10 June 1967: Israel ends six-day war. Fighting in the Middle East has ended after Israel finally observed the UN ceasefire and halted her advance into Syria. Within the last six days Israeli troops have taken territory many times larger than Israel itself and united the holy city of Jerusalem for the first time since 1948. Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol justified the pre-emptive strike on Egypt, and battles with Jordanian and Syrian forces by saying his country was acting in self-defence. He told the Sunday Times newspaper: “The threat of destruction that hung over Israel since its establishment and which was about to be implemented has been removed.” He added: “For the first time in 19 years, Jews are again free to pray at the Wailing Wall and at other shrines sacred to Judaism in Jerusalem and Hebron.” The UN set a ceasefire at 1630GMT (1730BST) after Israel and Syria agreed to position UN observers on both sides of the front line at Kuneitra, nine miles (14 km) inside Syria, and at Tiberias, on the Israeli side. But Syria has said Israeli fighter planes flew over its capital, Damascus, five minutes after the ceasefire had been due to come into force. Two hours later the observers sent word to the UN Security Council in New York that firing on both sides of the front line had indeed stopped. There was good news and bad news for Egyptians. Having decided to resign yesterday after his country’s humiliating defeat, President Abdel Nasser today announced he would in fact remain in office. This brought thousands of Egyptians out onto the streets of Cairo and other Arab cities cheering and rejoicing. In an address to the Assembly, relayed by loudspeaker to the crowds outside, he said: “I will give the nation everything I have, even my life itself.” But this was tempered by reports from Cairo Radio that Israeli bombing raids of the Suez Canal had left it blocked with sunken ships, a further blow to the nation’s economy. Meanwhile the Soviet Union – which has broken off diplomatic relations with Israel – and its Eastern Bloc allies have agreed a plan to re-supply Arab forces with armaments. (Source: BBC)
10 June 1999: Nato calls off air war on Kosovo. Nato has called off its 11-week air war against Kosovo following the beginning of the withdrawal of Serb troops. Secretary General Javier Solana announced a halt to the 79-day bombing campaign three hours after the first Serb convoys were seen leaving the province. The Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic finally agreed to the pull out last night after first winning a concession from Nato for extra time to complete the withdrawal. Thousands of Nato troops are now preparing to enter the Yugoslav province. Lieutenant General Sir Michael Jackson, Nato commander for Kosovo, has refused to confirm when the first soldiers will arrive – but troops have already been moved close to the Kosovo border. Belgrade now has 11 days to move its 40,000 security forces out of Kosovo. First reports say 150 Yugoslav army trucks, armoured vehicles and cars carrying soldiers and anti-aircraft weapons have crossed the border into Serbia. The air war began on 24 March after Mr Milosevic refused to sign an international peace plan for Kosovo which called for the withdrawal of Yugoslav security forces. Violence against the minority ethnic Albanians had been growing,leading to a steady stream of refugees fleeing their homes. Within days of the first air strikes reports of atrocities and forced evictions by Serb forces on Kosovo Albanians sent the number of refugees soaring. It is estimated about one million Albanians have left Kosovo in the past 15 months. US President Bill Clinton last night referred to the “brutal systematic effort” by the Belgrade regime to remove the ethnic Albanians. He said: “In the past few months we have seen some of the worst inhumanity in our lifetime. But we have also seen the bravery of troops, the resolve of our democracy, the decency of our people and the courage and determination