The week of June 5 marks 46 years since the Six-Day War. Those were 46 difficult years, which had a profound impact on Israel’s status and stature, nationally and internationally, socially and economically. In effect, the consequences of that war affected just about every aspect of life and continue to affect them today. The war shook up the entire Middle East. Some claim that it was Israel’s greatest victory, and they are right. On the other hand, others make the equally justifiable claim that while the victory was tremendous, the actions of Israel’s successive governments obligate us to atone for our sins, particularly the sin of arrogance.

To mark the 46th anniversary of that war, I would like to quote a piece from the introduction to my book Gaza as Death, which was published by the Israeli publishing house Yedioth Ahronoth in September 2005, immediately after Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

From Gaza as Death, by Shlomi Eldar, to mark the 46th anniversary of the Six-Day War:

We drove to Gaza. My whole family squeezed into my Uncle Moshe’s blue Beetle. We all wanted to witness for ourselves the power of our strength. After all, we were heroes. We beat all the Arabs in just six days. And Gaza, O Gaza!