4.7   Arab-Israeli War · Part 2

Suez Canal Crisis ( ) In Egypt, in a coup in , Colonel Nasser became its President. In , he nationalized the Suez Canal, which undermined British interests. With the failure of diplomacy, Britain and France decided to use force. Israel saw this as an opportunity to open the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping and put a stop to Egyptian border raids. On October, Israeli forces invaded Egypt. Britain used this opportunity to The World After World War II demand that its troops be allowed to occupy the canal zone to protect the canal. Egypt refused and on October, Britain and France bombed Egyptian airfields and other installations as well as the Suez Canal area. However, under pressure of world opinion, Britain and France ended hostilities on November. India represented by Nehru played a crucial role in resolving the crisis. Suez Canal crisis Arab–Israeli War Ever since the formation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Israel came to be attacked frequently by Palestinian guerrilla groups based in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Israeli resorted to violent reprisals. In November , an Israeli strike on the village of Al-Samū in the Jordanian West Bank, left dead and wounded. Israel’s air battle with Syria in April , ended in the shooting down six Syrian MiG fighter jets. In his bid to demonstrate Egypt’s support for Syria Nasser mobilized Egyptian forces in the Sinai, seeking the removal of UN emergency forces stationed there on May . On May , he closed the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping. King Hussein of Jordan signed a mutual defence pact with Egypt. Accordingly, it was decided to place Jordanian forces under Egyptian command. Soon, Iraq too joined the alliance. Israel’s Offensive Following the mobilization of Arab states by Nasser, on June , Israel staged a sudden pre-emptive air strike that destroyed more than percent of Egypt’s air force on the tarmac. A similar air assault incapacitated the Syrian air force. Within three days the Israelis had achieved an overwhelming