The Six Day War and the unification of Jerusalem in June 1967 were turning points in the history of Israel.
In May 1967, in the face of the annihilatory rhetoric of the Arab world and the military build-up on its borders, the Israeli public and many of the country's friends around the world genuinely feared for Israel's survival. Yet in just six short days, the Israel Defense Forces were able to secure a storied victory on the battlefield and change the course of history.
The IDF's victory left Israel in control of the territories from where the Arab assault had taken place – the Sinai Peninsula in the south, the Golan Heights in the north and Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) to the East. Most significantly, Israel's capital Jerusalem was reunited, after having been divided since 1948 as a result of the failed Arab war to prevent Israel's establishment. The Jewish people were now once again to visit and pray at the Western Wall, the only remains of the ancient Jewish Temple.
With the passing of the decades, the events which led to the Six Day War and the details of the war itself have faded from memory and been lost to new generations. As a consequence, much of the discourse today surrounding the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict lacks crucial context and historic perspective.
To address this challenge, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is launching
@Tweeting67 - a Twitter project in which individual characters from 1967 will "live-tweet" the events of that era as they happen.
Based on research conducted by various individuals and organizations, we have developed an array of characters - some real, others imagined - who will each share the story from their own perspective, and who as a whole will provide a rich, contemporary gateway into understanding the events of the time and their meaning for today.
With historic content specifically curated to suit modern communications, this project offers everyone a unique opportunity to participate and impact on perceptions of events that still shape politics and public opinion on Israel to this day.
We invite you to follow our characters, share their tweets and interact with them directly on Twitter.
* @Tweeting67 is a project of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs designed to make Israel's story intelligible to the new generation. It is part of the broader campaign to mark the jubilees of key events in Israel's history throughout 2017-2018.