the years following the creation of the Israeli state. Direct confrontation occurred in 1956, 1967, and 1973 (Neff 27). Israel's forces invaded Egyptian territory on October 30, 1956. The official explanation was that this was no more than a police action to wipe out the Egyptian fedayeen concentrations in the Sinai Peninsula. It was really a preventive war, says Lenczowski, to destroy Egypt's military potential before it was too late; to inflict a blow to Nasser's prestige; to force Egypt to open the Suez Canal and the Tiran Strait; and to reopen the question of an Arab-Israeli peace settlement. Israel's military operation was successful. Eisenhower called on Israel to abide by the rules of peace and international law and to withdraw unconditionally from the Gaza Strip, which Israel did on March 9, 1957 (Lenczowski).
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