Suez Canal
Crisis
Transformation
` Israel:
• of
1947 to 1949
Palestinian Diaspora
History of the Canal
•Canal was open in 1869
–Financed by France and
Egypt
•1875, British bought out
Egyptian shares
•1882, British took control of
the canal
•Canal very important for
strategy during WWI and WWII
Tension with Egypt and
Europe Begins
•1956, Egypt (under President
Gamal Abdel Nasser) called
for the nationalization of the
Suez Canal
Secret Meeting
•Britain France and Israel
•agree that Israel would invade Sinai
•Britain and France would have to
intervene
•Egypt would be seen as inept
Israeli Invasion
•October 29, 1956
•Israel invaded the Gaza Strip
and Sinai Peninsula
•France and Britain offered to
intervene to stop Israeli
•Nasser declines
•Operation Musketeer
•Israeli Bombing campaign
•in response, nasser sank
40 ships and closed canal
Reaction
from France
and Britain
•November 6, 1956
•French and British forces invade to protect economic interests
Cease-Fire Called
•US calls for cease fire
•US sponsors UN resolution for
cease fire
• “Uniting for Peace”
•Britain and France oppose
•Emergency session called
and resolution passed
•Britain and France
withdrew forces
•Britain and France forces
withdrew completely by December
1956
•Israeli Forces withdrew
completely by March 1957
UN Involvement
•Lester Pearson
•Suggested a United Nations
Emergency Force (UNEF) in the Suez
canal area
•“keep the borders at peace
while a political settlement is
being worked out”
•Pearson awarded Nobel Peace Prize in
1957
•Thought to be the father of modern
peacekeeping
Outcome
•Signaled weakness of French and
United Kingdom
•Both losing their global
powers
•Transition of global powers to
US and Soviet Union
•Israel world player and military
power
•UN proven effective