Suez Crisis

The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War or the Sinai War, was an invasion of Egypt in late 1956 by Israel, followed by France and the United Kingdom. The invasion aimed to regain Western control of the Suez Canal and remove Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser from power, who had nationalized the canal in July 1956.¹

Israel's immediate tactical goal in the war was to destroy the Egyptian Army and its ability to support and train the growing Palestinian fedayeen movement. The strategic goal was to destroy Nasser's ability to achieve Arab unity. The battle plan involved Israel initiating the attack, followed by demands from France and Britain for a halt to hostilities and withdrawal from the Suez Canal, creating a buffer zone. When Egypt refused, France and England would launch assaults to occupy the canal.¹

The battle plan went better than scheduled for Israel, which stormed through the Egyptian Army and captured all of the Sinai by November 4. However, the intervention of the Soviet Union, which issued a nuclear ultimatum to David Ben-Gurion, Guy Mollet, and Anthony Eden, forced Britain and France to cease firing. Israel, deserted by its two allies, was forced to agree to a cease-fire and the eventual deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Sinai.¹

The Israelis were disappointed by the French and enraged by Eisenhower, who, they believed, had betrayed them. For David Ben-Gurion, the lesson was clear: the Jewish community in America was unable to save Israel. This event solidified the conviction among some Israelis that they could not rely on external powers for their security, reinforcing the drive for an independent nuclear deterrent.¹