662 Chapter 5
Narrative: This dispute began on March 19, 1957, when Israeli Premier David Ben-
Gurion threatened war should Egypt attempt to keep Israeli ships out of the Gulf of
Aqaba. Israel renewed the threat formally on April 1. On April 3, 1957, Israel threat-
ened to create a barbed-wire fence between its borders and Arab territory. Several
seizures of cargo, ships, and crews by both Egypt and Israel followed. Then an
Egyptian military buildup supplied by the Soviet Union through 1957, caused Israel
to reciprocate and begin increasing its own armaments. Open fighting occurred on
March 31, 1958, when there was a two-day clash at the border, followed the next day
by cannon fire that caused numerous Israeli deaths. Militarized incidents—both major
and minor—continued into April 1961 when Israeli jets shot down an Egyptian MiG.
This was the last action for six months between the two countries.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from April 3, 1957.
MID#3419
Dispute Number: 3419
Date(s): November 6, 1958 to August 23, 1963
Participants: 651 Egypt, 652 Syria/666 Israel
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: The Israeli and United Arab Republic (UAR; Syrian and Egyptian) forces
reportedly escalated a border skirmish into a larger clash on November 6, 1958.
Despite UN pleas for a ceasefire, the UAR and Israeli forces engaged in a number of
skirmishes and clashes from November 1958 through early 1963. These incidents pri-
marily concerned the demilitarized zone around the Sea of Galilee: Israel contended
that the Sea of Galilee was indisputably within Israeli territory, but Syrian locals con-
tinually attempted to fish in the area, often provoking Israeli attacks. Israel offered to
let the Syrian fishers cast their nets in the sea as the British in Palestine had allowed
them to do if they would first register with Israel in Tiberias. However, Syria ignored
the DMZ area around the sea since registering to fish in the area would require the
recognition of the state of Israel. Additionally, Syrian border patrols were reported
to have fired on Israeli farmers and fishermen living and working near the DMZ on
a number of occasions. Israel would often counter these attacks with raids on Arab
villages and outposts near the DMZ. While many of these incidents related to fishing
rights, a number of them also involved farmland and border violations around the Sea
of Galilee and the Jordan River basin.
There were also reports during this dispute of airspace violations that provoked aggres-
sive action between UAR and Israeli jets over the disputed territory. Syria withdrew from
the UAR (and Nasser’s military command) at the end of September 1961, but continued
this particular dispute with Israel. In the summer of 1963, Syria is reported to have esca-
lated the number of attacks on Israeli civilians living near the DMZ. Israel called on the
United Nations to help curb the number of Syrian attacks and to find a resolution to the
dispute. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire on August 23, 1963, and it remained in effect
for at least six months thereafter. A prisoner exchange was discussed during the UN con-
sideration of the dispute, but only Israel agreed immediately. A prisoner exchange finally
took place in December 1963 after a number of private UN deliberations.