Ben-Gurion in 1954:
"[Nasser must be taught a lesson, thundered, either] to carry out his duties or to be toppled. It is definitely possible to topple him, and it is even a mitzvah [a sacred obligation] to do so. Who is he anyway, this Nasser-Shmasser." (Iron Wall, p. 124)
Ben-Gurion was very pleased to know that Britain and France were anxious to topple Nasser of Egypt too, in that regards he said in October 1955:
"This is a unique opportunity that two not so small powers will try to topple Nasser, and we shall not stand alone against him while he becomes stronger and conquers all the Arab countries. . . . and maybe the whole situation in the Middle East will change according to my plan." (Iron Wall, p. 174)
It is not only that Ben-Gurion looked at the Bible (see below quote) to justify the usurpation and occupation of the Sinai peninsula, he also envisioned a great enterprise in exploiting Sinai natural resources, he also stated in October 1955:
"I told him [French PM, Guy Mollet] about the discovery of oil in the southern and western Sinai, and that it would be good to tear this peninsula from Egypt because it did not belong to her; rather it was the English who stole it from the Turks when they believed that Egypt was in their pocket. I suggested laying down a pipeline from Sinai to Haifa to refine the oil, and Mollet [French PM] showed interest in the suggestion." (Iron Wall, p. 175)
In a cable sent to the 7th brigade following the occupation of Sharm al-Sheikh in Sinai on October 29 1956, Ben-Gurion wrote:
"Yotvata, or Tiran, which until fourteen hundred years ago was part of the third kingdom of Israel," and in his speech to the Israeli Knesset on November 7, 1956 he hinted that Israel planned to annex the entire Sinai peninsula as well as the Straits of Tiran (the southeastern tip of the Sinai peninsula on the Asian side) . It is not the first time, nor the last time, that an Israeli leader will use the Bible to justify war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and occupation. (Iron Wall, p. 179)
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