Secret 1956 agreement between France, Israel and the United Kingdom concerning the Suez Crisis
A secret tripartite pact between Israel, France, and the UK that directly triggered the 1956 Suez Crisis through coordinated military and political collusion against Egypt.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 24 October 1956
- Negotiation period
- 22–24 October 1956
- Parties involved
- Israel, France, United Kingdom
- Target action
- Invasion and occupation of the Suez Canal zone
- Crisis start date
- 29 October 1956
- Trigger event
- Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal, 26 July 1956
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
On 26 July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, alarming France and the United Kingdom, who relied heavily on the waterway, and prompting Israel, which faced Egyptian hostility, to seek a military alliance against Nasser's government.
Between 22 and 24 October 1956, representatives of Israel, France, and the United Kingdom met secretly in Sèvres, France, and concluded the Protocol of Sèvres — a covert agreement coordinating a joint invasion and occupation of the Suez Canal zone to topple Colonel Nasser.
The protocol set in motion the Suez Crisis, with Israel launching its attack on 29 October 1956, followed by Anglo-French intervention. International pressure, particularly from the United States and the Soviet Union, ultimately forced a ceasefire and withdrawal, exposing the diminished global power of Britain and France.
Political Outcome
The secret pact triggered the Suez Crisis; military operations began 29 October 1956 but were halted under international pressure, resulting in a withdrawal of all invading forces and a significant loss of prestige for the UK and France.
France and the UK retained significant post-imperial influence over the Suez Canal region
US and Soviet intervention exposed the limits of Anglo-French power, accelerating decolonization and shifting regional influence