Armistice Violated

"Egypt has refused to accept the possibility of peace." Despite Article 3 of the Armistice that any country calling for a peace conference should be accepted by the other party, Israeli overtures were always rejected. Since 1949 there was a constant pattern of commando raids, especially from the Gaza Strip, which was increasing last year. Egypt would not settle her refugees but used them to stir up trouble. There was a move towards Arab unification with the possibility of a combined attack against the Jewish State.

Israel was, moreover, needing more and more to find a direct route to the East to redress its unfavourable balance of trade. Accordingly it launched a preventive war with Egypt—with the positive gain that as a result the approach to Eilath was freed and the Arabs divided.