"Warriors at Suez Eisenhower Takes America into The Middle East" Nasser, Israel, The West and the Muslim Brotherhood

Submitted by dhimmi no more, Feb 1, 2019 at 06:51

Dr Pipes,

There is so much we don't know about Nasser. However, we know that in late 1954 and following the attempted assassination by a member of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) in Alexandria, he realized that the MB is a real threat not just to him but to Egypt and in due time to the West. However, early on he was not interested in the "usual Arabs expressions of hatred for Israel" He believed that he can have real peace with Israel and concentrate on fighting the real home grown enemy the MB.

Nasser was talking to the US envoy Henry Byroade in Egypt and made it clear that "If the West wanted peace in the Middle East, Nasser argued, then it had to sell Egypt weapons to make it strong" And the strength is needed to combat Egypt's enemies from within (the MB) as well as "only strong Egypt could take the risk of sitting down with Israel to talk peace"

Nasser also told Byroade that his emissaries had been "secretly meeting with Israeli officials in Europe during the past year (1953-1954) while Sharett was the prime minster"

We really do not know much about what went on in these meetings,

Nasser also was talking to the press and politicians in the West including Kennett Love of the NYT and the British Zionist Richard Crossman. The message was clear: Egypt wants peace. And the West should sell arms to Egypt so Nasser can combat the MB as well as deter any external aggression from Israel

Then on 2/28/1955 the Gaza raid took place and any hope for peace with Israel ended.

Here is a link to Donald Neff's book

https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Suez-Eisenhower-America-Middle/dp/0671410105

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