

TO KICKING OUT THE PALESTINIANS.

YASSER ARAFAT, HIDING
SOMEWHERE IN THE CAPITAL

SENT OUT AN S.O.S.

I REMEMBER THAT HE MADE
BROADCASTING

THROUGH THE STATION WE HAD

ASKING THE ARAB WORLD AND
THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO INTERVENE.

Narrator:
THE ARAB WORLD HEARD HIM.

ITS LEADERS GATHERED IN CAIR
O FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING

CHAIRED BY PRESIDENT NASSER.

NASSER DECIDED THAT THE LEADERS

SHOULD SEND A DELEGATION
TO JORDAN

TO ASK KING HUSSEIN TO STO
P KILLING PALESTINIANS.

.
AT THE HEAD OF THIS DELEGATION
WAS THE PRESIDENT OF SUDAN

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE WENT TO KING HUSSEIN.

OFS
EVERY KIND OF DELICIOUS DISH
.

(gunfire)

Hussein:
THEY KEPT TELLING US THAT

"YOU HAVE TO STOP THINGS
IMMEDIATELY."

WELL, WE CAN'T STOP.

.
I MEAN, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE
OF A LIFE-AND-DEATH STRUGGLE

Translator:
THEN WE STAYED FOR DINNER

GOING THROUGH ALL THE ARGUMENTS.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT EXPERIENCE
WAS ONE OF MY WORST

DURING THAT PARTICULAR
PERIOD OF TIME

BECAUSE ONE IS CONCERNED,
ONE IS WORRIED.

ONE IS TRYING TO DEAL WITH
PROBLEMS CHANGING EVERY MINUTE

AND SUDDENLY TO HAVE
TO ENTERTAIN A GROUP

THAT IS TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH
WITH... WITH REALITY

OR WITH THE NEEDS OF THE MOMENT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
AND WE KEPT ON TALKING

AND GOING THROUGH
ALL THE REASONS

UNTIL DAYBREAK.

Narrator:
THE ARAB LEADERS, HAVING FAILED
TO CONVINCE THE KING

GOT INTO AN ARMO AND TUNED
IN THE RADIO.

abic)
GOT INTO AN ARMO AND TUNED
IN THE RADIO. (speaking Ar

Translator:
WE STARTED TO HEAR
ARAFAT TALKING

AND ARAFAT CALLING FOR HELP.

Narrator:
THE LEADERS WENT
TO ARAFAT'S HIDEOUT

AND PROVIDED HIM
WITH A NEW IDENTITY--

.
A FAMILY MAN,
COMPLETE WITH WIFE AND CHILD

Translator:
WE PASSED OFF THE CHILD
AS ARAFAT'S

AND WE MADE ARAFAT
CHANGE INTO ARABIAN DRES

Narrator:
THUS DISGUISED AMID THE
DELEGATION OF ARAB LEADERS

ARAFAT MADE IT PAST
KING HUSSEIN'S SOLDIERS

GUARDING THE AIRPORT.

AND THEN SUDDENLY I, UH...
HEARD WITH, UH...

UTTER SHOCK AND DISBELIEF
THAT THEY ARRIVED IN CAIRO

THEY HAD ARAFAT WITH THEM.

(murmuring and
click of camera shutters)

Narrator:
ARAFAT HAD HAD A CLOSE SHAVE
IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

BACK IN CAIRO, PRESIDENT NUMEIRY
REPORTED ON THE CONFLICT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
IT WAS UNFAIR TO JORDAN
AND TO KING HUSSEIN.

Narrator:
KING HUSSEIN DECIDED

THAT HE, TOO, HAD BETTER JOI
N THE MEETING IN CAIRO.

Hussein:
I OF COURSE CAME IN

STILL IN MY... MY FATIGUES

AND WITH... WITH MY GUN
IN POSITION.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
AND HE SPOKE IN THE CONFERENCE

AND RESPONDED
TO THE ALLEGATIONS.

HE SAID HE WAS NOT AGAINST
THE PALESTINIANS AT ALL.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT NASSER IMPOSED A DEAL

WHICH MET MOST
OF KING HUSSEIN'S DEMANDS.

ARAFAT GAVE IN.

HE AGREED ALL HIS FIGHTERS
WOULD LEAVE THE CAPITAL.

THE P.L.O. TRIED TO REGROU
P IN THE NORTH OF JORDAN

AND IT TOOK KING HUSSEIN
ANOTHER YEAR

TO DRIVE THEM OUT
OF THE COUNTRY ALTOGETHER.

THE P.L.O.'s ATTEMPT TO TAKE
OVER JORDAN HAD FAILED.

Arafat:
BUT WE DID A VERY
IMPORTANT THING:

WE CREATE A NEW PEOPLE

AND INSTEAD OF BEING REFUGEES,
TO BE... TO BE FIGHTERS.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

.
WE WERE REFUGEES, HOMELESS

WE BECAME NOW FIGHTERS,
FREEDOM FIGHTERS.

AND NEXT STAGE-- YOU WILL SEE!

Narrator:
ARAFAT AND HIS BATTERED FIGHTERS
MOVED TO LEBANON...

WHERE THEY REGROUPED.

(martial music playing)

SOON ARAFAT WOULD BE
STRONG ENOUGH

TO BECOME A POWER BROKER
IN LEBANON

AND CONTINUE HIS ATTACKS
ON ISRAELIS.

Commentator:
THE OLYMPIC GAMES
STAND STILL

THE FLAGS IN THE STADIUM
AT HALF MAST

THE CITIZENS OF MUNICH

THE THOUSANDS OF COMPETITORS
AND OFFICIALS...

S
Narrator:
PALESTINIAN GUERRILLAS CROWNED
A YEAR OF TERRORIST ATTACK

BY STORMING THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE.

Commentator:
THIS HASTILY CONCEIVED
MEMORIAL CEREMONY...

Narrator:
ELEVEN ISRAELI ATHLETES WERE
KILLED AS THE WORLD WATCHED.

ISRAEL RETALIATED WITH
A PINPOINT OPERATION.

AN ISRAELI COMMANDO FORCE
LANDED ON A BEACH NEAR BEIRUT.

THEIR TARGETS
WERE P.L.O. LEADERS

PARTICULARLY THOSE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MUNICH.

(gunfire)

ARAFAT, WHO WAS WORKING LATE

AT THE P.L.O.'s BUSY
HEADQUARTERS, ESCAPED.

BUT THE GUERRILLAS WHO
PLANNED AND CARRIED OUT

THE MUNICH OPERATION,
WERE KILLED.

(sirens blaring)

AT THE FUNERALS

THE PALESTINIANS AND THEIR
MUSLIM ALLIES ERUPTED IN FURY.

TO EVERYONE'S ASTONISHMENT

THIS MAN TURNED UP
AT THE FUNERAL--

PIERRE GEMAYEL,
CHRISTIAN MARONITE LEADER

SUSPECTED BY SOME PALESTINIANS
OF COLLABORATING WITH ISRAEL.

GEMAYEL LED A CHRISTIAN MILITIA,
THE PHALANGE.

T
HE WARNED ARAFAT
TO STAY OUT OF HIS CONFLIC

LEBANESE MUSLIMS.

Translator:
PIERRE GEMAYEL THOUGHT HAR
D BEFORE ATTENDING THE FUNERAL
.

THE SECURITY PEOPLE OF THE
PHALANGE WARNED HIM NOT TO GO.

THEY SAID PIERRE GEMAYEL
WOULD BE IN DANGER.

Narrator:
IN APRIL 1975, CIVIL WAR
BROKE OUT IN LEBANON

AND ARAFAT BECAME A FORCE
TO BE RECKONED WITH.

HE ASKED FOR A MEETING
WITH GEMAYEL

.
AT THE CHRISTIAN
CLAN LEADER'S HEADQUARTERS

AS ARAFAT DROVE THROUGH BEIRUT

IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE CHRISTIANS
CONSIDERED HIM AN ENEMY.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE DROVE PAST SLOGANS
ON THE WALLS SAYING

"NO TO THE P.L.O."

HE LAUGHED AND SAID TO ME,
"WE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS

OR LEBANON WILL EXPLODE."

Narrator:
THE CIVIL WAR ESCALATED.

ARAFAT ALIGNED HIMSELF
WITH THE MUSLIMS

WHILE CHRISTIANS
SOUGHT THE HELP OF ISRAEL.

THE CHRISTIAN LEADER THEN GAVE
THE P.L.O. AN ULTIMATUM.

WE ARE ASKING THE PALESTINIANS
TO STAY QUIET--

IF THEY WANT TO REMAIN
IN LEBANON

TO STAY QUIET IN LEBANON.

E
I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE
GOING TO ACCEPT IN THE FUTUR

THAT ANY WAR CAN BE WAGED
FROM LEBANON

UH... FROM THE LEBANON BORDERS

T
BECAUSE THIS, UH... AND TH
E PAST EXPERIENCE HAS PROVED I

THIS WILL PROVE DISASTROUS
FOR LEBANON.

(gunfire)

.
Narrator:
ARAFAT IGNORED THE WARNING

1974 HAD SEEN A SUCCESSION
OF PALESTINIAN RAIDS

ACROSS THE BORDER INTO ISRAEL.

IN ONE ATTACK, 18 ISRAELIS,
INCLUDING EIGHT CHILDREN, DIED.

A MONTH LATER, PALESTINIAN
RAIDERS TOOK OVER A SCHOOL

AND KILLED 22 CHILDREN.

ISRAEL'S MAIN ANTI-TERRORIST
EFFORTS SHIFTED

ALONG WITH THE P.L.O. ATTACKS.

NOW THE JORDANIAN BORDER
WAS QUIET

AND THERE WAS FIGHTING
ON THE LEBANESE BORDER.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I WAS APPOINTED COMMANDER OF A
BRIGADE ON THE LEBANESE BORDER.

ALL OUR EFFORTS WERE AIMED

AT PREVENTING
TERRORIST INFILTRATION.

HARDLY A WEEK PASSED

.
WITHOUT TWO OR THREE
ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE BORDER

Narrator:
ISRAEL, SURROUNDED
BY HOSTILE MUSLIM STATES

BADLY NEEDED ALLIES.

WHEN LEBANON'S CHRISTIANS
WERE CHALLENGED

BY THE PALESTINIANS
AND LEBANESE MUSLIMS

.
THEY ASKED FOR ISRAEL'S HELP

DEFENSE MINISTER SHIMON PERES
SENT AN ARABIC-SPEAKING OFFICER

ON A SECRET MISSION TO BEIRUT.

Translator:
IN MY HEART, I DECIDED THA
T SUCH A MAN MUST VOLUNTEER.

HIS LIFE WOULD
CERTAINLY BE AT RISK.

Translator:
AND WHEN I TOLD HIM
I WAS WILLING, HE SMILED.

HE SAID, "IT'S VERY DANGEROUS."

I SAID, "I KNOW."

I SAW FUAD'S MISSION
AS A TRIP TO A MINEFIELD--

A PLACE WHERE
THERE ARE MANY TRAITORS.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI OFFICER SET OF
F ABOARD A MISSILE BOAT

SAILING IN DARKNESS
TOWARDS CIVIL-WAR-TORN BEIRUT.

ALL BEIRUT WAS LIT
BY CANNON FIRE.

A CITY LIKE HELL--

UNBELIEVABLE,
ONE BIG CONFLAGRATION.

W
Narrator:
THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER KNE

THAT THE CHRISTIANS WERE FARING
BADLY AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS.

HIS CHRISTIAN HOSTS SPED
HIM TOWARDS THE BATTLEFRONT.

Translator:
SUDDENLY I SAW

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
LINING THE ROAD AND CLAPPING
.

I SAID TO MY HOST,
"WHAT'S THIS?"

"
HE SAID, "LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

THEN I SEE TWO TRUCKS COMING UP.

ONE TRUCK HAS MEN
SHOOTING IN THE AIR.

THE OTHER HAS ROPES TIED TO IT.

AT THE END OF EACH
OF THESE ROPES

IS THE BODY
OF A P.L.O. TERRORIST

AND THIS TRUCK IS
DRAGGING THEM ALONG THE GROUND

AND THE MEN ON THE
BACK OF THE TRUCK

ARE JUST SHOOTING
AND SHOOTING AT THEM

ALTHOUGH THEY HAD
LONG BEEN DEAD.

I WAS SIMPLY SHOCKED.

Narrator:
LEBANESE MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS
AND PALESTINIANS

FOUGHT AND MURDERED
EACH OTHER WITH FEROCITY.

SOME 40,000 WOULD DIE
ON BOTH SIDES.

A BRITISH JOURNALIST REPORTED:

"AT ITS MOST HIDEOUS,
THIS CIVIL WAR HAS BEEN SIMPLE--

"MUSLIMS HAVE
MURDERED CHRISTIANS

"CHRISTIANS HAVE
MURDERED MUSLIMS

"NOT IN BATTLE,
BUT IN COLD BLOOD.

"THESE MEN WERE INNOCENTS,
KIDNAPPED IN THE STREET

"TAKEN TO A SECRET PLACE,
TORTURED, SHOT

"AND THEN DUMPED
IN THE STREET AGAIN

FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO FIND."

(tires squealing)

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE
OFFICER CONFIRMED

DEEP ANTI-P.L.O. FEELING
AMONG THE CHRISTIANS.

.
THEY DESPERATELY NEEDED HELP

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THEY ASKED US FOR WEAPONS-
- EVERYTHING.

.
RIFLES, KALACHNIKOVS, UZIS

THEY ASKED FOR CANNONS,
WE GAVE THEM.

MORTARS AND TANKS,
WE GAVE THEM.

Narrator:
IN 1981, ARIEL SHARON BECAME
ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER.

SOON AFTER, THE CHRISTIAN
LEADERS CAME TO A BEIRUT BEACH

TO AWAIT "A VISITOR."

Translator:
AS I LANDED, BASHIR GEMAYE
L CAME TOWARDS ME.

HE HUGGED ME, SHOOK MY HAND.

.
HE HAD HIS OFFICERS WITH HIM

Narrator:
BASHIR, THE SON OF CHRISTIAN
LEADER PIERRE GEMAYEL

NOW CONTROLLED THE WEAPONS
SUPPLIED BY ISRAEL.

HE HAD RUTHLESSLY
ELIMINATED HIS RIVALS

AND UNITED ALL THE CHRISTIAN
FORCES UNDER HIS COMMAND.

, AT A MEETING
WITH THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS

REVEALED A PLAN TO
ROOT OUT THE PALESTINIANS.

(Pakradouni speaking Arabic)

Translator:
HE TOLD THE CHRISTIAN LEADERS:

"WE HAVE TAKEN A DECISION
IN ISRAEL TO INVADE LEBANON.
"

Narrator:
SHARON TOLD THE CHRISTIANS
THEY WOULD HAVE TO HELP.

.
ISRAEL'S TROOPS COULD NOT
MARCH INTO AN ARAB CAPITAL

EXPELLING TH
FROM THE CITY

WOULD BE THE TASK
OF THE CHRISTIANS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "REMEMBER,
IF AN INVASION HAPPENS

"IT'S A MISSION YOU
WILL HAVE TO CARRY OUT.

YOU, AND ONLY YOU, CAN DO THIS."

Narrator:
BUT THE ISRAELIS COULD ADVANCE
TO THE OUTSKIRTSF BEIRUT

AND ENCIRCLE THE CITY.

SIX MONTHS LATER,
THE PALESTINIANS PROVIDED ISRAEL

WITH A PRETEXT FOR INVASION.

IN LONDON, THE ISRAELI
AMBASSADOR WAS SHOT

BY A PALESTINIAN.

E
AS POLICE GATHERED EVIDENC

PRIME MINISTER BEGIN
SUMMONED HIS CABINET.

Translator:
HE TURNED TO ME AND ASKED
ME TO BRIEF MY COLLEAGUES.

Narrator:
ARIEL SHARON SAID NOTHING

ABOUAN
TO ENCIRCLE BEIRUT.

HE SPOKE ONLY OF PUSHING
THE PALESTINIANS BACK

FROM ISRAEL'S NORTHERN BORDER.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THEN, MR. ERLICH,
GOD REST HIS SOUL, ASKED:

"WHAT ABOUT BEIRUT?"

"BEIRUT
ISN'T IN THE PICTURE.

"THE PLAN IS TO CREATE
A 40- TO 45-KILOMETER AREA

IN WHICH THERE WILL BE
NO TERRORISTS."

(artillery fire)

Narrator:
ISRAELI FORCES
CROSSED THE BORDER

AND MOVED RAPIDLY INTO LEBANON.

BUT PRIME MINISTER BEGIN
REASSURED

THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT.

ABOVE

THE JOB IS DONE.

ALL FIGHTING WILL STOP.

Sharon (translated):
WE GOT INFORMATION THAT UNIT
S OF THE FIRST SYRIAN DIVISION

WERE MOVING SOUTH...

TOWARDS THE BAKAA VALLEY
IN LEBANON.

Narrator:
SHARON PERSUADED BEGIN

THAT ISRAEL'S TROOPS SHOULD NOW
ADVANCE DEEPER INTO LEBANON

TO OUTFLANK THIS SYRIAN FORCE.

IT WOULD MEAN GOING
BEYOND 45 KILOMETERS.

Translator:
WHO EVER SAID WE WOULD GIV
E TERRORISTS IMMUNITY

BENE?

THE GOVERNMENT
NEVER GAVE IMMUNITY

TO ANY TERRORIST ANYWHERE.

WE WILL NOT GIVE IMMUNITY
TO ANY TERRORIST ANYWHERE.

Narrator:
WITHIN THREE DAYS
OF TELLING THE

THAT BEIRUT WAS
"NOT IN THE PICTURE"

ARIEL SHARON HAD
MOVED ISRAEL'S TROOPS

TO THE OUTSKIRTS
OF THE LEBANESE CAPITAL.

FOR NINE WEEKS,
THEY LAID SIEGE TO BEIRUT

EXCHANGING FIRE
WITH THE PALESTINIANS.

WE ARE HERE, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO BE HERE

AND WE WILL DEFEND THIS CITY
.

THE FIRST...

THE FIRST--
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT--

IT IS THE FIRST ARAB CAPITAL

WHICH THE ISRAELI
ARE BLOCKADING.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

S
YOU HAVE TO PUT IN YOUR
CONSIDERATION WHAT THIS MEAN

FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

WHAT HAVE BEEN DONE,
YOU WILL PAY ITS PRICE.

K
Narrator:
THE HARDER ARAFAT FOUGHT BAC

THE MORE PEOPLE
IN LEBANON SUFFERED.

THEIR CAPITAL
WAS BEING DESTROYED.

g)

(rockets whooshing)

EVEN LEBANESE MUSLIMS DEMANDED

THAT ARAFAT AND HIS
FIRUT.

(man speaking Arabic)

I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD TO RAISE
THE QUESTION WITH ARAFAT.

HE WAS SHOCKED.

NO ONE HAD SPOKEN TO HIM
LIKE THAT BEFORE.

I SAID, "WELL, WE ARE
INFORMING YOU NOW."

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS DROVE
THE MESSAGE HOME

.
BY STAYING CLOSE ON THE HEEL
S OF THE PALESTINIAN LEADERS

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE ISRAELI ARMY SEEMED TO KNOW

WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO
BEFORE WE DID.

N
IF WE SPOKE ABOUT FIGHTING O

WE WERE ATTACKED
BY THE ISRAELIS ONE HOUR LATER.

.
THERE WAS A MEETING
IN ONE OF OUR HEADQUARTERS

AND I, UH...

I TELL THEM,
"PLEASE, GET OUT, GET OUT.

LEAVE IT."

"
JUST NOW, HE SAID, "YOU AR
E INVITING US FOR A MEETING.

"
SAID, "PLEASE,
LEAVE THIS PLACE DIRECTLY.

I DON'T KNOW W.

.
BELIEVE ME, I DON'T KNOW WHY

.
AFTER 15 MINUTES FROM
OUR DEPARTURE, THEY BOMBED

Narrator:
IN A CELLAR UDER THE RUBBLE

THE P.L.O. LEADERS
FACED A STARK CHOICE.

(Hout speaking Arabic)

Translator:
ARAFAT WAS CONVINCED THAT
WE HAD TO EVACUATE BEIRUT.

BUT HE WAS CAREFUL
TO AVOID BEING THE ONE

WHO ORDERED PALESTINIAN
FORCES TO LEAVE LEBANON.

HE WANTED A COLLECVE DECISION
BY ALL THE FACTION LEADERS.

Narrator:
THE PRICE OF FURTHER DEFIANC
E WAS CLEAR.

(Hout speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
SO WE TOOK A HARD DECISION

I CAN SAY TODAY THAT
EVERYBODY ACCEPTED IT.

ALL OF THE LEADERS OF THE
PALESTINIAN REVOLUTION SAID YES.

Narrator:
IN THE LAST DAYS OF AUGUST 1982

THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN
FIGHTERS WERE FORCED

TO EVACUATE BEIRUT.

(soldier shouting
triumphantly)

Translator:
NEARLY 15,000 MEN
EXPELLED FROM BEIRUT.

THIS WAS UNPRECEDENTED.

AN ENTIRE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
EXPELLED FROM A CAPITAL.

(sirens wailing)

Narrator:
THEN, IN A MASSIVE EXPLOSION
AT HIS PARTY HEADQUARTERS

BASHIR GEMAYEL

LEBANON'S PRESIDENT-ELECT
AND ISRAEL'S ALLY

WAS ASSASSINATED.

THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER
BECAME CONVINCED

THAT PALESTINIAN FIGHTERS
WERE STILL OPERATING IN BEIRUT.

Translator:
THEY LEFT BEHIND
AT LEAST 2,000 ARMED MEN.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT
ONCE THE CITY WAS UNITED

IT WOULD BE NECESSARY
TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THEM.

Narrator:
CHRISTIAN MILITIAMEN
SOUGHT VENGEANCE

FOR THE DEATH OF GEMAYEL.

S
WHILE ISRAELI TROOPS STOOD BY,
PROVIDING LIGHT FROM FLARE

THE PHALANGISTS ENTERED
THE PALESTINIAN CAMPS

OF SABRA AND SHATILA.

THERE WERE NO P.L.O.
FIGHTERS THERE.

THEY FOUND ONLY OLD MEN,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN

AND SLAUGHTERED THEM.

(shouting angrily)

Translator:
YOU SHOULD BE
ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!

Translator:
I AM NOT HERE TO EXPLAIN

RIBLE TRAGEDY.

IT BELONGS TO A WORLD

OF DARK MOTIVES--

NOT OUR WORLD.

ONLY THOSE WHO CARRIED IT OU
CAN BE BLAMED FOR THIS MASSACRE.

.
I HOPE THEY WILL BE PUNISHED

(shouting angrily)

Translator:
YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!

YOU ARE WORSE THAN EVIL.

Narrator:
IN THE LARGEST DEMONSTRATION
IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY

400,000 PEOPLE PROTESTED
ISRAEL'S ROLE IN THE MASSACRE.

IT IS TRUE THAT WE LOST
OUR BASE IN BEIRUT

BUT THEY LOST THE WAR.

(boat horn honks)

Narrator:
ONCE AGAIN, THROUGH A COMBINED
EFFORT OF ARABS AND ISRAELIS

THE P.L.O. HAD BEEN DRIVEN
OUT OF AN ARAB COUNTRY.

YASSER ARAFAT, THE GREAT ESCAPER

WAS ON HIS WAY
TO YET ANOTHER BASE--

THIS TIME IN TUNIS,
2,000 MILES AWAY.

FUNDING FORTHE FIFTY YEARS WAR:
ISRAEL AND THE ARABS

WAS PROVIDED BY:

AND PBS VIEWERS LIKE YOU.