ABSTRACT
Gamal Abdul Nasser’s declaration about the blocking of the Tiran Straits was greeted in Israel with astonishment. The possibility of a blockade had been contemplated, but nobody had imagined that it would occur while the UN Secretary-General was on his way to Cairo. On the contrary, U Thant’s trip had eased the tension and aroused expectations that the diplomatic stage in the crisis was about to ensue. The impact of the shock was manifested in the mood of panic at the civilian level and of indecisiveness at the senior military level. While the most dramatic expression was the physical collapse of the Chief of Staff, the precipitous decision to dispatch the Foreign Minister on a mission to Western capitals was also an instinctive reaction to shock and indicated disarray rather than judicious consideration. Within a day or two the atmosphere in Israel would change. Rabin would rally, the army would adopt a decisive stand and Eshkol would be persuaded that Israel must deliver the first blow against Egypt. However, by then Eban’s mission was a diplomatic fact and a liability for the government and its ability to decide on a pre-emptive strike.
