1. Egypt participated in the war because of a strong anti-British feeling prevailing in Cairo at that time.

2. Britain was regarded as the major enemy of Arab as well as Egyptian nationalism both before and after 1952.

3. Egypt was committed to the policy of non- alignment or positive neutralism and refused to sign the Baghdad Pact in 1955.

4. Furthermore, in 1955, Israel had carried air raids into Egypt especially in the Gaza Strip.

5. The Jews had very strong reasons to invade Egypt in 1956. Since 1953, Egypt had been carrying raids into the Jewish State.

6. Further still, Israel was worried by the power of Egyptian as well as Arab nationalism. The state of Israel had Just been recently created (i.e. 1948) through grabbing the Arab land.

7. Israel had wanted to extend her imperialism to Africa and to Asia. However, Egypt was looked at as a stumbling block to the Jews realization of their political dreams.

8. Right from the beginning of World War II, France was very sympathetic to the Jews as people who had suffered so much in the hands of Hitler of Germany.

9. Britain was dismayed i.e. irritated by strong anti-British feelings which Nasser had caused in Cairo. This was seen to be dangerous to the British political and economic interests in the region.

10. Not only that but also the Egyptian revolution had undermined the British role in Egypt. However, Britain still wanted to maintain a base in Egypt and indeed in the whole of the Arab region so as to be a Middle Eastern power.

11. Besides, Britain still wished to continue controlling the Suez Canal because it was the shortest and the cheapest route to the oil producing Gulf States. But Egypt had rendered this ambition almost unattainable.

12. Furthermore, Britain was annoyed with Egypt's role in the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the period 1952 - 55.

13. The immediate cause of the Suez Canal war came in the middle of 1956. Britain, USA and the World Bank had refused to give Egypt loans to finance the prestigious Aswan High Dam along the Nile.

14. Similarly, following the rejection of the west to finance the irrigation and power project at Aswan, Nasser took a big step and nationalised the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956 with a view to get funds from the Suez Canal users to finance the Aswan High Dam.

15. The nationalisation of the canal caused conflicts between Egypt and the canal users. It gave Britain and France a pretext to get involved on the side of their shareholders against Egypt.

16. Nasser turned out to be the biggest obstacle to the western interests in the Middle East.

17. Hence, with the full knowledge and support of France, Britain and the USA, Israel invaded the Sinai Peninsula on 29.10.1956