Posted on 10/13/2006 5:45:45 AM PDT by Nextrush
British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd speculated that some of his fellow Conservatives would hand him a bowler hat and maybe an umbrella because of his conciliatory tone towards the Egyptians at the U.N. Security Council.
But regardless of the impression of a peaceful resolution of the Suez issue in the offing, the push for a plan of action was underway.
France wanted a quick meeting to finalize details and timetables for the military operations involving the Anglo-French forces as well as the Israelis.
The French were totally committed to action although it concerned them that British generals held all the senior command positions.
This was of particular concern to Charles DeGaulle, who was kept informed of what the government was doing, even though he wasn't in it.
In order to move things forward, a summit in Paris between British and French leaders was rescheduled from October 18th to October 16th.
An official announcement in London said that Prime Minister Eden was visiting Paris early so that he could be back home for the British Motor Show.
As the leaders of Britain and France gathered together the French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau opened with an attack on American dictating of policy in the Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and proclaiming Anglo-French solidarity.
The British and French considered the timetable for an invasion of the Suez Canal area.
Assuming an Israeli attack on November 1st, it would take them four days to reach the canal area. Britain and France intended to use the Israeli-Egyptian fighting as a reason for military intervention.
They were worried about the United States intervening to stop them and felt that an attack should be launched by dawn on Tuesday November 6th. That would be Election Day and a difficult time for the Americans to get in their way.
The signing of a formal document (treaty) with Israel was discussed so that the three nations would be bound to their actions.............
After the October 16th meeting, plans went into motion and troops began to move. Diplomatic contacts with the United States were limited.
In London, it was announced that Sir Walter Monckton was leaving his post as Minister of Defence. Monckton opposed military action over Suez.
Israeli leaders to this day have held many secret meetings outside of Israel with representatives of other nations or groups.
On October 22nd, 1956 a high level Israeli delegation made a secret trip to France.
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan and Defense Ministry official Shimon Peres were among them.
The next day they sat down with Prime Minister Guy Mollet and Foreign Minister Pineau.
Ben-Gurion explained how Israel was vulnerable to attack from Egypt and that its military forces were too weak to stop air and sea attacks from the Soviet-supplied planes and ships.
He said that Israel needed to attack the Sinai to take out "fedayeen" bases that were used by terrorists raiding Israel.
Ben-Gurion believed that Nasser would unify Arabs so that Israel would be destroyed.
He told the French prime minister:
"We are condemned to death unless we fight. M. Mollet, you are a member of the resistance, a socialist and a democrat. You cannot allow us to perish. Israel's existence is at stake here today."
Mollet responded: "I shall not let that happen."
Formal agreement was reached on French air and sea cover for Israel.
Israel would mobilize on October 26th and attack October 29th.
Mollet told Ben-Gurion that France would veto any U.N. Security Council resolution branding Israel as an aggressor.
Later Foreign Secretary Lloyd joined the meeting.
The Israelis agreed to accept a French-British ultimatum to cease fire when they got to within 10 miles of the canal.
The RAF would be used to take out Egypt's air force so that it could not deter an Israeli attack.
On October 24th, the agreement was approved by the three countries.
France would be Israel's defender while the British would hold back to preserve her ties to Arab countries like Jordan and Iraq.
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