660 Chapter 5
On February 28, 1955, Israel launched the Operation Black Arrow. This raid on the
Gaza aimed at the Egyptian army base killed 37 Egyptians killed and 28 wounded. In
May 1955, border clashes between the IDF and Egyptian border forces resulted in the
deaths of six Egyptians and six Israelis. In August 1955, Egyptian forces fired on UN
and Israeli surveyors within the zone. On August 22, Israel retaliated by attacking an
Egyptian bunker and killed four Egyptians; Israel also attacked Egyptian posts again
eight days later. In September, there was a brief ceasefire, but border clashes contin-
ued. In April 1956 both Israel and Egypt launched attacks that resulted in the deaths
of numerous civilians; the attacks continued through September.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from January 24, 1953. End Date changed from
October 6, 1956.
MID#200
Dispute Number: 200
Date(s): September 1, 1955 to November 6, 1956
Participants: 365 Russia, 651 Egypt/2 United States of America, 200 United King-
dom, 220 France, 666 Israel
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side B (Imposed)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: This dispute describes the Suez Crisis of 1956 that led to the Sinai War of
the same year. Egypt had become a conundrum among the Western powers. Formerly
a British protectorate that only gained system membership when the protectorate for-
mally ended in 1936, the Egyptians sat out World War II (though Egyptian facilities
were used by the Allied powers) and tried to pursue a middle way with respect to the
ongoing Cold War. That changed with the emergence of Israel and when Nasser came
to power in Egypt. Egypt was Israel’s main enemy the day it gained statehood. Fur-
ther, Soviet disposition toward Israel considered its emergence to be a result of bour-
geois nationalism. Egypt found a sympathetic ally with the Soviets and fell into the
Soviet camp when Nasser arrived in power and pursued a policy hostile to the West.
The removal of all British personnel from the Suez Canal was part of this policy.
When the Suez Canal was nationalized, the British personnel on site were forcibly
removed and Israel was then shut out of an important part of its trade.
The Soviets used its veto power in the United Nations to thwart any resolu-
tion on the matter. Britain, France, and Israel opted instead for punitive action
on Egypt. The allies routed the Egyptians, leaving the Americans and Soviets as
the principal contestants of the Cold War to plea for a ceasefire to minimize the
chances of a broader war. The United States in particular played a very strong hand
in forcing Britain out of Egypt. A UN-led ceasefire came into effect on November
6, 1956, which was administered by a UN peacekeeping force. Britain and France
were finally coerced to give up the territory it had acquired during the conflict,
vacating Egypt on December 22. Israel finally gave up the Gaza Strip on March
1957.