Israel's dream: the Ben Gurion Canal
Concurrent with Israel's attacks on Gaza, the Ben Gurion Canal project, first proposed as an alternative to the Suez Canal in the 1960s, became the center of discussion. So what exactly is this channel project? When did it appear? Is it feasible?
As Israel continues its attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip, the long-debated Ben Gurion Canal project is back on the agenda.
Named after Israel's founder David Ben Gurion and developed in the late 1960s, the canal project aims to be an alternative to the Suez Canal, a major shipping route connecting Europe and Asia.
To understand the motivation behind the project, it is necessary to examine the Suez Canal, the 1956 attack by the Tripartite (Britain, France, and Israel) and the dramatic changes that would occur in world trade with the closure of the canal. Nevertheless, the connection between the bloodshed in Gaza and this project is often mentioned by many experts.
Now let's get down to the details, starting with David Ben Gurion, after whom the channel is named.
Who is Ben Gurion?
David Ben Gurion (1886-1973) was a famous Polish Zionist leader who is known as the founder of Israel.
Ben-Gurion is known as the Zionist leader who ordered the Zionist militias to expel Palestinians en masse from their land and exterminate those who did not adapt, and who created the conditions for the influx of Jewish immigrants from all over the world to Palestine.
In 1948, Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the State of Israel and became Israel's first prime minister.
What is the Ben Gurion Canal project?
The project called "Ben Gurion Canal" is intended to connect the Gulf of Aqaba with the Mediterranean Sea. The project was first proposed by the British in the mid-1800s in order to reach India via an alternative route.
However, the technological possibilities of the time did not allow the implementation of the project. After the nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1963, the project was again raised by the United States. This time, the project turned into the construction of a sea-level canal through nuclear blasts across the Najaf desert in southern Israel, near Egypt and Jordan.
At the time, the project, estimated to cost $575 billion, was shelved again, fearing major opposition from Arab states.
On August 13, 2020, the signing of the peace agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, known as the Abraham Accord, mediated by US President Donald Trump, brought the project back on the agenda.
At that time, it was even said that the project would start in 2021. However, no concrete steps have been taken on the project so far.
Why is Israel proposing the project?
In 1888, the "International Treaty of Istanbul" signed by the major European powers of that time guaranteed the free passage of all ships through the Suez Canal in times of war and peace.
However, following Egyptian President Jamal Abdel Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956, the establishment of Israel in 1948, and the violent displacement of Palestinians known as the Nakba, the canal was closed several times.
From 1948 to 1950, Egypt blocked Israeli shipping access to the canal, affecting its trade with Africa and Asia and restricting its ability to import oil from the Persian Gulf region.
The Suez Canal was closed to all international shipping in 1956 when an alliance of Israel, England and France gained control of the canal in an attempt to oust Nasser from power.
The closure of the canal, meanwhile, dealt a significant and unexpected blow to world trade and sent shockwaves through the world of global commerce.
The construction of an alternative to the Suez Canal, especially one under the jurisdiction of Israel, a major Western ally, would eliminate the ability of Egypt to use the Suez Canal and the Straits of Tiran as leverage against Israel or its allies.
Economic achievements
The Suez Canal is important for the Egyptian economy. Egypt receives a large amount of revenue from tolls collected from ships passing through the canal.
An estimated 20,649 ships passed through the Suez Canal in 2021; this is 10% more than in 2020. In 2022, the annual income from transit fees was 8 billion dollars.
Suez Canal set a new record with revenue of $9.4 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
The canal will not only bring direct income to Egypt, but will also attract investment to the country, stimulate the development of services and industry.
If built, the Ben Gurion Canal would compete with the Suez Canal and pose a major financial threat to Egypt.
If implemented, the project would make up almost a third of the 193.3-kilometer Suez Canal, and would give whoever controls it an incredibly significant influence on global oil, grain and shipping routes.
The Gaza massacre and the channel
The Ben Gurion Canal, which is the dream of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is planned to be built as an alternative to Suez, will stretch from the Gaza-Ashkelon area to the Red Sea.
As you can see on the maps, Gaza is in the middle of the second major canal planned to be built in the region. In addition, Israel's forced displacement of Gazans reinforces the claim that this channel is one of the targets of its ongoing war.
Because while Israel was clearing people from the north of Gaza, it also began shooting at those moving to the south. When read together with the claims of Gazans being deported to the Sinai Peninsula, it is clear that there is life in the speculation about the canal. Experts on the subject note that Israel and the United States have been waiting for the opportunity to implement this project for many years.
So, is the situation favorable for the Ben Gurion Canal? The events that will happen in the region in the near future will answer this question.
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