Soviet analysts feared that such policies could lead to a Syrian-Israeli war and feared that such an event would result in the destabilization of the Syrian regime. Therefore, they undertook measures to strengthen the relationship between Egypt and Syria. The goal of this maneuver was to simultaneously restrain Syrian militancy through increased connections with Egypt and provide a more credible threat to Israeli officials. Soviet actions played a significant role in the escalation that led to the 1967 conflict by supporting Egyptian desires and facilitating actions that heightened Israeli fears. Although Syrian actions did lead to tension in the region, Egyptian actions played the primary role in the escalation that led to the 1967 war.
Analysis reveals the effects of cognitive issues on decision-making and perception.
In acting towards the 1967 conflict, Egyptian officials acted primarily out of a domain of loss. A primary Egyptian goal involved the preservation and revitalization of the declining position of Egypt and Nasser as the leaders of the Arab world. Such feelings were the basis for heated Egyptian rhetoric that called for the destruction of Israel and Arab unity. Although such remarks initially served Egyptian goals, Nasser was eventually forced to legitimize his claim to the Arab leadership. When Soviet officials encouraged the signing of a Syrian-Egyptian joint defense pact, Egyptian desires were concerned with utilizing the agreement as a means to strengthen their position as the leader of the Arab world.