The Straits of Tiran represent one of the most significant strategic chokepoints in the Middle East, serving as the only maritime access for Israel to the Red Sea. Situated between the Sinai Peninsula and the Saudi Arabian coast, this narrow passage connects the Gulf of Aqaba to the larger Red Sea basin. In May 1967, the closure of this waterway by the Egyptian government under President Gamal Abdel Nasser became the primary catalyst for the Six-Day War. For Israel, the blockade was not merely a diplomatic provocation but a direct threat to its economic survival and national sovereignty.
Background / History
The historical roots of the 1967 crisis trace back to the aftermath of the 1956 Suez Crisis, also known as the Sinai Campaign. Following Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula in early 1957, the international community, led by the United States and France, provided formal assurances regarding maritime security. A memorandum of understanding between Israel and the US confirmed that Israel would consider any future blockade a legitimate reason for a military response under Article 51 of the UN Charter. To guarantee this status quo, the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was deployed at Sharm el-Sheikh to act as a buffer and monitor the straits.
This ten-year period of relative quiet was shattered in mid-May 1967 when Nasser ordered the immediate withdrawal of UNEF troops from the Sinai border and the Sharm el-Sheikh positions. On May 22, 1967, Nasser officially announced that the Straits of Tiran were closed to all ships flying the Israeli flag or carrying strategic materials like oil to the port of Eilat. This announcement was coupled with bellicose rhetoric, suggesting that Egypt was prepared for an all-out conflict to liberate Palestine. Israel’s leadership viewed this as a clear violation of the 1957 agreements and international maritime law.
Key Facts
- On May 22, 1967, Egypt officially closed the Straits of Tiran to all Israeli shipping and strategic goods.
- The blockade cut off Eilat, Israel's only port for oil imports, which provided 90 percent of the nation's fuel.
- Israel had declared in 1957 that any closure of the Straits would be considered a formal act of war.
Analysis
The legal arguments surrounding the Straits of Tiran were complex and deeply rooted in maritime conventions regarding international waterways. Under the 1958 Geneva Convention on