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Seizing Opportunities: Israel and the 1958 Crisis in the Middle East

The 1958 crisis was a crucial event in Middle Eastern history. It was a significant development in the emergence of a militant Arab nationalism which crystallized behind Nasser's leadership, and it emphasized the division within the Arab world between the pro-Soviet and the pro-Western camps. For some of those involved, however, the event had a particularly critical impact. The landing of US Marines in Beirut and of British soldiers in Amman in July 1958 saved the Lebanese government and King Hussein from being overthrown by pro-Nasserist forces. For Jordan, the result was even more remarkable, as the crisis removed a longstanding threat by Israel, which, albeit subtly and behind the scenes, had sought the dismemberment of the Jordanian kingdom. The crisis consolidated Jordan's position and removed the Israeli threat.' Existing studies of the crisis concentrate mainly on the involvement of the United States and Britain. However, the crisis was also a major event in the history of the Cold War in the Middle East and of great importance in the history of inter-Arab relations, as it sharpened the existence of two camps in the Arab world: the pro-Nasserists who were affiliated with the Eastern Bloc, and the anti-Nasserists associated with the West. These were also the main points of view of scholarly studies of the crisis.2 The story of Israel's role in the crisis remains largely untold.3 It is said to have played a 'quite limited and marginal' role in the crisis, having become involved in it indirectly, yet seized the emerging opportunity, revealing the inventive and responsive nature of Israeli diplomacy. A detailed examination of Israel's part in the crisis adds another dimension to the understanding of the episode and its consequences, as well as demonstrating the ability of Israeli diplomacy to seek out opportunities and exploit them. At the same time, it exposes Israel's vulnerability, compounded as it is of a sense of power and self-confidence, a deep sense of insecurity and its constant pursuit of security.