Following the Suez War, Israel defined any interference with its freedom of navigation through the Straits of Tiran as a casus belli. Despite acceptance by the international community, Egypt’s opposed position remained intact. Hence, to prevent the reoccurrence of war, a complex set of tacit understandings and arrangements was reached between the opponents during 1957. Under these circumstances and a veil of secrecy, Egypt acquiesced to the passage of Israeli ships in the Straits while Israel — uncertain about its legal rights and preferring economic considerations to quibbling over sovereignty — accepted various limitations.

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