55 years ago/June 2, 1967

Israel informed the UN Security Council about a new incident that day near to the armistice line between Israel and Syria which ended with casualties on both sides. The United Arab Republic (Egypt) in a statement to the President of the Security Council told that any action undertaken by maritime powers would be considered an encroachment on its sovereignty in the exercise of its legitimate rights over its territorial waters. The first public appearance of Ahmad Shukeiri, Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization after returning to Jordan from Cairo. He held a fiery speech in a mosque in the Old City, Jerusalem, then held a press conference and talked about destroying Israel and its inhabitants. UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson – after meeting Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson on the previous day – met President Lyndon B. Johnson in Washington. In a press conference in Ottawa he spoke about the situation in the Middle-East, he and Prime Minister Pearson thought the key was the Gulf of Aqaba, they wanted to find a solution through the United Nations. He also said the solution was probably a few days away. He urged to use well every minute, because without a peaceful solution there could be a war in the Middle-East which could escalate quickly. The Council of Ministers of France issued a statement about the Middle East, saying each states had the right to live, also that the state which would start the hostilities wouldn’t have the approval and support of France. They insisted that any decision should have been made with a concordance between the Four Powers (France, Soviet Union, UK, USA). The French “neutral” position, considering the commitments after 1956 and that they had more connections to Israel out of the belligerents, obviously caused disappointment in the Jewish state.