Patriot Realm

I want to take you on a journey. Through time. It will be difficult to condense so much into one short article but here I go.

And it all starts with the Suez Canal, an artificial waterway in Egypt. And it ends with the Ben Gurian Canal. So let's get to it. 

The idea of connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea dates back to ancient times, with several early attempts made by Egyptians.

However, the modern canal came into existence under French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, whose vision led to the construction of the Suez Canal by the Suez Canal Company, a French-controlled corporation.

Completed after a decade of intense labour, the canal dramatically shortened sea routes between Europe and Asia, eliminating the need to navigate around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.

For its first 87 years, the Suez Canal was under the control of the Suez Canal Company, which had strong ties to European powers, primarily Britain and France. This arrangement reflected a broader imperialist agenda, as control of the canal allowed these powers to influence global trade and extend their dominance over Middle Eastern territories.

In 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser announced the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, wresting control from the Suez Canal Company. This bold move triggered the Suez Crisis, with Britain, France, and Israel launching a military intervention in an attempt to regain control of the canal. Although militarily successful, international pressure, particularly from the United States and the Soviet Union, forced these powers to withdraw. Egypt retained control.

Today, the Suez Canal is owned and operated by Egypt through the Suez Canal Authority. Revenue from the canal represents a vital source of income for Egypt, which has continually sought to expand and modernise the waterway. 

On March 23, 2021, while transiting through the Suez Canal en route from Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, the Ever Given was caught in a sandstorm, which caused poor visibility and strong winds. The ship lost control and ran aground diagonally across the canal. Its bow and stern became wedged in the canal’s banks, effectively blocking the narrow passage.

This incident caused an immediate traffic jam of over 400 ships on both sides of the canal, stopping billions of dollars worth of goods from moving between Asia and Europe. The blockage lasted for six days and resulted in an estimated loss of $9 billion a day in trade. It created a ripple effect on the global supply chain, delaying shipments for weeks.

And then came the 7th of October attack on Israel by HAMAS  terrorists. 

Which brings me to something that I want to talk about. 

The Ben Gurion Canal proposal, sometimes referred to as the "Red-Dead Sea Canal" or simply the Israeli alternative to the Suez Canal. The canal, named after Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, envisions a link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, bypassing the Suez Canal. The idea of an alternative canal to rival Egypt's Suez Canal first gained traction in the 1960s and 1970s. 

Ariel Sharon gestures as he briefs former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion in an army trench in 1971 near the Suez Canal [Getty]

After the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel gained control of the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt closed the Suez Canal, Israel briefly held a position that could influence the region’s maritime routes. Although control of the canal was soon returned to Egypt, the closure of the Suez Canal from 1967 to 1975 during the War of Attrition and Yom Kippur War demonstrated the vulnerability of global trade flows. This closure spurred interest in exploring alternative routes, one of which was the Ben Gurion Canal.

The proposed Ben Gurion Canal would theoretically cut across the southern Negev desert in Israel, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. This would serve as a strategic bypass of the Suez Canal, giving Israel control over a vital international shipping lane and offering a direct route for global trade without passing through Egyptian-controlled waters.

From a geopolitical standpoint, this canal could have provided Israel with significant leverage, not only in the Middle East but also in global trade. It would shift the dynamics of maritime control in the region, offering a direct Israeli route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Additionally, it would allow for faster and potentially safer passage for goods to and from Europe, Africa, and Asia.

While the canal proposal was attractive for its geopolitical benefits, the canal would need to traverse the Negev desert, one of the most arid and inhospitable environments in Israel. Excavating and maintaining such a canal would involve tremendous technical and environmental challenges..  

The Gaza Strip, a small but geopolitically significant territory along the Mediterranean coast, plays a potentially crucial role in discussions surrounding the Ben Gurion Canal proposal. Its strategic location, along with the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, complicates the feasibility of any canal project. 

Gaza’s control of a portion of the Mediterranean coast creates a geographic complication. While Israel has de facto control of its waters and airspace, the presence of a population under the governance of Hamas is interesting. 

The idea of a Ben Gurion Canal bypassing the Suez Canal and connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea brings up various potential benefits and challenges for Saudi Arabia.

While Saudi Arabia is not directly involved in the proposal, the project could have both positive and negative implications for the Kingdom, depending on how it is realised. In fact, Saudi Arabia could become a very interesting player in the current situation. 

Saudi Arabia’s economy is heavily reliant on exports of oil and other resources, with a significant portion passing through the Suez Canal. A second canal could provide an alternative route for its shipments, offering more flexibility in international trade routes. If a new canal attracts significant traffic, Saudi Arabia could experience increased shipping volume through the Red Sea, which could lead to more port activity and revenue.

Saudi ports like Jeddah, located on the Red Sea, might see greater demand for shipping and logistics services. The most obvious implication of a new canal would be its competition with Egypt's Suez Canal, which generates significant revenue for Egypt and is a strategic asset. Egypt is an important ally of Saudi Arabia, and any project that undermines Egypt’s economy could create diplomatic friction between the two nations. 

Since the Abraham Accords and shared concerns about Iran,  A new canal could influence how Saudi Arabia approaches Israel diplomatically. If the canal benefits both nations economically, it might provide an incentive for further quiet cooperation or even more formal economic partnerships.

So there you go. My summary of the Middle East in a nutshell. I am probably wrong but somehow, I feel it is a story worth telling.