The Six-Day War of 1967: Folk Myths and “Battles of Historians”

Abstract

The article analyzes the role and influence of folk and historical myths on the process of forming the historical memory towards the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, which was one of the most significant events in international life in the Middle East. The disputes of historians about the causes, nature and consequences of this war create their own field of discussion. When the wars waged by the armies cease, other wars waged by historians begin. These wars are directly related to the creation of national identity and the formation of historical memory. The disputes of historians about the Six-Day War are actually not only about the past. They affect the present and future of the Middle East region and its chances for peace. On the one hand, some historians view Israel as a stronghold of the Western democracy surrounded by a hostile Arab world. Therefore they believe that the Israeli attack on Arab countries in 1967 was a justified act of self-defense. On the other hand, some historians believe that Arab-Israeli coexistence and cooperation are possible, so they are trying to prove that the war in 1967 could have been avoided by using the chances of a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. Those who tend to demonize the policy of the Russian Federation in the Middle East in the 21st century still see the insidious “hidden hand of Moscow” in the events occurred 50 years ago.