Canal Ultimatum Follows Israeli Invasion
David Ben-Gurion's government received the British and French demand that both armies halt fighting and withdraw from the canal area, a demand rooted in the secret Sèvres arrangement.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1956 in Israel — Page 3
Explore 243 historical events and records for Israel in 1956.
Historical records for Israel in 1956
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 243 unique records.
243Unique records
3 of 7Page
40Named events on this page
10Named people on this page
13Places on this page
October
Central Sinai Strongpoints Reduced
Wallach's divisional group reduces key Egyptian positions while the Israeli central axis moves deeper into Sinai.
Dayan Weighs Risk of Fighting Inside Mitla
Moshe Dayan's operational objective did not require a costly clearance of the narrow Mitla defile, a distinction that later became central to criticism of the battle.
Desert Routes Open Beyond Initial Positions
Moshe Dayan's formations pushed deeper into Sinai, seeking junctions and routes that would isolate Egyptian strongpoints from reinforcements.
Dyka Pass Captured
Ben-Ari's 7th Armoured Brigade captures the Dyka Pass during the central Sinai breakthrough.
Early Armoured Commitment Challenged
Dayan's original timetable is overtaken when the 7th Armoured Brigade enters combat a day earlier than planned.
Ground Column Reaches Airborne Troops
Sharon's brigade advanced across central Sinai and linked up with the paratroopers landed near Mitla Pass.
Israel Defends Border Security Grounds
Israeli representatives described security grievances and navigation restrictions as part of their government's justification for the Sinai campaign.
Israeli Advance Triggers Canal Ultimatum
Britain and France demanded military withdrawals from the canal area after the Israeli offensive, following arrangements secretly negotiated with Israel.
Israeli Cabinet Considers Ultimatum Terms
David Ben Gurion responded to the ultimatum in accordance with the coordinated plan that anticipated a British and French military intervention.
Israeli Command Coordinates Dispersed Desert Columns
Moshe Dayan oversaw several advancing formations whose routes required close coordination across long distances and difficult terrain.
Israeli Diplomacy Addresses Canal Separation Demand
Golda Meir's government faced demands to disengage even though Israeli forces had only just begun their offensive across Sinai.
Israeli Forces Challenge Central Sinai Strongholds
Units of Southern Command pressed into the central peninsula against Egyptian strongpoints that controlled access to strategic road junctions.
Northern Advance Targets Rafah Approaches
Asaf Simhoni directed forces toward the strongly defended Rafah sector, which guarded important routes linking Gaza and northeastern Sinai.
Northern Sinai Fighting Intensifies
Simhoni's Southern Command pressed Egyptian defensive positions along the northern approaches while other Israeli formations advanced inland.
Parachute Brigade Reaches Forward Sinai Positions
Ariel Sharon advanced his brigade toward the Mitla area, linking the airborne landing to a broader Israeli ground operation.
Paratroop Reinforcements Approach Mitla Position
Ariel Sharon's brigade advanced overland toward its isolated airborne contingent near the Mitla Pass area after the initial parachute insertion.
Paratroops Establish Mitla Forward Positions
Ariel Sharon's brigade established forward positions around Mitla as Israeli forces sought to secure the mountain route toward the canal.
Quseima Approaches Contested
Israeli formations fought for approaches near Quseima as the central advance into Egyptian Sinai developed.
Quseima Strongpoint Captured
Simhoni's Southern Command forces capture the Quseima strongpoint as the central advance develops.
Seventh Armoured Brigade Enters Sinai
Ben-Ari leads the 7th Armoured Brigade into Sinai to reinforce the main Israeli advance.
Seventh Brigade Committed Ahead of Schedule
Ben-Ari brings the 7th Armoured Brigade into the battle earlier than the original General Staff timetable.
Sinai Campaign
Coordinates Israeli armour and paratroop columns as they advance across Sinai.
77th Division Activated on Northern Axis
Laskov's 77th Division begins its offensive on the northern Sinai axis during the night.
Abu Ageila Armour Breakthrough
Ben-Ari's armoured forces help break through Egyptian positions in the Abu Ageila sector.
Abu Ageila Battle Disrupts Egyptian Defenses
Moshe Dayan oversaw an offensive in which Israeli units overcame significant resistance around Abu Ageila, an important Egyptian defensive position in central Sinai.
Air Force Maintains Battlefield Communications
Dan Tolkowsky's air force supported coordination among Israeli columns operating over long distances in rugged and sparsely connected desert terrain.
Air Force Supports Sinai Columns
Israeli aircraft assisted advancing ground columns with reconnaissance and tactical air support during operations against Egyptian forces.
Air Liaison Missions Support Kadesh
Israeli aircraft under Tolkowsky perform liaison missions between widely separated forces during Operation Kadesh.
Airborne Battalion Supports Brigade Engagement
Raphael Eitan's battalion was part of the Israeli parachute formation fighting near Mitla as the brigade sought to maintain its desert foothold.
Battle Exposes Tension Over Operational Orders
Moshe Dayan's command was later drawn into arguments about whether the engagement at Mitla had exceeded the intended limits of the operation.
Battle of Mitla Pass
Fights Egyptian forces around Mitla Pass during the Sinai Campaign.
Bir al-Hamma Reached
Ben-Ari's armoured column reaches Bir al-Hamma as the Israeli advance continues westward.
Bir Hasna Reached
Ben-Ari's brigade advances through central Sinai and reaches the Bir Hasna area.
Casualty Evacuation Flights from Sinai
Tolkowsky's air force evacuates casualties from forward areas while the ground campaign continues.
Egyptian Defenders Ambush Israeli Advance
Ariel Sharon's advancing troops encountered Egyptian fire from positions commanding the narrow route through Mitla Pass.
Heavy Casualties Mark Mitla Fighting
Ariel Sharon's brigade suffered substantial losses in the fierce engagement at Mitla, making the action one of the campaign's most controversial clashes.
Israeli Reinforcements Join Mitla Engagement
Ariel Sharon's brigade committed additional troops as the fighting spread beyond its initial reconnaissance mission.
Israeli Units Seek Control of High Ground
Ariel Sharon's force tried to overcome defenders positioned on the heights overlooking the pass, where terrain favored the Egyptian side.
Jebel Libni Captured
Ben-Ari's armoured forces capture Jebel Libni after breaking through the central Sinai defensive system.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.