"The Temple Mount is in our hands!"

Between June 5th and June 10th, 1967, Israel fought and won a war that would change the course of modern Jewish history. What the world called the Six Day War, the Jewish people remember as a moment of divine intervention and prophetic fulfillment.

Yes, territory was taken but not conquered. This was not expansion; it was restoration. Israel reclaimed land promised by God and central to its biblical heritage, including the Old City of Jerusalem—home to the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, and other sacred places that had been out of reach for nearly two decades.

And for the first time since ancient times, a united Jerusalem was back in Jewish hands.

To fully appreciate the significance of June 1967, we must remember what led up to it.
Tensions in the Middle East had been simmering for years, but by May of 1967, they reached a boiling point.

Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser expelled UN peacekeeping forces from the Sinai Peninsula and deployed tens of thousands of troops along Israel’s southern border. He also closed the Straits of Tiran, cutting off Israel’s access to the Red Sea—a move Israel had long warned would be considered an act of war.

At the same time, Syria intensified its attacks from the north, shelling Israeli towns from the Golan Heights. And on May 30, Jordan entered the alliance, placing its military under Egyptian command and completing the encirclement of Israel from three sides.

Surrounded, outgunned, and facing public calls for its destruction, Israel launched a preemptive strike on June 5. What followed was nothing short of miraculous. In just six days, Israel defeated the combined forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, and reclaimed strategic and biblical territory—including East Jerusalem.

On the third day of the war, Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City of Jerusalem through the Lions’ Gate. After fierce fighting, they reached the Western Wall—the holiest accessible site in Judaism. Commander Motta Gur’s voice echoed across radios:
“The Temple Mount is in our hands.”

It was more than a military achievement—it was the return to the spiritual heart of the Jewish people.

Since that day in June 1967, when Israeli forces reclaimed the Old City, Jerusalem has remained open to all. The very places that were once barred to Jews and Christians under Jordanian rule—the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and other sacred sites—are now accessible to people of all faiths.

Unlike in the years prior, when religious minorities were denied entry to their own holy places, Israel restored freedom of worship in the city.

To this day, Muslims pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Christians worship in their churches, and Jews return daily to the Western Wall. Under Israeli sovereignty, Jerusalem has become a city where religious diversity is not only acknowledged but protected.

For Jews around the world, Jerusalem is more than a capital. It’s the heartbeat of our people, the place that has been prayed toward for millennia.

What happened in 1967 wasn’t just about geography it was about destiny.
The prophets had spoken of this moment long ago:

“I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them.”  Zechariah 8:7–8

“In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established... and all nations will stream to it.”  Isaiah 2:2–3

“In that day, the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him...”  Isaiah 11:10

For many, the events of 1967 may seem like a chapter from another era—photographs in black and white, radio announcements crackling with emotion. But Jerusalem Day is not just about looking back. It’s about understanding where we stand in the flow of a much larger story—a prophetic journey still unfolding in real time.

The reunification of Jerusalem is a powerful reminder that God is faithful to His promises, even when the path is long and the challenges great. The land of Israel is far more than a homeland—it is the physical expression of a covenant, a living testimony that what God promises, He fulfills.

Jerusalem is not just a city on a map. It is a spiritual compass—a place where history, faith, and destiny converge. And even today, as the city remains at the center of global headlines and debate, we remember that its future isn’t dictated by politics or opinion, but by God’s eternal plan.

Let us never forget: Jerusalem was restored not by might alone, but by the hand of God

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may those who love you be secure. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.” — Psalm 122:6–7

May we see that day of peace soon.