▁Le vi ▁E sh kol ▁repeated ▁declarations ▁that ▁Israel ▁had ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁saying ▁that ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁Stra its ▁of ▁Tir an ▁would ▁be ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁war . ▁Egypt ▁then ▁block aded ▁the ▁stra its ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁and ▁oil ▁tank ers ▁that ▁were ▁due ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁the ▁stra its ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁submit ▁documents ▁ens uring ▁their ▁cargo ▁was ▁not ▁dest ined ▁for ▁an ▁Isra eli ▁port . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁Israel ▁viewed ▁the ▁Stra its ▁of ▁Tir an ▁as ▁a ▁vital ▁interest ▁as ▁it ▁is ▁where ▁Israel ▁received ▁vital ▁imports , ▁mainly ▁oil ▁from ▁Iran , ▁and ▁a ▁block ade ▁threatened ▁Israel ' s ▁ability ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁Neg ev . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁Major ▁General ▁Ind ar ▁J it ▁R ikh ye ▁was ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Emer gency ▁Force ▁( UN EF ) ▁in ▁the ▁S ina i ▁pen ins ula ▁when ▁Egypt ▁deployed ▁its ▁own ▁troops ▁in ▁that ▁territory ▁and ▁demanded ▁that ▁R ikh ye ▁withdraw ▁all ▁of ▁his ▁troops . ▁R ikh ye ▁did ▁withdraw , ▁including ▁from ▁the ▁port ▁at ▁Sh arm ▁el ▁She ikh ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁stra its . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁Tir an ▁Stra its ▁by ▁Egypt ▁was ▁closely ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁preceding ▁U NE F ▁withdraw al , ▁because ▁having ▁the ▁peace keep ers ▁( r ather ▁than ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁military ) ▁at