The 1956 Sinai Campaign
In the early 1950s, Egypt violated the terms of the Armistice Agreement it had signed with Israel after the 1948 War of Independence. They blocked Israeli ships from passing through the Suez Canal, a major international waterway. It also began to block traffic through the Straits of Tiran linking the port of Eilat, in the south of Israel, to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. This seriously damaged Israel's trade with Asia.
The Arab fedayun/fedayeen from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria continued to infiltrate across the border in order to maintain their attacks against Jewish civilians and military outposts. Arab infiltration and Israeli retaliation became a regular pattern and though Israel hoped its reactionary behavior would discourage more invasions, in 1955 alone, 260 Israeli innocent civilians were murdered or wounded by fedayeen.
In July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, threatening British and French interests in oil supplies and western trade.
Since everyone had converging interests, Israel, Britain, and France planned an attack on Egypt, and on October 29, 1956, Israel began its assault on Egyptian military positions. She captured the whole of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. On October 31, 1956, France and Britain joined in and the hostilities ended on November 5, 1956, only seven days after it began. Israel didn't withdraw until 1957.
The United States had no knowledge of this attack, voiced strong opposition (due to its fear of the USSR and its interest in the Middle East), and urged Israel to withdraw from Egyptian territory. The UN stationed itself along the Egypt-Israeli border to prevent a blockage and further infiltrations, but Israel warned them that if Egypt blockaded the Gulf of Aqaba, it wouldn't hold back.
After the 1956 Suez Crisis
There was an uneasy truce after the Suez Crisis, but Arab states started competing among themselves for power and dominance. To quiet internal dissent, the governments expanded and strengthened their anti-Israel feelings.
Palestine Liberation Organization
In 1964, to continue the war against Israel, the Arab states, at the first Arab League Summit meeting, formed the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization). It had the purpose of creating an independent State of Palestine through armed struggle. The group used guerrilla tactics to attack Israel from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. The US and Israel considered it a terrorist organization until the Madrid Conference for peace in 1991, when the PLO decided to grow an alleged 'political' branch.
The PLO has a nominal legislative body, the Palestinian National Council (PNC), but most of their power is controlled by the PLO Executive Committee, made up of 18 people elected by the PNC. Yasser Arafat was the chamber of the PLO Executive Committee from 1969 until his death in 2004.
He was succeeded by Mahmoud Abbas (a.k.a. Abu Mazen). He is also a member of the Fatah party. He was elected to serve until January 9, 2009, but due to internal conflict, he unilaterally extended his term for another year and, since then, has not stepped down. Because of this, Hamas (Fatah's main rival and founded in 1987, to be addressed later) announced it would not recognize Abbas.
Mahmoud Abbas is a terrorist. He financed the 1972 Munich Massacre, but since he was the best of the worst (other high ranking "Palestinians" were under arrest for multiple murders), he emerged as a leader.
In February 1966, a coup d'etat took place in Syria, and the government was replaced by a union of the party's Military Committee and the Regional Command, ruled by Salah Jadid. This new government further increased the anti-Israel rhetoric as well as the infiltrations into Israeli territory.
Fatah
Fatah is formerly known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement. It has had a strong involvement in revolutionary struggle and has maintained a number of militant groups. Its charter allows anyone who believes in the liberation of Palestine to be a member. It states, "Revolution is our path to freedom, independence, and construction. It is a revolution until victory ..."
This movement and this work are a national trust and a historic responsibility. You must shoulder the precious trust and recognize the historic responsibility. You must prepare yourself to inspire the spirit of organized revolutionary work in every Arab soul that is sincere to Palestine and that believes in its liberation. Let us train ourselves to be patient and to face ordeals, bear calamities, sacrifice our souls, blood, time and effort. All these are the weapons of revolutionaries. Therefore, Brother, do not stop. With the calm of the workers, the silence of the sincere, the determination of the revolutionaries, the resolve of the believers, and the patience of the strugglers, you must act quickly because our people cannot spare a single moment after our tragedy continued throughout all those long years. You must know that our enemy is strong and the battle is ferocious and long. You must know that determination, patience, secrecy, confidentiality, adherence to the principles and goals of the revolution, keep us from stumbling and shorten the path to liberation. Go forward to revolution. Long live Palestine, free and Arab.
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