Located in the northern part of the Red Sea, at the junction of the Asian and African plates, in the Gulf of Aqaba, there is a mysterious island called Tiran Island. The island is only 80 square kilometers in size and, despite its reputation, is actually a desolate place.
The island of Tiran has sparse vegetation and is surrounded by a barren desert. Here, dense forests are almost nowhere to be found, and rare flora and fauna are rare. The sparsely populated island of Tiran has poor living conditions and few permanent residents. However, on this seemingly unattractive desert island, there is a protracted history of Asian and African state struggles.
Since the 50s, this insignificant island has suddenly transformed into a hot potato in the political chess game. The two major countries surrounding the island, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which originally had little interest in Tiran Island, repeatedly used the island as a pawn in a power struggle. In order to resolve the issue of Tiran's ownership, the two countries instead gave in to each other, delaying the dispute for 66 years.
01 Dispute over the islands
On a far corner, there is an inconspicuous island, whose existence has plunged the two countries into a unique struggle. Instead of competing for possession of the island, the two countries are blaming each other and trying to cede it to each other. This situation is full of contradictions and is puzzling. To understand why, we have to go back to the era after World War II.
With the end of World War II, the former British Empire's position in the world colonial pattern gradually weakened. Countries in Africa, Asia and other places that were once under its colonial rule have also declared their independence. Seeing this, the British gradually felt a trace of panic in their hearts. In their view, the independence of these small countries was undoubtedly a provocation and threat to Britain's position of authority.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia, a country that has long established itself, has also caused great trouble to Britain. Once Saudi Arabia and other emerging powers in Asia and Africa consolidate their independence, Britain's influence in the Middle East and Africa will be severely weakened and it will lose its important strategic advantage.
In the turbulent years of 1950, the British orchestrated an attempt to consolidate their influence and dominance. Worried about the growing power of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, they began looking for opportunities to sow discord.
The British were shrewd as foxes, and they found an excellent strategy, which was to transfer the former Saudi island of Tiran to Egypt. They believe that this move will inevitably trigger a dispute between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, weakening the two countries. Britain, on the other hand, can intervene in mediation to manipulate the monarchs of the two countries and keep them as puppets of Britain.
However, things are unpredictable. The British were scheming to conceal the sea, but it was difficult to predict a sudden variable: the emergence of Israel. While the British were complacent and secretly happy, Israel, as an emerging power, rose to the world stage, breaking the original plan of the British to control the regional pattern.
This legendary country, Israel, is unique in the vast Arab world. Jews dominate here and become a unique landscape. In 1948, Israel declared its independence after freeing itself from the shackles of external pressure, and since then began to write their own legend on this land.
Jews, who make up more than two-thirds of Israel's population, are recognized as one of the world's wisest peoples. In the long history of society, they have contributed their strength to the progress and development of society. They have become politicians in Western countries such as Europe and the United States, and a large number of outstanding scientists have emerged.
With such a preeminent nation, Israel, even in a corner of the Arab world, can counterattack the situation and make the surrounding Arab countries feel in awe of them. This unique power has allowed them to stand tall in the long river of history.
Moreover, another secret to Israel's stable foothold in the Arab world is to win the trust and support of the United States. This allows Israel to use the powerful power of the United States to obtain advanced weapons and equipment to escort its own national defense.
In the troubled land of the Middle East, Israel has always had a place among the neighboring Arab countries because of its strong support from the United States. In desperation, the Arab countries could only restrain their actions in front of this little bully, and did not dare to easily provoke him.
As Israel's national power grew, their eyes began to turn to Tiran, far from the war. Although the island may seem worthless, it arouses Israel's interest. However, Tiran Island had been allocated to Egypt, and to occupy the land, Israel would have to confront Egypt.
In 1956, Israel made a decisive move, and as night fell, a fire suddenly erupted over Egypt, which had been silent for a long time. The violent explosion shook the entire city, and the Egyptian people panicked and were at a loss. They never expected that Israel would be so blatantly provocative.
The Egyptian people are shocked and determined to wage a recovery war with Israel in order to defend their national dignity. However, at the height of tension, a dramatic scene unfolds. As soon as the war began, the United Nations urgently intervened to put an end to the conflict, extinguishing the flames before it could spread and bringing the situation to a stalemate.
In fact, for the discerning, the gap in military power between Egypt and Israel is obvious. Therefore, no matter what strategy Egypt adopts, it will be difficult to take advantage of anything in the war. The raid gave Egyptians their first glimpse of Israel's power and made them more wary of the war.
02India is embroiled in strife
In the 70s of the 20th century, the then Indian government suddenly broke into a dispute over Tiran Island, only to realize a serious problem when signing the agreement.
India thought that Tiran Island was a valuable treasure that would spark a struggle between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But, unexpectedly, both countries scrambled to shirk their responsibilities at the negotiating scene, and both seemed eager to remove Tiran Island from their territory.
India's delegation was a very keen group of diplomats who quickly realized that the island was not as simple as it seemed. They began to wonder, how could a strategic piece of land easily fall into their hands. There must be something hidden in this.
The members of the delegation began to look back on the past and recall the conflicts between Israel and countries such as Egypt, and it dawned on them that getting involved in this battle could have unbearable consequences for India. As a result, the Indian government made a decisive decision and voluntarily withdrew from the dispute on Tiran Island.
In the end, the question of the ownership of Tiran Island became an unresolved historical conundrum that the world talked about. And India's wit moves are also particularly dazzling in this dispute.
In recent years, with the changes in the world pattern, the issue of the ownership of Tiran Island has once again become a focal point. Over the past few decades, global demand for oil has been rising, which has given oil-rich Arab countries a pivotal position in the international market. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has seen a boom in oil trade that has given the country a rapid rise in power.
It can be said that since the beginning of the Tiran Island dispute 60 years ago, Saudi Arabia's position on the international stage has changed dramatically. Today, it has the strength to take Tiran Island back without interference from other countries. After a series of complicated negotiations, the Egyptian government finally made a decision and Tiran Island returned to Saudi Arabia.
After 66 long years, the question of the ownership of Tiran Island has finally come to an end. This result also proves once again that the balance and development of international politics often depends on the balance of power between countries, and the importance of energy resources plays a pivotal role in this. In this long dispute, Saudi Arabia finally realized its claim to Tiran Island, thanks to its growing global oil market.