Introduction: Conflict and Diplomacy in a Volatile Region
Since its founding in 1948, the modern State of Israel has been shaped by a series of wars and peace efforts that have defined its borders, security doctrine, and regional relationships. Military confrontations with neighbouring Arab states, driven by unresolved questions of territory, refugees, and recognition, have been frequent, yet they have also given rise to historic peace accords. This dynamic tension between war and diplomacy has deeply influenced Israel’s geopolitical position, internal politics, and national identity.

1956 Sinai Campaign (Suez Crisis)
In October 1956, Israel, Britain, and France launched a coordinated military operation against Egypt, following the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Israel’s immediate concern was Egypt’s blockade of Israeli shipping through the Straits of Tiran, as well as the use of the Sinai Peninsula as a base for cross-border fedayeen attacks.

Israel swiftly invaded Sinai, capturing the entire peninsula within days. Britain and France intervened under the pretext of protecting international access to the Suez Canal, but international pressure—particularly from the United States and Soviet Union—forced all three nations to withdraw. In the aftermath, the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was deployed in Sinai, and Israel secured temporary freedom of navigation through the Gulf of Aqaba. Although not a strategic victory in the long term, the campaign enhanced Israel’s military confidence and highlighted the limitations of colonial-era alliances in the emerging Cold War context.

1967 Six-Day War (Reunification of Jerusalem)
The Six-Day War, fought in June 1967, marked a watershed in Israeli and Middle Eastern history. Amid escalating tensions, including Egypt’s expulsion of UNEF troops, closure of the Straits of Tiran, and troop buildups along Israel’s borders with Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike.

In six days, Israel achieved a dramatic military victory:

• From Egypt, it captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip.
• From Jordan, it captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem, thereby reunifying Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty for the first time since antiquity.
• From Syria, it captured the Golan Heights.

This territorial expansion transformed Israel’s strategic depth but also introduced profound political and moral complexities regarding occupation, settlements, and the future of Palestinian statehood. The war reshaped Jewish religious and national consciousness—especially regarding Jerusalem and the Temple Mount—and galvanised Arab opposition, culminating in the Khartoum Resolution (1967), which declared: “No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations.”

1973 Yom Kippur War
On 6 October 1973, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israeli positions in Sinai and the Golan Heights. Known as the Yom Kippur War, it initially caught Israel unprepared, resulting in heavy losses and the near-collapse of front-line defences.

However, after initial setbacks, Israel successfully regrouped. On the southern front, Israeli forces crossed the Suez Canal and encircled the Egyptian Third Army. On the northern front, Israeli troops pushed Syrian forces back from the Golan Heights.

Though Israel regained the upper hand militarily, the war exposed vulnerabilities and caused national trauma. It led to significant political shifts, including criticism of the government and eventual resignation of Prime Minister Golda Meir. The war also marked a turning point in Arab-Israeli diplomacy: it gave Egypt leverage to negotiate peace and signalled to Israel that military superiority could not ensure enduring security.

Peace with Egypt (1979)
The most significant diplomatic achievement following years of conflict was the Camp David Accords, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1978, followed by the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty in 1979.

Key outcomes:

• Egypt became the first Arab country to recognise Israel.
• Israel agreed to withdraw completely from the Sinai Peninsula.
• Both sides established diplomatic relations and trade.
• A framework was proposed (though not implemented) for Palestinian autonomy.

The treaty ended the state of war between the two countries and earned Sadat and Begin the Nobel Peace Prize. However, Sadat’s decision to engage with Israel was condemned by much of the Arab world and led to his assassination in 1981. Nevertheless, the treaty has remained a cornerstone of regional stability, demonstrating the possibility of negotiated peace.

Peace with Jordan (1994)
Following the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Jordan, under King Hussein, entered into direct negotiations with Israel. The resulting Israel–Jordan Peace Treaty, signed on 26 October 1994, formalised the long-standing de facto peace between the two countries.

Key elements:

• Recognition of Israel as a sovereign state.
• Demarcation of borders, particularly in the Arava and Jordan Valley.
• Security cooperation, especially along the shared border.
• Joint efforts in water sharing, trade, and tourism.

Unlike the cold peace with Egypt, Israel and Jordan’s relations have often been described as functional but fragile, affected by regional tensions and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Nonetheless, the treaty remains a key pillar of Israel’s diplomatic relations in the Arab world.

Conclusion
Israel’s history since independence has been marked by cycles of war and diplomacy. From the Sinai Campaign and the existential Six-Day War, through the trauma of the Yom Kippur War, to the landmark peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, these events have shaped the region’s political landscape. The major wars solidified Israel’s military doctrine and borders, while the peace treaties demonstrated the potential—though limited—for Arab–Israeli reconciliation. These developments continue to influence Israel’s strategic calculations and its pursuit of both security and legitimacy in a complex and volatile region.