Six days that shaped 50 years

International analysts will take the stage in London on tomorrow (Friday) at a special anniversary conference discussing Israel’s stunning victory in the Six-Day War and events during the 50 years that have followed.

The conference is being organised by London-based UK-Israel think tank BICOM and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). It will be held in Whitehall with the objective of examining the legacy of the conflict and the impact it had on Israel and the Middle East.

Speakers include Professor Asher Susser from Tel Aviv University and BICOM’s Professor Alan Johnson.

BICOM chief executive James Sorene said: “The Six-Day War was a turning point in Israel’s history. With their country threatened with destruction, Israelis engineered a victory that signalled the beginning of the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict.” However, he added that “with victory came a complex legacy – Israeli control of the West Bank and Gaza strip and a new intensified conflict with the Palestinians, the implications of which have still not been resolved”.

This week also saw the launch of BICOM’s further coverage, including the publication a briefing that examines the origins and consequences of the war and a special edition of research journal Fathom out this week, on the war and its aftermath. As part of the initiative an event was scheduled for JW3 on 16 March with BICOM’s James Sorene and scholar Professor Asher Susser, discussing how the war changed the geopolitical landscape.