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Why did the Convention of Constantinople forbid military actions in the Suez Canal?

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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.

The Convention of Constantinople of 1888 established the Suez Canal as an international waterway, mandating that it remain open to all vessels in both peace and war without discrimination.123

The convention sought to forbid military actions and ensure the canal's neutrality to protect this critical artery of global trade from being used as a strategic tool of conflict. By guaranteeing free navigation, the agreement aimed to prevent any single nation from controlling or blocking the passage of ships, thereby safeguarding the flow of international commerce.123

Despite these provisions, the canal's status has frequently been a matter of dispute, and its neutrality has been challenged during various conflicts, including the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War, when the canal was closed or restricted due to regional tensions.243