Arab Sovereignty over the Gulf of Aqaba and the Straits of Tiran

Basing itself on historical and legal justifications, this study demonstrates Arab rights to the Gulf of Aqaba and Straits of Tiran, rejecting Israeli claims that it has rights to thse waters based on freedom of navigation. The study also reiterates Israel’s lack of territorial rights to Palestine and the coast of Aqaba, which was occupied by Israeli forces after the armistice with Egypt was signed in 1949, and while armistice negotiations were still underway with Jordan. The study also outlines developments regarding navigation in the Gulf of Aqaba in 1956 and 1967, and demonstrates the Arab right to block Israel’s access to navigation based on the international laws governing states’ rights during wartime. The work also reveals the roles of the United States and Britain in opening the Straits of Tiran to Israeli vessels after the tripartite aggression against Egypt in 1956.