Definition of suez crisis in English English dictionary
the events in 1956 that followed the decision by the government of Egypt to take control of the Suez Canal. Before this, the canal was owned and operated by a foreign company. When Egypt took control, the UK and France sent ships and soldiers to the area to try to get the canal back. This attempt failed, and it was criticized by most other countries, including the US and the former Soviet Union. The British and French forces left Egypt after a few months, and the British Prime Minister, Anthony Eden, gave up his position as a result of this. For many people in the UK, the Suez Crisis was a serious defeat and a sign that the UK was no longer an important international power. In the UK, the Suez Crisis is often simply called Suez. (1956) International crisis that arose when Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal after Western countries withdrew promised financial aid to build the Aswan High Dam. The French and British, who had controlling interests in the company that owned the canal, sent troops to occupy the canal zone. Their ally Israel seized the Sinai Peninsula. International opposition quickly forced the French and British out, and Israel withdrew in 1957. The incident led to the resignation of Britain's prime minister, Anthony Eden, and was widely perceived as heralding the end of Britain as a major international power. Nasser's prestige, by contrast, soared within the developing world. See also Arab-Israeli Wars