ISRAEL: Christmas War

In Palestine this year, Christmas night was the eve of Hanukkah ("The Feast of Lights"), an eight-day celebration commemorating the great victories of Judas Maccabeus over the Syrians in 165 B.C. By Christmas Eve, the Israeli army was once again on the march, breaking the uneasy truce that had begun to settle on Palestine.

The fighting commenced formally, like a duel. The Israeli Foreign Office handed a warning to the U.N. Commission. A few hours later the Israeli army announced it was taking "steps to prevent the Egyptians from continuing aggressive action." The evening of the same day Jewish forces...

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