Number of words: 137

Israel by her very claim to existence could not have allowed Egypt to blockade her sea-roads, or Syria to continue harassing her settlements. It was equally clear that the United Nations was useless in this situation, and that the great powers either would or could do nothing to change it. Mr Eshkol had warned Egypt that the blockade of the straits of Tiran would mean war and President Nasser, although he had achieved a great deal by bluff, could hardly have hoped to avoid war now. He had made war inevitable, and once it was inevitable it would have been criminal for the Israel government to let the Arabs choose the most convenient moment of attack. In the event it was settled on the first day, even in the first hours.

Excerpted  from Israel by Chaim Bermant