June 14, 1967
War continues in Middle East
After eight days of fierce fighting, Israel continues to battle against the combined forces of four Arab nations. Israel has claimed both the West Bank (from Jordan) and the Gaza Strip (from Egypt), but fighting continues in the Golan Heights of Syria and Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. While the exact number of casualties is unknown, Egypt and Syria have taken heavy losses. [1] [2]
The United States has tried not to get directly involved in the conflict and denies aiding Israel in its war against its neighbors. So far, the United States maintains diplomatic relations with Arab nations in the area. The flow of oil from the region, one of the chief concerns of the United States, has not been severely disrupted. [3]
Some politicians are critical of Johnson’s neutral stance and are pressing the President to intervene in the crisis. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a staunch supporter of the Israeli cause, believes that the US should do more to aid its most important ally in the region.
President Johnson faces more controversy at home. Just one day after the Supreme Court has struck down a Virginia law forbidding interracial marriage, [4] President Johnson has appointed Thurgood Marshall to the court. Johnson believes that the appointment of Marshall is "the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place." [5]. Marshall is the first black Supreme Court justice, and some hope that his appointment will reduce rising racial tensions in the US.