Israel’s Six-Day War – Rare Archival LIFE Magazines

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The Six-Day War (Third Arab–Israeli War) received widespread coverage in the international press, particularly due to its rapid unfolding from June 5 to 10, 1967. One photograph, titled ‘Israeli Soldier Cools Off in the Suez Canal’ published on the cover of Life magazine, became a symbol of youth and victory, encapsulating Israel’s triumph in the Six-Day War.

During the war, in just one week of fighting Israel reshaped the Middle East’s political and strategic landscape, securing newfound stability. The 1949 armistice boundaries were erased, with territories like Sinai, the West Bank, a united Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights now under Israel’s control, promising enhanced security.

The photograph first appeared on June 27, 1967, cover of Life magazine. All it took was one look. The tousled-haired soldier with a gleaming smile in the famous photograph captured the public’s hearts. Newspapers and magazines worldwide quickly reprinted it, and soon it was everywhere.

The true power of the picture, and the source of its fame, lies in the complex story it succinctly told. Twenty-two-year-old Yossi Ben Hanan was cooling off from the heat of battle in the Suez Canal-  water that until that day had been Egyptian. The soot-covered face spoke of hard combat, yet his smile left no doubt: This soldier had fought and won.