1970 Gabrieli Tourist and Pictorial Map of Israel

A scarce 1970 folding road map of Israel by Mordechai Gabrieli, with prominent advertising for the Delkol (דלקול), a leading purveyor of oil and automotive products. It was produced in the tense period following the Six-Day War, when Israeli troops occupied the Golan Heights, West Bank (including East Jerusalem), and Sinai Peninsula.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes the entirety of Israeli-occupied territory in the wake of the Six-Day War of 1967. Whether as an ideological statement or a practical matter, Gabrieli makes no reference to the recent borders (the 'Green Line') in place until 1967. This map is similarly notable for dating from a period between the Six-Day War and the 1978 Camp David Accords, when Israel controlled the Sinai Peninsula.

A legend at top-left explains symbols used throughout, including blue Delkol logos to indicate the company's shops, which are also listed in a list below the map. Roads of various types and qualities with distances between cities are noted. An index of cities and settlements to the right of the map corresponds to a grid surrounding the map. The verso includes maps focusing on the Negev and Sinai. At bottom on the verso is a pictorial map of Israel oriented towards the southwest, including, of course, the location of Delkol stations.

The War of Attrition (1967 - 1970)

The War of Attrition was a continuation of the 1967 Six-Day War fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states made up of Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. During the Six-Day War, Israel caught Egyptian forces completely by surprise, nearly destroying the Egyptian Air Force. Israeli forces occupied the Sinai Peninsula after just six days of fighting. By the time the ceasefires were signed, Israel had also seized the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan. After the Six-Day War, no parties involved seriously tried to resolve the issues at the center of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. The Arab League established its 'three no's' policy in September 1967 which barred peace, recognition, or negotiations. Thus, the conflict simmered in the background, with artillery duels or small-scale incursions continuing hostilities. In March 1969, however, the Egyptian Army decided that it was prepared for larger scale operations against the Israelis occupying Sinai, and Egyptian President Gamal Nasser declared the War of Attrition on March 8. The Egyptians shelled the Suez Canal and led extensive commando raids and aerial warfare against the Israelis, but when a ceasefire ended the fighting in August 1970, the borders had not changed.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Mordechai Gabrieli (מרדכי גבריאלי) and printed by Moll Art, with considerable advertising for Delkol (דלקול), which presumably financed the map's publication. Three examples of this map are known to be held by the National Library of Israel, its sole representation in institutional holdings.