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Why did Egypt deny Israeli ships access to the Suez Canal after 1949?

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Cargo ships travel along the wide Suez Canal in Egypt, bordered by sandy desert on one side and greenery on the other. — Suez Canal Ships in the Suez Canal in Egypt. One of the world's most important shipping lanes, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

Following the 1949 armistice between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Egypt denied the use of the Suez Canal to Israeli ships and to all vessels trading with Israel.1

This policy was rooted in the ongoing state of hostility between the two nations following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. While the Convention of Constantinople of 1888 theoretically mandated that the canal remain open to all nations in both peace and war, Egypt maintained that its actions were a continuation of the conflict. This blockade remained a significant point of tension, contributing to the broader geopolitical friction that eventually culminated in the Suez Crisis of 1956. Access for Israeli-registered ships was not restored until after the signing of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1979.1234