Israel's History:
1968

1968:
by Rebecca Russo, 2003 USY Israel Affairs VP

After the Six Day War in 1967, some things cooled down in 1968 but it was still an important year in Israel's history. During 1968, the aftermath of the war played out, settlements were built, more violence occurred, and there were also important cultural events! Check out some of the highlights of Israel in 1968:

• New Settlements
  After the Six Day War, Israel placed a major focus on building up settlements in new territories - in Gaza, Sinai, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. Starting in 1967 and 1968, Israel built up many new settlements. The town of Yamit was built in northeast Sinai. In the Golan Heights, the center of settlement activity was the city of Katzrin. Many of the settlements in Judea and Samaria were located at sites of historical Jewish settlement prior to the War of Independence, such as the Etzion Bloc and Hebron.
• Return to Hebron
  In 1968, Jews return to Hebron, abandoned in 1929 when over 60 Jews there were massacred and the rest of the Jewish community evacuated to Jerusalem. Hebron is an ancient city in the West Bank with great historical/biblical significance to the Jewish people.
• Levi Eshkol continues term as Prime Minister
  Levi Eshkol, third Prime Minister of Israel, continued his term in 1968 and through 1969 when he died of a heart attack.
• Egypt's response to the Six-Day War
  Beginning in 1968 and continuing through 1970, Egypt launched numerous commando raids, artillery barrages and air raids against Israeli forces in the Sinai and on the Suez Canal. This War of Attrition, along with the increasing PLO terrorist attacks, was intended to weaken Israel.
• First heart transplant in Israel
  December 1968: The first heart transplant in Israel was done by Dr. Maurice Levy and his staff.
• Jewish Scouting
  August 21, 1968: The stamp for the 50th anniversary of Jewish scouting comes out in Israel!
• First television broadcasts
  Israel's first television broadcasts were in 1968 - very exciting in the modern world.
• Hijacking
  July 1968: An El-Al jet from Rome on the way to Algeria was hijacked. The Jews and non-Jews were separated, and the hostages were finally released after 39 days.
• Israeli response to hijacking
  December 1968: In response to hijackings, Commander of the paratroopers, "Raful" and his soldiers, captured the Beirut airport. They blew up 14 planes but nobody was hurt.
• PLO forms covenant
  In 1968, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (the PLO, now known as the PA - Palestinian Authority) formulates its covenant, which negates the existence of Israel.
• Labor Party created
  This year, the three political parties of Mapai, Ahdut Ha'avoda and Rafi joined together to form the Israel Labor Party. (The Labor party still exists today as one of the major parties in Israel, with a primarily left-wing standpoint.)