By Hussain Sana
In 1956, Britain, France and the Zionist entity launched a coordinated attack on Egypt following its sovereign decision to nationalize the Suez Canal. The operation, codenamed "Musketeer”, was the result of a proven conspiracy. This historical event explains why some Arabs are still paranoid and harbor suspicions about global conspiracies against them.
Since Egypt’s nationalization decision was legal, the UK and France needed a pretext to justify military intervention. They secretly approached the Zionist government, led by David Ben-Gurion, who agreed to stage an attack on Egypt in Sinai, threatening traffic in the Canal. The Zionist offensive began on October 29, 1956, and the next day, a joint Anglo-French statement was issued, calling on both sides to withdraw to within 10 km of each side of the Canal, or face intervention.
At the time, Zionist forces were still about 100 km away. The Zionists accepted the ultimatum (quelle surprise!), while Egypt refused. Over the following week, a joint Anglo-French air and sea offensive targeted Port Said until Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser managed to leverage Soviet and American diplomacy, pitting the two rising powers against the declining empires of France and Britain.
Who said colonialism is dead? History seems to repeat itself, or perhaps not. The theatrics of 1956 have resurfaced. British and French foreign ministers are visiting Tel Aviv (or is it Jerusalem by now?), not to question the 40,000 civilian casualties or verify the 15,000 "neutralized” babies allegedly linked to Hamas, but to reassure their product and announce another charming statement for future generations to laugh at history.
No wonder we struggle to preach human rights and democracy to the people in this region — look where they came from! No wonder there is all this resentment and otherness towards the West — are those resentful oriental people to blame for their hate?!
Zionist audacity is evident once again. Zionist Foreign Minister Israel Katz has announced that they expect the UK and France to assist in striking Iran if it retaliates, essentially dragging them into a conflict that might not be theirs (or is it?). As one Lebanese writer mockingly noted: "Western countries condemned the Iran and Hezbollah attacks that haven’t happened yet, while remaining silent on Zionist escalations and attacks that have already occurred in Iran and Lebanon.”
The Zionist entity’s existence is deeply rooted in colonialism and British mandate policies in Palestine, which facilitated the creation of such an entity. Arabs faced repeated suppression in the 1920s and 1930s, while Zionists enjoyed autonomy in shaping their destiny in Palestine. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was established with the blessings of Herbert Samuel, a Zionist Jew and the British High Commissioner for Palestine.
Arabs were executed for possessing rifles, while Zionist gangs and militias were funded, trained and armed under the eyes of the British. The Zionist entity would not have continued to survive if it wasn’t a front for foreign interests and a protectorate of imperial superpowers, along with the shameful Arab political and military performance in defending Palestine until today. The recent joint statements are further proof of this ongoing reality.