Ben-Gurion Foresaw Gaza Bombardment, Sea Burial in 1956
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Newly revealed documents from the IDF archives show that in 1956, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion warned about the security risks and international isolation of controlling the Gaza Strip. He stated that Tel Aviv could be threatened and expressed a wish for Gaza to be "swallowed by the sea" rather than annexed. Ben-Gurion also predicted future wars would involve bombing Israeli cities and killing civilians. The documents were released to mark the 70th anniversary of the Sinai Campaign.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- David Ben-Gurion warned in 1956 of the security risks and international isolation of controlling Gaza.
- Ben-Gurion stated Tel Aviv could be threatened by Egyptian forces from Gaza if not stopped.
- He expressed a wish for Gaza to be "swallowed by the sea" rather than annexed.
- Ben-Gurion predicted future wars would involve bombing Israeli cities and killing civilians.
- The documents were released by the IDF archive 70 years after the 1956 Sinai Campaign.
Seventy years after the 1956 Sinai Campaign, newly revealed historical documents from the IDF archives show that then-Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion expressed concerns about controlling the Gaza Strip. He warned of the security risks, potential international isolation, and difficulties in acquiring weapons if Israel maintained control.
In a meeting with senior IDF commanders months after the war, Ben-Gurion discussed the Gazan population and the security threat it posed. "We knew very well what the Gaza Strip was. We knew that the Gaza Strip is a malignant danger in the following respects: that there is concentrated there an Egyptian army force, which with a surprise attack can approach the outskirts of Tel Aviv, if we do not succeed in stopping it, because the Strip enters the heart of Israel," he stated. He added, "We must take it. It stands for us. If I believed in miracles, I would want it to be swallowed by the sea."
Ben-Gurion also opposed annexing Gaza, citing the addition of "300,000 Arabs, Arab citizens and others like them" as a burden. He acknowledged the dangers of Palestinian fedayeen attacks, theft, and sabotage that were already occurring, but prioritized larger strategic considerations over annexation.
He further cautioned that continued Israeli presence in Gaza could lead to severe diplomatic and moral costs, including international condemnation and the necessity of suppressing terrorism. This isolation, he warned, would hinder Israel's ability to obtain weapons for future conflicts. Ben-Gurion also predicted a devastating future war, stating, "It will not be like this in the next war. Tel Aviv will be bombed, Haifa will be bombed, and people will be killed. Not fighters. Women, children."
The documents were released as part of a new IDF archive website launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the Sinai Campaign. The site features over 4,500 photographs, documents, and maps, along with information on 149 commanders who began their careers in the War of Independence and were part of the IDF's founding command echelon.
