What mistakes do students make with Israel’s consolidation of control of the occupied…?

Stating that Israel annexed all the occupied territories immediately. Israel established military control and began settlement building, but only formally annexed East Jerusalem (and later the Golan Heights), not the West Bank, Gaza, or Sinai. Confusing the Bar Lev Line with borders in the West Bank. The Bar Lev Line was specifically built along the Suez Canal to defend the Sinai Peninsula against Egypt. Ignoring the role of settlements in consolidation. Settlements were a deliberate policy to create physical facts on the ground and enhance security buffers.

What are the exam tips for Israel’s consolidation of control of the occupied… in History Pearson Edexcel GCSE?

Use the Bar Lev Line as a concrete example of how Israel physically consolidated its military control over the Sinai. Differentiate between the methods of control used in different territories, such as military governance in the West Bank versus heavy fortification in the Sinai. Link the consolidation of these territories to the causes of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as Arab states sought to regain their lost land.

Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History

Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016

Key topic 2: The escalating conflict, 1964–73 - 3 Israel and Egypt,…

Full specification wording

Option P5: Key topic 2: The escalating conflict, 1964–73 - 3 Israel and Egypt, 1967–73: Israel’s consolidation of control of the occupied territories.

Following the 1967 Six Day War, Israel rapidly consolidated control over the newly occupied territories: the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights.

Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on 24 September 2026.

Point 2 of 3

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Identify the territories occupied by Israel in 1967: Sinai, Gaza, West Bank, and Golan Heights.
Describe the construction of the Bar Lev Line as a defensive measure in the Sinai Peninsula.
Explain the establishment of military administrations to govern the Arab populations in the occupied areas.
Analyse the strategic and political reasons for the early establishment of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Stating that Israel annexed all the occupied territories immediately.
Put it right: Israel established military control and began settlement building, but only formally annexed East Jerusalem (and later the Golan Heights), not the West Bank, Gaza, or Sinai.
Confusing the Bar Lev Line with borders in the West Bank.
Put it right: The Bar Lev Line was specifically built along the Suez Canal to defend the Sinai Peninsula against Egypt.
Ignoring the role of settlements in consolidation.
Put it right: Settlements were a deliberate policy to create physical facts on the ground and enhance security buffers.

Exam tips

Use the Bar Lev Line as a concrete example of how Israel physically consolidated its military control over the Sinai.
Differentiate between the methods of control used in different territories, such as military governance in the West Bank versus heavy fortification in the Sinai.
Link the consolidation of these territories to the causes of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as Arab states sought to regain their lost land.

Try the lesson

The start of the Option P5: Key topic 2: The escalating conflict, 1964–73 - 3 Israel and Egypt, 1967–73: Israel’s consolidation of control of the occupied territories. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

Following the 1967 Six Day War, which of the following methods did Israel begin using to consolidate its control over the newly occupied territories?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

Following the 1967 Six Day War, Israel rapidly consolidated control over the newly occupied territories: the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights. This consolidation involved establishing military administration to govern the Palestinian populations and ensure security. Israel constructed the Bar Lev Line, a massive chain of fortifications along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal, to defend the Sinai from Egyptian attacks. Additionally, the Israeli government began establishing Jewish settlements in strategic areas of the occupied territories, such as the Golan Heights and the West Bank, to create physical buffers and assert long-term territorial claims. These actions fundamentally altered the region's security landscape. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify the territories occupied by Israel in 1967: Sinai, Gaza, West Bank, and Golan Heights. Describe the construction of the Bar Lev Line as a defensive measure in the Sinai Peninsula. Explain the establishment of military administrations to govern the Arab populations in the occupied areas. Analyse the strategic and political reasons for the early establishment of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. A common slip: Stating that Israel annexed all the occupied territories immediately. Instead, Israel established military control and began settlement building, but only formally annexed East Jerusalem (and later the Golan Heights), not the West Bank, Gaza, or Sinai. Exam tip: Use the Bar Lev Line as a concrete example of how Israel physically consolidated its military control over the Sinai.

See it

A flowchart beginning with a node for the 1967 Six Day War, which leads to a node for Israel consolidating control of the occupied territories. From this node four branches lead to the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. The Sinai Peninsula leads to a node describing the Bar Lev Line built along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal to defend Sinai from Egyptian attacks. The consolidation node also leads to a node on military administration to govern Palestinian populations and ensure security, and to a node on Jewish settlements established in strategic areas such as the Golan Heights and the West Bank to create physical buffers and assert long-term territorial claims. — Shows how, after the 1967 Six Day War, Israel consolidated control of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank and Golan Heights through the Bar Lev Line, military administration and settlements.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart beginning with a node for the 1967 Six Day War, which leads to a node for Israel consolidating control of the occupied territories. From this node four branches lead to the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. The Sinai Peninsula leads to a node describing the Bar Lev Line built along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal to defend Sinai from Egyptian attacks. The consolidation node also leads to a node on military administration to govern Palestinian populations and ensure security, and to a node on Jewish settlements established in strategic areas such as the Golan Heights and the West Bank to create physical buffers and assert long-term territorial claims.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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