Le Monde Explores the Suez Canal’s Historical Role in Egyptian Emancipation

How Egypt turned the Suez Canal from a symbol of exploitation into a tool for emancipation

'Suez, a historic canal' (4/6). The air along the maritime route has long carried a whiff of rebellion. It was an uprising in Ismailia, one of the canal's cities, that led to the founding of the Egyptian Republic in 1952, ending a monarchy subservient to London. By nationalizing the waterway in 1956, and defending it against French, British and Israeli attacks, the country established its international legitimacy.