1956: Soviet Invasion of Israel

In OTL, the Soviet Union threatened to invade Israel in response to the Suez Crisis against Egypt. In this timeline, Israel does not relent and the Soviets launch a full scale invasion. Would the Soviets replace Israel with a Palestinian state? This would result in improved Arab-Soviet relations. According to some historians, the US had no obligation to intervene for Israel because it wasn't part of NATO.
 

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The Soviets would be heading into a confrontation with the United Kingdom and France if it did so. That would mean bypassing the Royal Navy and French Navy, which were both already in combat operations in the region, as well as facing the British nuclear deterrent.
 
The Soviets would be heading into a confrontation with the United Kingdom and France if it did so. That would mean bypassing the Royal Navy and French Navy, which were both already in combat operations in the region, as well as facing the British nuclear deterrent.

Which brings in the USN. the US would much rather have the UK and France keep the Suez than having the Soviets grab it!
 
I don't think the US would stand back either. It might even consider intervening in Hungary if it wanted to up the ante.
Doubtful the Soviets would have gone through with it though, precisely because they were already occupied in...well...occupying Hungary. ;)
 
The Soviets would be heading into a confrontation with the United Kingdom and France if it did so. That would mean bypassing the Royal Navy and French Navy, which were both already in combat operations in the region, as well as facing the British nuclear deterrent.

To say nothing of the hell Eisenhower would raise over it.
 
In OTL, the Soviet Union threatened to invade Israel in response to the Suez Crisis against Egypt. In this timeline, Israel does not relent and the Soviets launch a full scale invasion. Would the Soviets replace Israel with a Palestinian state? This would result in improved Arab-Soviet relations. According to some historians, the US had no obligation to intervene for Israel because it wasn't part of NATO.

how do they get there? Are they planning on violating Turkish airspace?

The Soviets weren't going to invade Israel in 56.
 
how do they get there? Are they planning on violating Turkish airspace?

The Soviets weren't going to invade Israel in 56.

Indeed, I believe the threat was to use their massive (four) rocket arsenal to bring the west to its knees.
Of course, once they actually fire the rockets then they immediately lose the war as NATO retaliates with a much greater number.
 
Officially the US response to the USSR's threats against Israel (and France and Britain) were "Oh well, bye! Told you not to do this." and THAT is why France and Britain backed down, they knew the US did not have their back. Now, you can go and argue that was just the US bluffing to get the parties involved to back down and leave Egypt, and that may very well be true. But you must acknowledge what truly happened and why. Britain and France BELIEVED the US would not help them if the USSR intervened. And this marks the first time the USSR turned its back on Israel. Despite numerous AH remarks of Stalin being anti-Zionist, he was the first to de jure recognize Israel in 1948 and he had Czechoslovakia in particular give Israel some pretty advanced weaponry (for the Middle East at that particular time). The USSR's anger was less about it being Israel who was involved, and was more directed at the fact that two Western European colonial powers were invading Egypt and the Suez Canal. If it had just been Israel against Egypt you wouldn't have seen a USSR getting involved more than maybe a minor condemnation, and actually might see them accepting a fait accompli in acceptance of Israel having the Suez Canal and a deal to allow Soviet and Eastern European shipping (and military transshipment to the Indian Ocean) in return. In hindsight too many see it as the USSR being anti-Zionist/pro-Arab when in reality it was anti-Western imperialist/pro-third world; it is the results of this that the Arab world turns pro-USSR, not the other way around.
 
If this happens, one side effect might be the brief interest in dispensationalist theology (which was considered to be rather fringe until Hal Lindsey)- at least until the UK and France take Russia out.
 
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