After the first Middle East war, Israel was in great need of one"Normal existence".
Israel is a long and narrow country, with the exception of the Negev desert, where all towns and cities are no more than 30 kilometers away from the Arab border, and in some places less than 100 kilometers, so there is no room for defense in depth. But many in Israel, especially Zionist extremists, believe that force is the primary means of survival and security; On the other hand, the surrounding Arab countries are also deeply humiliated, and the hostility between the two ethnic groups is very strong.
With the return of the hard-line young faction represented by Ben-Gurion in Israel**, the situation between Arabs and Israelis is becoming more and more intense, and there are great signs of imminent outbreak. But Ben-Gurion was extremely tough on the one hand, and calculating on the other, and that was trueI can endure loneliness and get down**. In 1956The Second Middle East WarBen-Gurion leads Israel in a volatile situation that brooks no changeAs a supporting role in soy sauce, he has sought the most and greatest benefits for himself.
Ben-Gurion's brilliant performance in the 1956 Changing History Drama on the World Stage will be remembered by the then 7-year-old Netanyahu for the rest of his life.
First, old Europe did not give up its life
After the Atlantics circumnavigated the Cape of Good Hope and "discovered the American continent" at the end of the 15th century, opening up new shipping routes, the center of the world gradually shifted to Europe, and the power was concentrated on the two nation-states of England and France.
After the Europeans who had accumulated for hundreds of years were full-fledged, they came back to the idea of the nearest direct route from Europe to the East. A glance at the world map shows that the choice is obvious: digging the Isthmus of Suez between the Nile Delta and the Sinai Peninsula, a canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, and the voyage of Atlantic Europeans to the East will save 10,000 kilometers than circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope. What's more, the calm Mediterranean-Red Sea route is much safer and more comfortable than the stormy Cape of the storm!
Britain and France are good**, colonizing the world in competition, and achieving world hegemony for Europeans while loving and killing each other.
It took the French 10 years and huge investments, and 120,000 lives for Egypt, a coolie laborer, to finally dig the Suez Canal between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and in 1869, the Suez Canal was officially opened. In 1875, Britain took advantage of the canal company's poor management and used foreign debt to force Egypt, which had an empty treasury, to sell 44% of its shares in the canal to itself. In May 1882, the British took advantage of the opportunity of the French ** ship to go to Tunisia to suppress the riot and not be in Egypt, shelled Alexandria and landed; In August, British cavalry moved into the canal and took full control of the Suez Canal, which became a state within a state in Egypt. But he didn't do it and still kept more than 50% of the shares in France. Money can give the French a little more, but life must be in their own hands, this is the British way of thinking.
Subsequently, the British made great efforts to completely control the Suez Canal, the "lifeline of the empire", and laid out interlocking layouts in the Middle East. In order to ensure the safety and security of the entire Red Sea shipping lane, the British actually operated most of the time divide and rule, and multi-party containment and balance, so as to facilitate mediation and calmly take advantage. But yesThe Suez Canal, the "lifeblood" of EuropeanswithThe "heart" of the Arabs, Palestine, the British must be firmly in their own hands to rest assured.
After the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union joined hands to pass the "Arab-Jewish Partition Resolution" in Palestine, depriving the British of the "right to rule".Withdrawn from the Arab "heart-to-heart".of the British,More attention is paid to the Suez Canal, the "lifeblood" of EuropeansAnyway, you have to take care of it, otherwise the British Empire will collapse completely.
However, the house leak happened to be rainy and rainy, and the British, who had already reached the decline of hegemony, had a bad fate, but they encountered the challenge of the Egyptian strongman Nasser.
Second, Nasser wants to slap his face
Why is Nasser eyeing the Suez Canal again? It's also a penny that stumps a hero!
After the opening of the Suez Canal, tolls were collected very well, but huge wealth continued to flow into the pockets of British and French capitalists. In 1955, the canal profit was $100 million, but Egypt could only get a share of $3 million, or only 3% of the total. Keeping the greatest source of wealth in the hands of "foreigners" is undoubtedly a time bomb for an independent country that triggers political unrest, and anyone who snoops on the regime can use this reason to attack the ruling authorities that have done nothing in this regard. What's more, it's already dependentThe "723 Revolution" began to overthrow the "British puppet" Farouk royal familyNasser inevitably needs to show a tough diplomatic style to the outside world.
Nasser himself is even more ambitious. Soon after he came to power, he published his own pamphlet, "Philosophy of Revolution", which clearly pointed outEgypt is located at the "intersection of the three rings" of the Arab Circle, the African Circle, and the Islamic CircleIt is also a center of gravity in the fight against Western colonialism, so Egypt should play a special role in the Arab world and become the vanguard of the movement for Arab unity. Aspire to do it"Heroes of the Three Rings" (Arab Heroes + African Heroes + Islamic Heroes).Nasser dreamed of taking advantage of Egypt's unique international position to lead Egypt to create a pioneer of African independence, to be the standard-bearer of the Arab world, and to be the leader of the Islamic world.
For Egypt, whether it is focusing on domestic construction or eager to expand its international influence, the Nile River and the Suez Canal are the two major geopolitical capitals on which it depends for survival and development.
In order to tap into the Nile's potential to create material wealth, Nasser decided to build it in the middle valleyAswan Dam, which can keep water in Egypt, expand the irrigated area, and turn the desert into fertile land; It can also use the water energy stored in the high dam to increase power generation, service industry, industrial production and people's livelihood. The Aswan Dam would be the equivalent of creating another Nile for Egypt, doubling Egypt's agricultural output and doubling its population and becoming self-sufficient. Nasser attached great importance to the construction of the Aswan Dam, comparing it to the new pyramids of Egypt, and for such a huge project, the capital is the most important.
At that time, the dam was expected to cost $1 billion, and Western countries and the World Bank initially agreed to lend $70 million, but Egypt refused to impose harsh conditions, Britain and France announced that they would withdraw their "aid" commitments, and the World Bank loan was cancelled. Nasser's impulsiveness can be imagined"It's not the withdrawal of aid, it's an attack on our regime... Even if we can only dig with our hands, we have to build it... Egypt will never give in to dollars and force. ”
Egypt, of course, can't be true"You can only dig with your hands".After all, the Suez Canal, which has long profited from logistics channels, is a much larger and more reliable source of wealth than the oil industry of its deep-pocketed Arab neighbors. In order to provide stable funding for the Aswan Dam, Nasser made a major decision to nationalize the Suez Canal Company in Egypt and use the proceeds from the canal to build the dam.
On the evening of July 26, 1956, 250,000 people were celebrating the fourth anniversary of the overthrow of the Farouk dynasty in Manchia Square, a large port on Mount Pressure, Egypt. Nasser delivered an inspirational speech at the rally, in which he solemnly declared that Egypt would nationalize the Suez Canal, transfer the company's property to Egypt, and Egypt would be responsible for the canal's navigation.
"Compatriots, today the Suez Canal is nationalized. We have won today's victory with our own sweat and tears, with the heroic souls of the martyrs and the lives of the laborers who lost their lives a hundred years ago in order to develop the canal. ”
"The Egyptian people have taken back what is rightfully theirs. The Suez Canal will support the cost of the Aswan Dam, and it will be more than enough. We will continue our victories and build a new country that is truly independent politically and economically. ”
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptian crowds, as a matter of course, burst into enthusiastic cheers in the square. And the Israeli "Father of the Nation" who listens to the radio from afarBen-Gurion, also heartily sent out a happy smile.
He knows,Here's your chance!
3. Israel is willing to play a supporting role
Nasser's mid-door sniper and slapped him directly in the face, which was too ruthless. Although Egypt's measure to take back the Suez Canal to safeguard national independence and national sovereignty has been widely supported by Arab countries and the people, it has also met with desperate opposition from European countries, especially Britain and France, which have been slapped in the face several times.
British Prime Minister Eden was furious and shouted to the outside world:"Egypt's arbitrary decision to nationalize the Suez Canal has harmed the interests of the people of many countries. The United Kingdom is consulting with other countries on the dangerous situation created by nationalization... If Nasser's nationalization of the Canal succeeds, then what we need to eat will depend on one man's breath. ”
Aiden claimed:The fate of the British Empire was at stake in the future of the canal, even if it was necessary to resort to force. France** also used various means to put pressure on Egypt to demand that Nasser abandon his nationalization claims. The American newspapers fanned the flames and exclaimed"Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal marks the end of the historical era of colonialism! ”(This is not bad in theory, but the meaning of erecting seedlings to coax the arch fire is too obvious.) ）
On August 2, Britain and France enlisted the United States to issue a joint statement saying that the canal"Always of an international character".and deserve it"International Management"., denying Egypt's sovereignty over the canal. Britain, France, the United States, and other countries also convened a conference in London to discuss the Suez Canal issue, but the meeting failed to reach an agreement because of the great differences between the participating countries. Of course, the United States has its own little ninety-nine, which not only wants to instigate Britain and France to do stupid things, but also wants to keep itself from getting dirty and ruining its reputation.
At the same time, Britain and France gathered a large number of sea, land and air military forces in the eastern Mediterranean, froze Egypt's deposits in their own banks, and instructed their merchant ships not to pay toll taxes to Egypt when they passed through Egypt, so as to carry out military threats and economic sanctions against Egypt.
On 23 September, Britain and France submitted the canal issue to the United Nations for discussion, and the United States and the Soviet Union unexpectedly worked side by side, jointly vetoing the British and French proposal for Egypt to accept international management, and instead adopted six principles at the Security Council on 13 October, including respecting Egypt's sovereignty and guaranteeing free navigation.
Britain and France were again slapped by the United States and the Soviet Union, and the attempt to "jointly manage" the Suez Canal was declared a failure, and they became angry and ashamed. The violent British and French decided to use force to solve the problem. Ben-Gurion understoodIsrael jumped out and played a supporting role in soy sauce, acting as a pawn for Britain and France, and seeking the greatest interests for the JewsThe opportunity has finally arrived!
There is no time to lose. The nationalization of the Suez Canal created an opportunity for Moses Dayan and others, Nasser's "726 Declaration" triggered Ben-Gurion to make up his mind, and the gap between the United States and the Soviet Union and Britain and France on the one handover between the old and new powers, gave the Israeli army a stage to perform sorties. After all, World War II emptied Britain and France, and in order to solve the problem of insufficient troops, France first proposed to invite Israel to join. Israel had long been eager to hear this call, and the three countries soon joined forces to reach an agreement.
On October 13, 1956, the United Nations Security Council vetoed the proposal for the "international management" of the Suez Canal, and on the same day that the sovereignty of Egypt was respected, France and Israel agreed on a battle plan, and on the 14th, the British and French high-level officials held a secret meeting at the country house in Aiden to formulate a joint war plan for invading Egypt.
The three-nation plan decided that Israel would first launch an attack on the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula to attract the support of the main force of the Egyptian army; Then Britain and France sent planes from Cyprus, Malta, Aden, and aircraft carriers to bomb Egypt and destroy Egyptian military bases; Then, British and French troops landed at Port Said and attacked the Canal Zone, cutting off the retreat of the Egyptian army;In the end, Israel occupied the entire Sinai Peninsula, and Britain and France occupied the Canal Zone of the Sinai Peninsula to annihilate the Egyptian army.
4. The Jews are in Aqaba
At 16:20 p.m. on October 29, 1956, with the first Israeli assault force of 500 people, parachuted in the central part of the Sinai Peninsula, called"Suez Canal War".The Second Middle East War officially began.
But for the Israelis, they prefer to call this war"Sinai Campaign".。As the pawns of the war and the main force of the land war, the focus has never been on the Suez Canal, which is regarded as the lifeblood of Britain, France and other old European powers, and they are willing to do whatever they are willing to do desperatelyGulf of Aqaba
In November 1947, the first core of Zionism, the founding of the country with long sleeves and good dancing**WeizmannThe greatest achievement of his continued diplomatic efforts was to fight for the Negev and the Gulf of Aqaba for the Jews.
Weizman whispered a plea in a memo to Truman** in the United States:"Aqaba, located at the southern end of the Red Sea and the Negev, is the only gateway for the Jewish state to enter the Indian Ocean to India, the Far East, Australia, and New Zealand, and is the main route through which the Jewish state develops relations with these regions. In order to accommodate European refugees, the Jewish state will strive to develop its industrial and ** potential. If Aqaba falls into Arab hands, it will become a permanent threat to the Jewish state, which already has access to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba via Transjordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. ”
Truman was persuaded by Weizmann that the Jews diplomatically won over the Negev desert, which covered 40 percent of the total area of the region, and allowed the land to reach the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea through the Strait of Tiran. Port Eilat in the Gulf of AqabaIt is Israel's only port in the Indian Ocean water system, with the Mediterranean coastJaffa PortwithPort of HaifaThree of them form the same land of IsraelThe "iron triangle" fulcrum of the external world to ventilate and invigorate the blood
If the Egyptians only blocked the Suez Canal, the Israelis didn't really care, they could use the ports of Jaffa and Haifa in the eastern Mediterranean to communicate with Europe and the United States in the west, and then use the port of Eilat at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba to open up the connection with the world in the east, especially the oil with Iran at that time**.
After the First Middle East War, Israel was unable to get a drop of oil from the Arabs, despite being on the world's richest geographical plate. The only major suppliers of oil to Israel in this sector are the Persians, who also share ethnic and religious contradictions with the Arabs.
At that time, transportIranian oilThe ship can only enter Israel mainland through the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea Channel,said the shipGulf of AqabaThe end point on the tip of this homeland knife isIsrael's national veinsNot too much at all.
In 1956, Nasser**, who felt that he was in power and had already controlled the situation, demanded that all British troops be withdrawn and sovereignty over the Suez Canal should be recovered in order to seek the true independence of Egypt. At the same time, for the sake of the friendship of the Arab world, Egypt has blocked the Gulf of Aqaba and prevented Israeli ships from passing through the Strait of Tirang and the Suez Canal.
Egypt occupies a favorable geographical position in the Sinai Peninsula, which can be flanked in the west and Egypt proper, where the Nile River basin is located, can easily block the Suez Canal and block the shipping routes related to the lifeblood of Britain and the United States. In the east, in alliance with Saudi Arabia, or on its own, it can effortlessly blockade the Gulf of Aqaba and block Israel's oil imports. In this way, it is not surprising that Israel was drawn into the alliance of Britain and France in the "Suez Canal War".
The course of the second Middle East war was lackluster, and there were no brilliant examples to speak of. On the afternoon of October 29, Israel dispatched 450,000 troops, under the cover of the British and French air forces, launched a full-front attack on the Sinai Peninsula in four directions, and Egypt also announced a national mobilization to attack without showing weakness. The two sides fought for a total of eight days, and under the joint pressure of the United States and the Soviet Union, they "mediated," and on the afternoon of November 6, Britain, France, and Israel were forced to declare a ceasefire. During the war, Egypt killed more than 1,600 people and wounded more than 4,500; On the Israeli side, 189 people were killed and 889 wounded; Britain and France had 150 people.
Ben-Gurion appeared extremely intoxicated in his speech to parliament on November 7, 1956, in which he made a high-profile declaration that the Sinai campaign was"The greatest and most brilliant military campaign in the annals of the Jewish people, and one of the most remarkable examples in the history of the world."
Is this really the case? Netanyahu Jr., who was 7 years old at the time, blinked, and to answer this question, I am afraid that we have to consider why the Israeli army withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in March 1957.
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