uss liberty
TRANSCRIPT
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n Thursday 8 June 1967, Israeli air and naval forces attacked Americas most advanced
spy ship, the !"!"! #i$erty, killin% &' of its cre( and (oundin% 17'!
)orty five years on, thanks to the complicity of the mainstream media, the cover up
ordered $y *resident Johnson is still in place!
T(o years a%o, on +e( orks #on% Island, I had the pleasure and privile%e of $ein% the
keynote speaker at the annual dinner of the #i$erty "urvivors Association! I told them I
(as a(are that if the attack had %one completely accordin% to the plan of the man (ho
ordered it, Israeli -efence .inister .oshe -ayan, none of them (ould have survived!
I also told them that althou%h I am an /n%lishman (ho had not served in any of hiscountrys armed services 0$ecause conscription (as a$olished $y the time I (as old
enou%h to have served, (e did have somethin% in common 2 3T4A5/ that could not
$e epressed adeuately in polite (ords at the continued suppression in America of the
truth a$out Israels attack on the #i$erty!
3n the 'th anniversary of that attack, this post is providin% the complete tet of hapter
T(o of the three:volume American edition of my $ook ;ionism< The 4eal /nemy of the
Je(s! The chapter is titled The #i$erty Affair 2 =*ure .urder> on a =5reat -ay>!
.y American pu$lisher epressed to me the vie( that it is =the most revealin%, the most
rivetin% and the most important chapter in the (hole $ook!> .y o(n vie( is that it
assists real understandin% of (hat the ;ionist state of Israel is 2 a monster $eyond
control!
?ere is the chapter, complete (ith source notes!
.oshe -ayan :: (hy they (hacked the #i$erty!!!
Israel insisted 0as it still does that its attack on the #i$erty (as an unfortunate
=accident>, a case of =mistaken identity>!
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The attack ou%ht to have $een a sensational, headline:%ra$$in% ne(s story, $ut $eyond
the fact that an accident had happened and that Israel had apolo%ised, it did not %et
reported $y Americas ne(s or%anisations! It (as too hot an issue for them to handle
and pursue! If it had $een an Ara$ attack on an American vessel it (ould have $een anentirely different matter, of course! In that event there (ould have $een saturation
covera%e (ith demands for retaliation, (ith ;ionist and other pro:Israeli columnists and
commentators settin% the pace and tone!
A$out the attack and its aftermath 2 the Johnson administrations cover:up led $y the
*resident himself 2 retired American Admiral Thomas #! .oorer, (ho (as appointed
hairman of the Joint hiefs of "taff 0J" a month after the incident, (as su$seuently
to say to former !"! on%ressman *aul )indley, =If it (as (ritten as fiction no$ody
(ould $elieve it!>@i
The attack itself, Admiral .oorer said to )indley, (as =a$solutely deli$erate!> And the
cover:upB =The clampdo(n (as not actually for security reasons $ut for domestic
political reasons! I dont think there is any uestion a$out it! Chat other reasons could
there have $eenB *resident Johnson (as (orried a$out the reaction of Je(ish voters!>
0)or (hich read, I add, the a(esome po(er of the ;ionist lo$$y and its many stoo%es in
on%ress! The former hairman of the J" added< =The American people (ould $e %od
damn mad if they kne( (hat %oes on!>@ii
As it happened, the institutions of %overnment in America did not succeed in keepin% the
truth covered up $ecause there (ere eye:(itnesses (ho (ould not $e silenced! They
(ere the survivors of the #i$ertys cre(! The first prime source of the detailed information
a$out the actual attack is the $ook Assault on the #i$erty!@iii It (as (ritten $y #ieutenant
James .! /nnes! ?e (as the 3fficer of the -eck on the #i$erty throu%hout the attack!
3n June 198D there (as a reunion of #i$erty survivors in the ?otel Cashin%ton in
Cashin%ton -!! The %uest speaker (as retired Admiral .oorer! ?e told the survivorsthat he had =never $een (illin% to accept the Israeli eplanation that it (as a case of
mistaken identity!> ?e could not accept that Israeli pilots =dont kno( ho( to identify
ships!> It follo(ed, he said, that there =must have $een some other motive>, (hich he
(as confident =some day (ill $e made pu$lic!>@iv
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4etired Admiral .oorers confidence has not yet $een Eustified! "ome of the official
documents have $een de:classified (ith the most sensitive 0for (hich read most
em$arrassin% passa%es $lacked out, $ut other official documents and reports remain
classified, T3* "/4/T, and are likely to remain so for as lon% as Americas pork:$arrel
politicians are fri%htened of offendin% ;ionism!
The =motive> for the attack has to $e deduced from (hat happened in the contet of the
(hole (ar of June 1967 and -ayans determination to stop at nothin% to create the
5reater Israel of %ut:;ionisms mad dream! And the key to complete understandin% is
kno(led%e of the #i$ertys capa$ilities and (hat its mission (as!
A uestion readers mi%ht like to keep in mind is this< Chen -ayan ordered the attack 2
he (anted the #i$erty to $e completely destroyed (ith the loss of all hands on $oard 2
(ho (as the Israeli %eneral (ho protested and said, =This is pure murder>B
The #i$ertys naval desi%nation (as A5T4:, meanin% that it (as the fifth ship in a
series undertakin% =Auiliary 5eneral Technical 4esearch!> It (as, in fact, a converted
Corld Car II Fictory ship 2 the former "immons Fictory! It had $een refitted $y the +"A
0+ational "ecurity A%ency for use as a si%nals intelli%ence 0"I5I+T =platform> 2 a
floatin% listenin% post! It had a very sophisticated system of radio antennae includin% a
=Gi% /ar> sonar:radio listenin% device (ith a clear capa$ility ran%e of over HH miles! p
to that distance the #i$erty could intercept virtually any form of (ireless communication,
includin% military and diplomatic traffic, telemetry data, rocket %uidance and satellite
control, amon% others! It could then decode and process the intercepted messa%es and
relay them $ack to the +"A at )ort .eade, .aryland, via short:(ave radio or throu%h a
very special communications system called T4""3., usin% a 1H,HHH:(att micro(ave
si%nal $ounced off the surface of the moon! The !"!"! #i$erty (as Americas most
advanced spy ship!
Gelo( decks the communications areas 2 (hich housed the computers, listenin% and
decodin% devices manned $y lin%uistic eperts and other personnel (ho (ere chan%ed
accordin% to the ships mission 2 (ere off:limits to the cre(, includin% aptain Cilliam I!.c5ona%le! The communication areas (ere under the direct control of an +"A
technician 0mana%in% spook! The on:$oard +"A controller for the #i$ertys June 67
mission (as kno(n to the cre( as =the .aEor!> Cith t(o other civilians he Eoined the
#i$erty at 4ota in "pain shortly $efore the spy ship sailed from there for the .iddle /ast
on D June! The day after -ayan $ecame minister of defence! 0A coincidenceB
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The #i$ertys movements (ere controlled $y the J" and the +"A in Cashin%ton! Cith a
top speed of 18 knots it (as faster than most ships of its kind! 3n $oth the forecastle
and deckhouse aft of the $rid%e there (ere t(o pedestal:mounted H!H:cali$re Gro(nin%
machine %uns! These four %uns, on open mounts (ithout shrapnel shields, (ere the spy
ships only defences! "trictly speakin% the #i$erty (as not an unarmed vessel $ut for all
practical purposes it (as! Another sittin% duck if attacked!
The #i$ertys mission (as T3* "/4/T and has not $een ackno(led%ed to this day!
It (as on patrol, listenin%, $ecause some in the Johnson administration at eecutive
level 2 perhaps -efence "ecretary .c+amara especially 2 did not trust the Israelis to
keep their (ord (ith re%ard to the scope of the (ar!
The Johnson administration had %iven the %reen li%ht for Israel to attack /%ypt and only
/%ypt! It (as understood that the I-) (ould have to respond to Jordanian intervention 2
if it happened, $ut on no account (as Israel to seek to (iden the (ar for the purpose of
takin% Jordanian or "yrian territory! Apart from *resident Johnsons pu$lic statement that
he (as as firmly committed as his predecessors had $een to the =political independence
and territorial inte%rity of all the nations in that area>, Cashin%tons fear (as (hat could
happen if the Israelis occupied "yrian territory! If they did there (as a possi$ility of
"oviet intervention 0for face:savin% reasons! "oviet leaders could Eust a$out live (ith the
/%yptians $ein% smashed $y the I-) $ut not the "yrians too! Throu%h the IA the
Johnson administration (as a(are of the I-)s secret a%reement (ith the "yrian re%ime!
0As revealed in the previous chapter of my $ook, "yria, in the countdo(n to (ar, a%reed
to put on only a token sho( of fi%htin% (hen Israel attacked /%ypt! "o it, the Johnson
administration, (as reasona$ly confident that the "yrians (ould not seek to (iden the
(ar $y en%a%in% the Israelis in any serious (ay! The name of the !"! counter:
intelli%ence %ame (as therefore preventin% Israel from attackin% "yria! That (as the
#i$ertys mission!
Chen the #i$erty (as ordered to the .iddle /ast, every$ody (ho needed to kno( did
kno( that the Israelis (ould have only a fe( days in (hich to smash the /%yptians 2$ecause the "ecurity ouncil (ould demand a uick end to the fi%htin% and Israel (ould
have to stop (hen it (as sho(n the international red card! Chich meant that (hen Israel
(ent to (ar (ith /%ypt, it (ould $e assi%nin% the $ulk of its armour to the /%yptian front!
The pointB If Israel then decided to attack "yria, it (ould have to re:deploy armour, very
uickly, from the /%yptian front to the "yrian front! The orders for any such redeployment
(ould $e %iven $y (ireless 2 from -ayans .inistry of -efence in Tel Aviv to the
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commanders in the field and they, naturally, (ould talk to each other! If there (as such
radio chatter, the #i$erty (ould pick it up and pass it ur%ently to the +"A in Cashin%ton!
*resident Johnson (ould then demand that the Israelis a$ort their intended attack on
"yria! "o lon% as the #i$erty (as on station and functionin%, the !"! (ould have some
control of Israel!
In short the #i$erty (as the Johnson administrations insurance policy! It (as there to
prevent Israels ha(ks %oin% over the top and, on a (orst:case scenario, provokin%
"oviet intervention and possi$ly Corld Car III! 03ne could have said then, and one could
say (ith even more point today, that (ith the ;ionist state as its friend the !"! does not
need enemies!
)rom -ayans perspective Gefore he could order an invasion of "yria for the purpose of
%ra$$in% the 5olan ?ei%hts for keeps, the #i$erty had to $e put out of $usiness!
In (hat follo(s it is important to keep t(o thin%s in mind!
)irst< It (as impossi$le for the attackin% Israelis not to kno( the identity of their tar%et!
)rom the masthead on the ensi%n staff the #i$erty (as proudly flyin% the standard
American fla% :five feet $y ei%ht feet! The ships " +avy markin%s, 5T4:, (ere on
$oth sides of its $o(s in (hite letters and a fi%ure ten feet hi%h! And the ships name (asclearly visi$le on its stern! +ot to mention the sophisticated system of radio antennae!
"econd< As "tephen 5reen noted, =The I-) command did not have to consult Janes
)i%htin% "hips to learn a$out the eavesdroppin% capa$ilities of the #i$erty!>@v Israeli
military intelli%ence had a very close (orkin% relationship (ith $oth the IA and the !"!
-efence -epartment and kne( (ell that the #i$erty could listen to the movement orders
for I-) units 2 movement orders that, on the evenin%2mornin% of 7:8 June, (ould $e
concerned (ith rushin% units from "inai to the northern 5alilee $order (ith "yria, in
preparation for an invasion!
"hortly after DH&H hours local time on the evenin% of Cednesday 7 June, Israeli aerial
reconnaissance reported to I-) entral oastal ommand in Tel Aviv a chan%e in the
#i$ertys course! The spy ship (as no( steamin% to(ard a point on the Israeli coast
mid(ay $et(een Tel Aviv and the naval $ase at Ashdod! The chan%e of course (as
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noted on the Israeli control ta$le! The #i$erty (as represented $y a %reen sym$ol
indicatin% a neutral craft 2 neither foe nor friend! It may or may not have $een a
coincidence 0I think not that the #i$ertys course chan%e came shortly after the Johnson
administration had (ithdra(n its opposition in the "ecurity ouncil to a resolution
demandin% a cease:fire! 0The demand meanin% that Israel (as epected $y the !"! to
comply!
At a$out DDHH hours the #i$ertys sophisticated radar:sensin% euipment detected Israeli
Eets circlin% the ship! That (as not surprisin% %iven (here the vessel (as! The surprise
(as that fire:control radar (as $ein% directed at it! The Israeli Eets (ere homin% their
rockets as thou%h for an attack!
The small %roup %athered around the #i$ertys radar screen playfully employed the
ships electronic countermeasure 0/. to =spoof> the Israeli pilots! The #i$ertys /.
euipment (as of the latest and most sophisticated type and ena$led the ship to distort
its radar ima%e and send it $ack to the Israeli planes 2 makin% the #i$erty appear to $e
much smaller and then much $i%%er than it (as! )irst lass *etty 3fficer harles
4o(ley (as su$seuently to recall that no one took the contact seriously! The Israelis, it
(as assumed, (ere only playin% %ames!
They (ere not and there (as a link $et(een the directin% of fire:control radar at the
#i$erty and (hat had happened an hour or so earlier! The 3ffice of the !"! -efence
AttachK in Tel Aviv had sent a startlin% messa%e to the !"! Army ommunications
entre in Cashin%ton! Gy tele%ram in code the messa%e (as that the I-) (as plannin%
to attack the #i$erty if the ship continued to move closer to the Israeli coastL
It can $e assumed that it (as only a matter of minutes $efore every$ody in Cashin%ton
(ho needed to kno( did kno( a$out -ayans threat! 0/very$ody in Cashin%tons (ar
loop kne( that it (as -ayans (ar!
In retrospect t(o thin%s seem to me to $e o$vious!
The first is that -ayan ordered the leakin% 0to the !"! -efence AttachK of his intention
to attack the #i$erty in the hope that the threat alone (ould cause the controllin%
American authorities to a$ort the spy ships mission, and thus remove the need for it to
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$e attacked!
The second is that -ayan ordered the Eets (hich circled the #i$erty at DDHH hours to
direct fire:control radar at the vessel to underline the fact that he (as not $luffin% 2 that
the spy ship (ould $e attacked if it did not move a(ay! -ayan (as assumin% that the
#i$erty (ould report to its controllers in Cashin%ton the fact that Israeli Eets had %one
throu%h the motions of preparin% to attack the vessel!
As it happened the #i$erty did not report its DDHH hours contact $ecause of the
assumption that the Israeli pilots (ere playin% %ames! Gut the #i$ertys failure to report
the incident (as of no conseuence $ecause the report of the !"! -efence AttachK had
(ei%ht enou%h on its o(n! Cashin%ton kne( that Israels one:eyed (arlord (as not a
man (ho made empty threats!
There can surely $e no dispute a$out (hat *resident Johnson ou%ht to have done %iven
that the lives of D86 Americans on $oard the #i$erty (ere at stake! ?e ou%ht to have
telephoned *rime .inister /shkol and said that an Israeli attack on the #i$erty (ould $e
re%arded as a declaration of (ar on the nited "tates of America, and (ould provoke an
appropriate !"! response!
Gut for o$vious domestic political reasons Johnson (as not %oin% to do that! Instead,and no dou$t at the ur%in% of Calt 4osto( and others (ith influence (ho (ere for
;ionism ri%ht or (ron%, the *resident approved the sendin% of an order for the #i$erty to
%et a(ay from Israel as fast as possi$le!@vi 3ver the course of t(o and a half hours,
three frantic messa%es to that effect (ere sent, each rated =*innacle>, (hich meant
hi%hest priority! Incredi$ly, none (ere received $y the #i$erty!
To this day the !"! +avy has not offered an eplanation, so those of us (ho dont like
mysteries have to speculate! There are, I think, only t(o possi$le eplanations!
3ne is that the messa%es (ere inadvertently misrouted and delayed in the convoluted
channels and procedures of the -efence -epartments (orld(ide communications
system! That supposes an astonishin% de%ree of inefficiency and incompetence! 0The
su$seuent T3* "/4/T +aval Goard of Inuiry 2 =4evie( of *roceedin%s on the
Attack on the !"!"! #i$erty> 2 asserted that no$ody in the -efence -epartment (as to
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$lame for anythin%!
The other possi$le eplanation is that some$ody in hi%h authority (as enra%ed $y
*resident Johnsons surrender to -ayan for domestic political reasons, and took the
necessary steps to see to it that the messa%es (ere not transmitted to the #i$erty 2
$ecause he $elieved that the spy ships mission (as vital in turn $ecause he $elieved
that the peace of the (orld mi%ht $e at stake if Israel attacked "yria and provoked a
"oviet response! This eplanation supposes that there (as in the Johnson
administration one hell of a fi%ht $et(een those (ho supported ;ionism ri%ht or (ron% 2
even (hen doin% so (as not in Americas $est interests, and those (ho put Americas
o(n interests first!
-oes any$ody kno(, really kno(, (hich of those t(o possi$le eplanations is the correct
oneB
The fact that *resident Johnson, the Joint hiefs of "taff, the IA and the +"A had
advance notice of -ayans intention to attack the #i$erty meant that, (hen the early
reports of the attack arrived, they had a choice! In Takin% "ides, "tephen 5reen put it
this (ay< The choice (as =either to take retaliatory action a%ainst Israel, or to $ecome an
accessory after the fact $y promotin% the fiction that it (as someho( an accident!>@vii
3ut of fear of offendin% ;ionism and its child it (as, of course, the second option that the
pork:$arrel Johnson administration took, makin% a cover:up inevita$le!
At this point I must pause to ackno(led%e that I, like most others 0the fe( (ho (rite
a$out the cover:up, (ould kno( little that (as (orth kno(in% (ithout "tephen 5reens
ori%inal research! In *eerin% Into -ark orners, the title of the first chapter of his $ook,
he told of his epic stru%%le to make use of the )ederal )reedom of Information Act
0)3IA to %et access to declassified files from DD different !"! %overnment a%encies,
mainly civilian and military intelli%ence a%encies!
=The )3IA process,> he (rote in 198' 0ho( appropriate, =has in the past fe( years
$ecome an adversarial one (ith stron% political overtones! Initial reuests 0for de:
classified documents and files may $e simply i%nored for months until repeated follo(:
ups elicit pro forma responses! 3nce a researchers reuest reaches an active pile, he
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or she may $e threatened (ith eor$itant search and duplication fees!> ?e %ave an
eample! In response to one particular reuest he (as informed in (ritin% that servicin%
it (ould reuire =1&,HHH hours of search time at M16 per hour! If I (ould Eust send alon%
the MDH8,HHH, they (ould %et crackin% on the matter!>@viii
To my (ay of thinkin% 5reens most chillin% revelation (as a$out the eistence of
/ecutive 3rder 1D&6! This (as promul%ated $y *resident 4ea%an in mid:198D to
permit the re:classification of previously de:classified documentsL =The 4ea%an Justice
-epartment has encoura%ed a num$er of federal a%encies to avail themselves of this
ne( Nopportunity to return to an era (hen the processes of %overnment (ere none of the
American peoples $usiness!>@i
In passin% it is also (orth notin% that 5reens credentials (ere $eyond reproach
$ecause he is Je(ish! ?e dedicated his $ook as follo(s 2 =)or my father, (ho (ould
have understood!> 5reens hope (as that his $ook (ould encoura%e de$ate a$out the
need for America to have a more distant and rational relationship (ith Israel!
*recisely (hen on Thursday 8 June -ayan ordered the actual attack on the #i$erty has
never $een revealed! There (as ho(ever a on%ressional leak to 5reen from a named
mem$er 2 4epresentative 4o$ert #!)! "ikes 2 of the intelli%ence (orkin% %roup of the
investi%atin% -efence "u$committee of the ?ouse ommittee on Appropriations! The
leak confirmed amon% other thin%s the eistence of a suppressed report of a secret IA
$riefin% in (hich it (as stated that -ayan had issued the order over the protests of
another Israeli %eneral (ho said, =This is pure murder!>@
The attack, the murder at sea, (as in t(o main phases lastin% more than one hour 0as
(e shall see, an intended third and final phase had to $e a$orted and it (as launched
after aerial reconnaissance of the #i$erty, in the sunli%ht of the eastern .editerranean,
over a period of ei%ht hours! As all television cameramen and still photo%raphers kno(,
the sunli%ht in the eastern .editerranean has almost ma%ical properties! It is .other
+atures assistance for takin% perfect pictures!
-a(n on the mornin% of Thursday 8 June $rou%ht (ith it the promise of another $eautiful
and clear day! alm sea! #i%ht, (arm $reeOes! The off:duty cre( of the #i$erty could not
have had it $etter if they (ere holidaymakers on a cruise ship! .any (ere, in fact,
lookin% for(ard to some sun$athin% on the deck!
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The aerial reconnaissance of the #i$erty started at H6HH hours (hen a lum$erin% Israeli
+oratlas 0a +ord DH1 slo(ly circled the ship three times!
3n the $rid%e /nsi%n John "cott, near the end of his (atch as the 3fficer of the -eck,
studied the plane throu%h his $inoculars!
The )rench:$uilt +oratlas (as a transport plane $ut this one had $een modified $y the
Israeli Air )orce! It (as carryin% not fi%htin% men of any kind $ut photo%raphers 2 the
$est the Israeli Air )orce had 0(hich pro$a$ly meant they (ere second to none in the
(orld 2 and, to direct them, specialists from the directorate of military intelli%ence! The
pictures that (ere $ein% taken of the #i$erty on this and several su$seuent over:fli%hts
(ould determine the precise plan of attack!
If -ayan (as to %et a(ay (ith it, the #i$erty had to $e totally destroyed (ith no survivors
to tell the tale! And the key to complete success (hen the attack (as launched (ould $e
takin% out the #i$ertys transmittin% facilities $efore it could %et off a call for help to the
American "ith )leet (hich (as not too far a(ay! If the #i$erty did succeed in
transmittin% an "!3!"! (hen it (as $ein% attacked, there (as at least the possi$ility that
fi%hter planes from the "ith )leet (ould $e ordered to take on the attackers! The
prospect of an aerial do%:fi%ht $et(een !"! and Israeli (arplanes (as unthinka$le! Gut
that (as (hat -ayan (ould $e riskin% if his attack planes failed to take out the #i$ertystransmittin% facilities (ith their first rockets! The +oratlass prime task (as to %et the
pictures that (ould ena$le Israeli pilots to attack the #i$ertys communications facilities
(ith, literally, pin:point accuracy on their first run!
At H7DH hours #ieutenant James /nnes replaced "cott as the 3fficer of the -eck! Gy
no( every$ody on the #i$erty (as (ell a(are that their ship (as $ein% eamined very,
very carefully! The first thin% /nnes did (as to order a ne( fla% 0measurin% five feet $y
ei%ht feet to $e run up the main mast! The old one had $een $adly sooted on the
Eourney from 4ota!
At H9HH hours, in accordance (ith its ori%inal operatin% orders, the #i$erty made a sharp
ri%ht:hand turn and reduced speed to five knots! The ship (as dou$lin% $ack in a
(esterly direction rou%hly parallel to the /%yptian coast north of /l Arish! As /nnes
ordered the turn, the #i$erty (as D miles from 5aOa and less than &H miles from the
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nearest point on the Israeli coast! The ship (as no( perfectly placed to listen to I-)
movement orders 2 orders for many Israeli units in "inai to turn around and move north,
to assist (ith the consolidation of Israels capture of the Cest Gank and, more
importantly, an attack on "yria! 0I (as in "inai at the time reportin% for IT+, and I sa(
some of the Israel tanks that had smashed throu%h /%ypts defences $ein% loaded onto
hu%e lorry:dra(n trailers for transportation north(ards!
As the #i$erty (as turnin%, a sin%le Eet aircraft (as (atchin% from a distance! Then, at
1HHH hours, t(o delta:(in%ed Eets armed (ith rockets circled the ship three times! 3n
this occasion the planes came close enou%h for /nnes and other officers on the $rid%e
to see the pilots in their cockpits throu%h $inoculars! The odd thin%, or so the Americans
on the #i$ertys $rid%e thou%ht, (as that the t(o planes did not seem to have any
markin%s!
In retrospect, it is o$vious that the 1HHH hours visit (as somethin% of a trial run, to
ena$le the pilots to take a vie( on (hether or not the first set of pictures taken $y the
+oratlas (ould ena$le them to attack the #i$ertys communications facilities (ith pin:
point accuracy!
/vents su%%est that the t(o pilots (ho (ere to lead the attack (ere not happy and
(anted more photo%raphs to ena$le them to %uarantee such pinpoint accuracy! After
their report, the +oratlas made three more over fli%hts< at 1H&H hours 2 this time passin%
directly over the #i$erty at a very lo( level, pro$a$ly not more than DHH feet< at 11D6
hours and 1DDH hours!
At 1&1H hours, (ith lunch over, the cre( of the #i$erty conducted a series of drills
includin% fire, dama%e control and %as attack! That took 'H minutes! aptain .c5ona%le
then addressed the ships officers and cre(! In the normal course of events he (ould
have confined himself to complimentin% them 0or not on the Eo$ done in the drills! Gut on
this particular afternoon, the fourth of the (ar 2 they could see the smoke of $attle on the
shoreline, he kne( that his men (ere in need of reassurance! After the +oratlass fourth
reconnaissance over:fli%ht there had $een mutterin%s of fear! The Israelis had o$viouslyidentified the #i$erty several times over! Chat, really, did they (antB
.c5ona%le addressed the concern of his ships company $y stressin% that they had
$een under surveillance $y =friendly> forces! 5iven that and the fact that they 0the
friendly forces could not have failed to identify the #i$erty, the captain (as implyin% that
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his men should dismiss from their minds the possi$ility of an attack! ?e (as sayin% 2
(ithout sayin% 2 that the Israelis could not attack the #i$erty (ithout kno(in% it (as the
#i$erty they (ere attackin%!
At 1'H hours the =friends> returned, led $y three .ira%es each armed (ith 7D rockets
and t(o &H:mm cannons! This time there (as no circlin%! At hi%h speed they came
strai%ht for the #i$erty, so fast that $et(een the time they appeared as $lips on the ships
radar and the start of their attack, /nnes and others on the $rid%e $arely had time to
%ra$ and focus their $inoculars!
)or seven minutes the three .ira%es made furious, crisscross runs, hittin% the #i$erty
(ith everythin% they had! The first rockets fired toppled several of the ships antennae!
After the .ira%es and for a$out another DH minutes, the air attack (as continued $y
several .ystere fi%hters! They (ere slo(er than the .ira%es and therefore more efficient
for staffin% and droppin% canisters of napalm! 0+apalm is a hi%hly inflamma$le petroleum
Eelly! In Fietnam I (itnessed American %round forces usin% it in flame:thro(ers to $urn
entire villa%es! It can reduce a human $ody to a handful of $lack pulp! The fact that the
Israelis resorted to use of napalm for their attack on the #i$erty is on its o(n proof
enou%h that -ayan (anted there to $e no survivors to tell the tale!
Chen the first attack (as over the #i$erty had 6D1 holes in its sides and decks, includin%
over 1HH rocket holes si to ei%ht inches (ide< and not countin% the shrapnel dama%e!
As author 4ichard "mith (rote, Israeli pilots (ith the %reatest ease could =$utcher a
lar%e, slo( movin% and defenceless tar%et like the #i$erty,> and the .ira%es ordnance,
desi%ned to penetrate the armour of tanks, =punched throu%h the #i$ertys DD year:old
shell:platin% like a hammer a%ainst an old $lock of cheese!>@i
Cithin a minute or so of the start of the attack aptain .c5ona%le had ordered a report
$e made to the hief of +aval 3perations! It (as an order he %ave more in hope than
epectation of it $ein% eecuted 2 $ecause he (as a(are that the ships transmission
facilities had $een the first priority for the attackin% planes! Gut At 1'1H hours, five
minutes after the attack started, the #i$ertys hief 4adioman, Cayne "mith, didsucceed in transmittin% an open:channel =.ayday> distress call for assistance! ?e (as
su$seuently to tell the +avy Goard of Inuiry that as soon as the attack started, the
participatin% planes andPor shore:$ased units (ere Eammin% the #i$ertys radios! ?e
recalled that five of the ships si shore circuits (ere very uickly Eammed and that
(hoever (as doin% it =(ent searchin%> for the last circuit! It (as on this last circuit that
"mith (as a$le to transmit the call for assistance! Gecause it (as an open:channel
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transmission, the Israelis o$viously heard it! The uestion then (aitin% for an ans(er
(as 2 (ould any of the (arships of the American "ith )leet hear it and, if they did, ho(
(ould they respondB
orrection 2 (ould they $e allo(ed $y *resident Johnson to respondB
*hase t(o of the attack (as eecuted $y three Israeli motor torpedo $oats 0.TGs! The
#i$ertys cre( (ere fi%htin% the fires caused $y the air attack (hen the .TGs announced
their arrival $y openin% up (ith their H!DH:mm and H!'H:mm %uns! Their main task (as to
sink the #i$erty! )or that purpose 2 could there have $een any otherB 2 they fired three
torpedoes! 3ne struck the communications room dead centre in +um$er & hold, killin% in
an instant D of the &' men (ho died in the entire attack! The D, includin% the =.aEor>,
(ere entom$ed in the flooded (recka%e!
Ten years later, the conseuences of the com$ined air and sea attacks (ere
summarised $y one of the survivin% cre( mem$ers, Joseph ! #entini of .aryland, in a
letter to the editor of the Cashin%ton "tar! It (as pu$lished on ' 3cto$er 1977! #entini
(rote< =In less than &9 minutes a fine ship (as reduced to a $ullet:ridden, napalm
scorched and helpless floatin% %raveyard! In those &9 minutes $oys $rou%ht up in the
peaceful aftermath of a horrendous (orld (ar eperienced their first, and for some their
last, trial of fire!>
The #i$erty (as no( listin% nine de%rees and the .TGs (ere circlin% slo(ly, directin%
their canon fire at the ships $rid%e and any activity that could $e seen on the deck and,
also, at the ships (aterline in an apparent effort to eplode its $oilers!
Chat happened net (as yet more evidence that -ayan (anted no survivors!
The order =*repare to a$andon shipL> (as follo(ed, naturally, $y the lo(erin% of the firstlife$oats! As they touched the (ater the Israeli .TGs moved closer and shot them to
pieces! Amon% the #i$erty cre(men (ho (itnessed this (as *etty 3fficer harles
4o(ley! ?e also o$served the concentration of machine:%un fire on the life:$oats still
stored on deck! After the attack he carefully photo%raphed the shredded $oats, thinkin%
that one day his pictures (ould help to tell a story! Chen eventually he told it to "tephen
5reen, 4o(ley said, =They didnt (ant any$ody to live!>@ii
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At 1H or therea$outs 0a time to remem$er the .TGs suddenly $roke off their attack
and departed at hi%h:speed in a =F> formation! They (ent to a distance of a$out five
miles to a(ait further orders!
The #i$erty no( had no en%ines, no rudder and no po(er! And (as takin% in (ater!
+ine of its officers and cre( (ere kno(n dead another D (ere missin% and correctly
presumed to $e dead 0in the communications room that had taken the torpedo and 171
(ere (ounded! Those (ho (ere (ounded $ut not incapacitated Eoined (ith the other 9H
(ho had survived unscathed and set a$out collectin% $odies, dressin% (ounds, fi%htin%
fires, strin%in% li%hts and hand:operated phone sets, repairin% the en%ines and, a$ove
all, tryin% to keep the #i$erty afloat!
Chile they (orked on those tasks, t(o lar%e Israeli "A:&D1 "uper )relon helicopters put
in an appearance and slo(ly circled the stricken ship! Goth (ere clearly marked (ith a
lar%e "tar of -avid! A rescue missionB +o! 0*resuma$ly there had not $een time to paint
out the "tars of -avid $ecause the attack (as not %oin% accordin% to plan! The #i$erty
(as supposed to have $een sunk $y no(!
The car%o $ay doors (ere open and #i$erty cre(men could see that $oth helicopters
(ere crammed (ith armed troops 0Israeli "pecial )orces! And a machine %un (as
mounted in each of the car%o $ays!
3n the #i$erty aptain .c5ona%le %ave the order he deemed to $e appropriate!
="tand$y to repel $ordersL>@iii
As reported $y /nnes, the net voice (as that of an ordinary sailor, hysterical $ut lo%icaland pro$a$ly speakin% for many! =Theyve come to finish us offL>@iv
The Israelis had come to do Eust that, $ut not yet! )or the moment the helicopter pilots
and the commanders of the "pecial )orces on $oard (ere under orders to look 2 to take
their measure of the tar%et 2 and pass $y! To a(ait, like the .TGs, further orders!
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?o( (as it %oin% to endB
At 1&6 hours the .TGs returned, accompanied $y t(o unmarked, armed Eets! They(ere comin% for the kill! They (ere to finish off the #i$erty, sink it 2 the .TGs (ith more
torpedoes the "pecial )orces on $oard the "uper )relon helicopters to do the moppin%
up, shootin% dead any survivors $o$$in% in the (ater!
That (as to have $een the third and final phase of the Israeli attack, %ut:;ionisms final
solution, one mi%ht say, to the pro$lem of the #i$erty and its secrets! There (ere to $e
no survivors to tell the tale of (hat had really happened, and, Eust as critical from
-ayans point of vie(, no survivors to reveal to the American authorities any of the
information the #i$ertys comple intelli%ence apparatus had %athered a$out the I-)spreparations for an invasion of "yria!
Gut it did not happen! At the last minute the third and final phase of the Israeli attack (as
a$orted! The .TGs and the t(o Eets disappeared! ChyB
The short ans(er is that ei%ht aircraft from the !"! carriers "arato%a and America (ere
on their (ay to assist the #i$erty (ith orders to =destroy or drive off any attackers!>@v
The lon%er ans(er is the incredi$le story of the stru%%le $y elements of the !"! military
to overcome the resistance of an American *resident to %o to the assistance of
American servicemen (ho, defenceless, (ere under attack $y a =friend> and ally!
The first attempt to assist the #i$erty (as (hat 5reen descri$ed as a =refleive> one,
meanin% that it (as the instant response 2 human as (ell as professional 2 of the
captain of one of the "ith )leets aircraft carriers, the !"!"! "arato%a! Its captain (asJoseph Tully!
The "arato%a had received the #i$ertys open:channel =.ayday> distress call and
enou%h information to kno( that the ship (as $ein% attacked $y (hat 4adioman "mith
had descri$ed as =unidentified> aircraft!
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Gy chance the "arato%a (as conductin% an eercise (hen it picked up the #i$ertys
messa%e and four A:1 "kyha(ks (ere launch:ready on its decks! aptain Tully (as
handed the #i$ertys messa%e $y +avi%ator .a .orris! After a $rief discussion (ith
him, Tully ordered the "arato%a to head into the (ind! #ess than 1 minutes after thestart of the Israeli attack, armed !"! planes (ere in the air! The estimated fli%ht time to
the #i$erty (as a$out &H minutes! The unthinka$le 2 a confrontation $et(een !"! and
Israeli (arplanes 2 (as, it seemed, a$out to happen
3ver the "ith )leets *rimary Tactical .anoeuvrin% ircuit radio net(ork aptain Tully
then informed the fleets ommander, Admiral .artin, of the #i$ertys predicament and
his response! .artin not only endorsed Tullys action, he used the same circuit to order
the !"!"! America, the other carrier in arrier Task )orce 6H, also to launch planes to
protect the #i$erty! Gut The America did not respond immediately!
In 5reens reconstruction of events, that (as $ecause it (as not in the same state of
alert or readiness as the "arato%a! That mi%ht not have $een the (hole story! There is
evidence that aptain 0later Admiral -onald /n%en (as not %oin% to launch any of the
Americas planes immediately even if he could have done so 2 $ecause he (as insistin%
on playin% $y the rules to protect his o(n $ack and career prospects! Chat (ere the
rulesB ears later former on%ressman )indley (as to uote /n%en as sayin%@vi
In any event it (as only minutes after the "arato%as launch that the ommander of
arrier Task )orce 6H, 4ear Admiral 5eis, issued an order for the recall of the A:1s and
minutes later they (ere $ack on the "arato%as deck! They (ere not to respond to the
#i$ertys desperate plea for assistance!
3ne inference is that aptain /n%en communicated (ith 4ear Admiral 5eis and said
somethin% like, ="hould (e not clear this (ith our political masters in Cashin%tonB> Andthat 5eis replied, =ou $et>, or (ords to that effect!
*resident Johnson (as very uickly informed 2 presuma$ly $y -efence "ecretary
.c+amara 2 that the #i$erty (as under attack and that the "arato%a had launched
planes to %o to its assistance! ?ence the order 2 from the *resident to the -efence
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"ecretary 2 to recall the planes! In )indleys account the "arato%as planes (ere hardly
in the air (hen .c+amaras voice (as heard over "ith )leet radios, =Tell the "ith )leet
to %et those aircraft $ack immediatelyL>@vii
Initially, *resident Johnson (as 2 as 5reen put it 2 determined =that no !"! aircraft
(ould $e thrust into an adversary role (ith the I-), (hatever the implication for the
stru%%lin% !"!"! #i$erty!> Initially, and for the usual domestic political reason 2 fear of
offendin% ;ionism 2 this *resident (as prepared to sacrifice the lives of D86 of his fello(
Americans on $oard the #i$erty!
Chat (as a$out to happen indicates that for the $est part of &H minutes or so follo(in%
the political decision to a$andon the #i$erty and its cre(, elements of the !"! military
took on the *resident and shamed him into chan%in% his mind! Their ar%ument (ould
have $een to the effect that not %oin% to the assistance of the #i$erty (as dis%raceful
and dishonoura$le in the etreme! It is reasona$le to assume that this stru%%le (ith
*resident Johnson 0and those of his advisers he (as takin% most notice of 2 those (ho
supported Israel ri%ht or (ron% (as led initially $y the "ith )leets ommander, Admiral
.artin, to the cheers no dou$t, of aptain Tully! Gut .artin could not have prevailed
(ithout the support of the hief of +aval 3perations and most if not all of the Joint
hiefs of "taff!
At a$out 1HH hours 0eastern .editerranean time *resident Johnson chan%ed his mind
and authorised some action! At 1H hours a messa%e from 3."IQT?)#T
0ommander "ith )leet (as transmitted to the #i$erty via plain:lan%ua%e radio! 0)or
!"! +avy file purposes the messa%e (as 3."IQT?)#T H81&H; 2 ; denotin%
5reen(ich .ean Time, (hich (as t(o hours earlier than eastern .editerraneanPlocal
#i$ertyPIsraeli time! The messa%e said< =our flash traffic received! "endin% aircraft to
cover you! "urface units on the (ay! Reep situation reports comin%!>
As it happened this messa%e (as not received $y the #i$erty $ecause it had no
electricity and (as off the air!
Suestion< Cas it co:incidence that at a$out the time the ommander of the "ith )leet
(as sendin% his messa%e, the Israeli .TGs (ere ordered to $reak off their attack and
(ithdra( five miles to a(ait further instructionsB I think not! Thou%h the #i$erty (as
una$le to receive Admiral .artins plain:lan%ua%e radio messa%e, it (ould have $een
picked up $y I-) monitors! And that (ould have $een enou%h for those around -ayan
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(ho had opposed the attack 2 in particular the %eneral (ho had said it (ould amount to
=pure murder> 2 to press for it to $e called off, or, at least, for the situation to $e ur%ently
revie(ed! It is also possi$le that *resident Johnson, desperate in the etreme to avoid a
confrontation (ith the I-), authorised Calt 4osto( to use his net(ork to inform the
Israelis that !"! (arplanes (ere $ein% launched to %o to the #i$ertys assistance!
The net seuence of events, military and political, could not have $een more dramatic!
A (riter of fiction (ould not have dared to invent them!
At 116 hours arrier Task )orce 6H 04ear Admiral 5eis no( had his $ackside
covered ordered the "arato%a and the America to launch ei%ht aircraft to assist the
#i$erty and to =destroy or drive off any attackers!>
At 1DH hours Admiral .artin informed the ommander of !"! Armed )orces in/urope that aircraft (ere $ein% deployed!
At 1&6 hours 0as previously noted the Israeli .TGs moved in for the kill!
At 1&9 Admiral .artin informed the hief of +aval 3perations in Cashin%ton of the
actions $ein% taken! The ei%ht !"! (arplanes (ere %oin% to $e over the #i$erty at a$out
16HH hours, plus or minus!
.inutes later the Israeli .TGs (ere ordered to a$ort their final attack and %et the hell
out of the area!
At 161' the !"! -efence AttachK in Tel Aviv informed the Chite ?ouse that the +avalAttachK had $een called to the )orei%n #iaison 3ffice of the I-) to receive a report that
Israeli aircraft and .TGs had =erroneously attacked !"! ship!> It (as =may$e +avy
ship!> The Israelis, the -efence AttachK reported, =send a$Eect apolo%ies and reuest
info on other !"! ships near (ar Oone coasts!>@viii
Cith that messa%e in his hands, the ommander in hief of all !"! forces, *resident
Johnson, ordered the ei%ht !"! (arplanes to a$ort their mission and return to their
carriers! And he accepted Israels eplanation! The attack on the #i$erty had $een a
%hastly mistake!
And that lie $ecame the official American and Israeli truth!
Thou%h it (ill remain a matter of speculation forever and a day 2 $ecause the most
relevant documents have not $een declassified and presuma$ly never (ill $e, I think
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(hat really happened in the final minutes of (hat )indley descri$ed as =an episode of
heroism and tra%edy at sea (hich is (ithout precedent in American history> (as as
follo(s!
"hortly $efore 1&6, (hen the .TGs (ere ordered to resume the attack and %o for
the kill, -ayan said to himself, and perhaps others, somethin% like the follo(in%< =Cere
in too deep to %et out no(! #ets finish the Eo$ (hile (e still have time, Eust a$out, to
destroy the evidence so that (e can $lame the /%yptians!>
Chen it (as clear that !"! (ar planes (ere on their (ay 2 the I-) (ould have
detected them 2 -ayans military collea%ues 0enou%h of them, led $y the %eneral (ho
had opposed the attack (hen it (as only an idea, insisted that the attack $e called off,
perhaps indicatin% that they (ould epose the defence minister if he did not a%ree! That
is one possi$le eplanation! Another is that it (as *rime .inister /shkol himself (ho
spoke to -ayan on the telephone and said, ="topL>
4ear Admiral Isaac Ridd (as assi%ned the task of presidin% over the +aval Goard of
Inuiry! onfirmin% a %a%%in% order issued $y -efence "ecretary .c+amara a$out not
speakin% to the media, Ridd instructed #i$erty survivors (ho (ere to %ive evidence to
refer all uestions to the commandin% officer or eecutive officer or to himself! ?e added@i
.arked T3* "/4/T, the +aval Goards report (as completed on 18 June 1967! It has
not $een declassified to this day!
Gut the -efence -epartment did issue an unclassified summary of the =proceedin%s> of
the inuiry! It (as a cover:up! It stated that the +aval Goard had had =insufficient
information $efore it to make a Eud%ement on the reasons for the decision $y Israeli
aircraft and motor torpedo $oats to attack!>@
The contri$ution to the cover:up $y ;ionisms apolo%ists in on%ress (as s(ift, (ell co:
ordinated $ut not very (ell informed! In the ?ouse of 4epresentatives 4oman *ucinski
from Illinois rose to ask for permission to speak for one minute (hile they (ere de$atin%
saline (ater! ?e said
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=.r! "peaker, it (as (ith a heavy heart that (e learned a little (hile a%o of the tra%ic
mistake (hich occurred in the .editerranean (hen an Israeli ship mistakenly attacked
an American ship and killed four of our $oys and inEured and (ounded & others! These
are the tra%ic conseuences of armed conflict< such mistakes happen freuently in
Fietnam! It (ould $e my hope that this tra%ic mistake (ill not o$scure the traditional
friendship (e in the nited "tates have (ith the people of Israel! The Israeli %overnmenthas already apolo%ised >@i
The printed version of *ucinskis statement in The on%ressional 4ecord for the day
(as headlined =Tra%ic .istake>!
3n the floor of the "enate the performances (ere more impressive! In the first five
para%raphs of his statement, "enator Jaco$ Javits, pro:Israel ri%ht or (ron% 2 and a
heavy(ei%ht and persistent critic of the "tate -epartment 2 referred five times to the
accidental nature of the attack! As 5reen noted, Javits even eplained ho( such a
mistake could occur!
=.r! *resident, I must say it is a %reat tri$ute to the valour of the troops of Israel that this
mornin% I have heard "enator after "enator say that (hile they (ere terri$ly dismayed
and saddened $y this accident, they understood ho( it could take place under the
terri$le stresses the forces of Israel have $een under in these last fe( (eeks!>@ii 0i!e!
$ecause the ;ionist state (as, alle%edly, in dan%er of $ein% eterminated!
Throu%h its mouthpieces in on%ress and else(here, and endorsed $y the Johnson
administration, ;ionisms messa%e to the people of America (as, effectively< =Gecause
the attack (as a mistake, and $ecause Israel has apolo%ised, lets for%et a$out it!>
Gut there must have $een a sense of alarm in ;ionisms ranks (hen, on 19 June, the
day after the +aval Goard completed its inuiry, the follo(in% item appeared in
+e(s(eeks =*eriscope> section!
=Althou%h Israels apolo%ies (ere officially accepted, some hi%h Cashin%ton officials
$elieve the Israelis kne( the #i$ertys capa$ilities and suspect that the attack mi%ht not
have $een accidental! 3ne top:level theory holds that someone in the Israeli armed
forces ordered the #i$erty sunk $ecause he suspected it had taken do(n messa%es
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sho(in% that Israel started the fi%htin%!>
/cept in one respect the item contained the essence of the totally shockin% truth! In
retrospect it can $e seen that the item (as in error only to the etent that the =someone>,
-ayan, (as not concerned $y any evidence the #i$erty had %athered that could prove
Israel started the (ar! Those in Cashin%tons (ar:loop kne( that! -ayans purpose (as
to prevent the spy ship %ivin% *resident Johnson (arnin% of his intention to invade "yria!
Gut the alarm (as short:lived! ;ionism had enou%h friends in the mainstream media, and
more than enou%h influence of various kinds to intimidate (riters and $roadcasters (ho
(ere not pro:Israel ri%ht or (ron%, to prevent the matter of (hat had really happened
$ein% pursued in pu$lic!
In private the one top:level American official (ho initially refused to $e a party to the
cover:up (as "ecretary of "tate -ean 4usk! #ike all of his predecessors, and $ecause
he $elieved it (as his duty to put Americas interests first, he had to live (ith ;ionisms
smears to the effect that he (as anti:Israel! 4usk (as outra%ed $y the Johnson
administrations collusion (ith Israel for (ar! In fact he (as so concerned a$out the
dama%e $ein% done to Americas interests in the .iddle /ast $y Johnsons decision to
take sides (ith Israel that, at a meetin% in #uem$our%, he told +AT3 "ecretary 5eneral
.anlio Grosio and others in attendance some of the truth a$out the attack on the #i$erty!
Ce kno( this from a secret tele%ram that (as de:classified in 198& as a result of
5reens persistence! It (as sent $y !"! +AT3 Am$assador ?arland leveland to
nder:"ecretary of "tate /u%ene 4osto(, Calts $rother! levelands ca$le said< =Suite
apart from +e(s(eek *eriscope item, "ecretarys comments to Grosio and several
forei%n ministers at #uem$our% a$out Israeli forekno(led%e that #i$erty (as a !"! ship
piued a %reat deal of curiosity amon% +AT3 dele%ations! Could appreciate %uidance
as to ho( much of this curiosity I can satisfy, and (hen!>@iii
It can $e taken as read that Calt advised /u%ene to do everythin% he could to shut his
$oss up!
"o far as I am a(are, the uestion no$ody has attempted to ans(er in pu$lic is thisB
-espite the fact that in his o(n memoirs he (ent alon% (ith the fiction that Israeli pilots
failed to identify the #i$erty as a !"! ship and that the attack (as a tra%ic mistake, I
think it (as, very pro$a$ly, hief of "taff 4a$in 2 the Israeli leader (ho, many years later
as prime minister, (as stopped from advancin% the peace process (ith Arafat and his
*#3 $y an assassin in %ut:;ionisms name! And I think so for a num$er of reasons!
4a$in (as at one (ith *rime .inister /shkol in $elievin% that Israel could and should
live (ithin its pre:1967 (ar $orders! And as (e have also seen, 4a$ins o(n plan for
military action in the summer of 1967 (as for a strictly limited operation a%ainst /%ypt,
and only /%ypt, a strate%y -ayan descri$ed as =a$surd!>
As it (as happenin% 4a$in (as opposed to the I-)s %o$$lin% up of the Cest Gank! At a
meetin% of senior officers (ith -ayan present, 4a$in had asked, =?o( do (e control one
million Ara$sB>@iv ?e meant< =Ce (ont $e a$le to! The idea of occupation is
madness! Ce could (ell $e so(in% the seeds of catastrophe for the Je(ish state!> The
only response 4a$in %ot (as $y (ay of a correction! A staff officer said< =Actually its one
million, t(o hundred and fifty thousand!>@v As "hlaim noted, 4a$in had asked the
uestion to (hich no one had an ans(er! The real point (as that no$ody in the military
hi%h command ecept 4a$in (anted to think a$out the implications of (hat the I-) (as
doin%! .ore Ara$ land (as there for the takin%, so take it!
4a$in (as opposed to an invasion of "yria! In his memoirs he (rote that -ayan ordered
the attack on "yria =for reasons I have never %rasped!>@vi In my analysis that (as
4a$in pullin% his punches! ?e kne( (hy -ayan ordered the attack on "yria 2 to take the
5olan ?ei%hts to complete the creation of 5reater Israel $ut he, 4a$in, (as not %oin% to
say so ecept $y implication!
Chen the #i$erty (as $ein% attacked, the insider %ossip in Israel (as that 4a$in had=lost his nerve cracked under the pressure (as drinkin% heavily (as under the ta$le
a dis%race!> I first heard this %ossip from Israeli friends I kne( to $e very close to -ayan!
And it (as former -.I ?erOo% (ho confirmed to me that such rumours (ere rife! In
retrospect I think the %ossip (as inspired $y -ayan to %ive him scope to discredit 4a$in
if the need arose 2 if he so much as hinted to any$ody outside the command circle that
he had tried to prevent the attack on the #i$erty! 0ould it not $e said that the idea of
attackin% the #i$erty (as enou%h to drive any rational human $ein%, even an Israeli
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%eneral, to drinkB The idea that 4a$in mi%ht have $een tempted to make trou$le for
-ayan is not unthinka$le if he shared :and he pro$a$ly did 2 /shkols private vie( of
Israels (arlord!
Chen the prime minister learned that -ayan had ordered the attack on "yria (ithout
consultin% or informin% himself or hief of "taff 4a$in, he thou%ht a$out cancellin% the
order and said of -ayan, to his aide:de:camp, =Chat a vile man!>@vii That uotation
(as unearthed $y "hlaim! Chat could have made /shkol resort to such etraordinary
lan%ua%eB .y %uess is that use of the adEective =vile> reflected most of all the prime
ministers horror at -ayans orderin% of the attack on the #i$erty!
As related $y "eymour ?ersh, /shkol also had a pun%ent (ay of epressin% his %rave
dou$ts a$out the (isdom of keepin% occupied territory! After the (ar A$e )ein$er%
visited Israel and /shkol said to him 0in iddish< =Chat am I %oin% to do (ith a million
Ara$sB They fuck like ra$$its!>@viii
Cith the #i$erty taken out of the euation, the first indication official Cashin%ton had of
-ayans intentions thereafter (as in the form of a =flash> tele%ram to "ecretary of "tate
4usk from /van Cilson, the !"! onsul 5eneral in Jerusalem! 0=)lash> (as the hi%hest
precedence desi%nation for "tate messa%es! Suotin% the +s 5eneral 3dd Gull, the
tele%ram said that Israel had launched an =intensive air and artillery $om$ardment> of
"yrian positions, and that Cilson assumed it (as a =prelude to a lar%e:scale
attack!>@i That messa%e (as sent, flashed, at a$out 1&H hours local time, Eust
$efore -ayan ordered the .TGs to finish off the #i$erty!
4usk (as furious and (anted to take immediate action! The fact that it took him the $est
part of an hour to %et *resident Johnsons permission to read the riot act to Israel
su%%ests that he had a considera$le amount of internal opposition to overcome! 0I can
ima%ine the 4osto( $rothers Eoinin% forces 2 /u%ene in the "tate -epartment, Calt in
the Chite ?ouse 2 to have the *resident clip the "ecretary of "tates (in%s! 4usks
eventual response (as another =flash> messa%e in the form of an instruction to Cal(orth
Gar$our, the !"! Am$assador to Israel! ?e (as ordered, ur%ently, to approach theIsraeli )orei%n .inistry at the hi%hest level to epress =deep concern> at the ne(
indication of military action $y Israel! The tet of 4usks instruction to Gar$our included
the follo(in%@
After makin% his representation as instructed, Am$assador Gar$our sou%ht to defend the
I-)s softenin% up of "yrias positions $y remindin% 4usk that "yria had not yet accepted
the "ecurity ouncils demand for a cease:fire 0as, I add, Jordan and /%ypt had actually
done and Israel had falsely claimed to have done! It (as true that the "yrians (ere still
shootin% from fied positions in their o(n territory 2 $ut in response to the I-)s
$om$ardment and, also, $ecause "yrias leaders (ere puttin% on a token sho(, to
ena$le them to score points a%ainst +asser in the Ara$ (orld $y claimin% that they had
held out lon%er than him! The Johnson administration kne( the "yrian re%ime had
honoured its secret pre:(ar deal (ith Israel $y not advancin% its land forces from theirdefensive positions, so (hen 4usk flashed instructions to Gar$our he kne( that the
"yrian army posed no threat to Israel!
In reality any hope the Johnson administration had of stoppin% the Israelis had $een
destroyed $y their attack on the #i$erty!
That evenin%, Thursday 8 June, +asser intervened to stop the "yrians 2 in the hope of
stoppin% the Israelis! The /%yptian *resident sent the follo(in% messa%e to his "yrian
counterpart, +ur ed:-in al Atassi< =I $elieve that Israel is a$out to concentrate all of its
forces a%ainst "yria in order to destroy the "yrian army and re%ard for the common
cause o$li%es me to advise you to a%ree to the endin% of hostilities and to inform
Thant immediately, in order to preserve "yrias %reat army! Ce have lost this $attle!>
The messa%e ended@i
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That +asser messa%e, no dou$t like all others, (as intercepted $y Israeli military
intelli%ence! In the mar%in of a copy of it, -ayan scri$$led the follo(in% note /laOar, (ho had never $een less than %un%:ho for (ar (ith"yria, the "yrians fou%ht (ell! Apart from honour 2 the eyes of the Ara$ (orld (ere upon
them 2 there (ere pro$a$ly t(o reasons (hy they did so! The 5olan ?ei%hts (ere
thou%ht to $e impre%na$le and they felt secure in their $unkers and fo holes! Gut (hen
Israeli paratroops and armour (ere landed $ehind them, they (ere effectively cut:off,
(ith no(here to run they had to fi%ht or die! Gecause the I-) had an audacious enou%h
plan to capture the 5olan ?ei%hts, they $ecame less of an impre%na$le fortress for their
"yrian defenders and more of a death:trap!
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3n )riday 9 June 1967, and for the $est part of D' hours, the "yrians fou%ht (ith all their
stren%th, and there (ere %reat and true acts of coura%e under fire on $oth sides, not
least on the part of those I-) officers (ho led their men into the Ea(s of certain death
that the $unkers and fo:holes of the 5olan ?ei%hts (ere! Gut $y the evenin% of"aturday 1H June, in defiance of (hat had $een a%reed secretly (ith the Johnson
administration $efore the (ar, the 5olan ?ei%hts (ere in Israels hands! The (ar (as
over! In si days the creation of 5reater Israel (as a fait accompli! -ayan had made
;ionisms mad dream come true!
In his conversations (ith 4ami Tal (hich (ere not made pu$lic until after his death,
-ayan (as astonishin%ly honest! At the heart of the %reat myth a$out Israels actions on
the "yrian front in 1967 is the claim 2 it remains an article of faith amon% Israelis and
most Je(s every(here 2 that the I-) seiOed the 5olan ?ei%hts to stop the fiendish"yrians shellin% Israeli settlements do(n $elo(! 0As (e have seen, it (as Israeli
provocations that provoked "yrian shootin% in the countdo(n to the (ar! Chen Tal
demonstrated his $elief in this Israeli claim, -ayan cut him short and said the follo(in%@iii
Israels last land %ra$ of the (ar did provoke the threat, a real and serious one, of "oviet
military intervention! )or some hours there (as the prospect that %ut:;ionisms territorial
am$itions and (hat #ilienthal ri%htly called =Israels unconsciona$le use of military force>
(ould provoke a superpo(er confrontation and possi$ly Corld Car III! Gut at the $rink,
catastrophe (as averted $y use of the Chite ?ouse:Rremlin hot line!
)or Israels ha(ks and those in the Johnson administration (ith (hom they conspired,
there (as one $i% disappointment! The humiliation the Israelis had heaped on +asserdid not $rin% a$out his do(nfall, $ut There (as a moment (hen it had seemed that he
(as finished!
3n the evenin% of 9 June, live on television from his home and headuarters in .anshiet
el:Gakri near ?eliopolis on the road to the airport, +asser resi%ned! ?e (as lookin%
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dra(n and ha%%ard and appeared to $e a $roken man! The eplanation he %ave his
people for the catastrophe /%ypt had suffered (as short and simple! ?e had listened, he
said, to the (arnin%s of *resident Johnson and the "oviet nion not to strike the first
$lo(!
That said, +asser announced he (as resi%nin% the presidency in favour of Fice:
*resident ;acharia .ohieddin, 0the man (ho, on +assers instructions, and %iven the
chance $y the Israelis, (ould have made the necessary concessions in discussions (ith
!"! Fice:*resident ?umphrey to avert (ar!
+asser did actually resi%n $ut $efore the net day (as out, in response to mass
demonstrations in his favour, he (as *resident a%ain!
Israelis, leaders and ordinary folk, had their o(n eplanation for this turnaround in airo!
The (hole thin% had $een sta%e:mana%ed! +asser (as not serious (hen he resi%ned!
?e (as playin% a %ame! The popular demonstrations in his favour had not $een
spontaneous! ?is secret police had $ullied and $ri$ed /%yptians to take to the streets to
demand that +asser stayed in po(er! 0Israels intelli%ence chiefs kne( that the IAs
plan for topplin% +asser included payin% /%yptians to take to the streets to denounce
him! They assumed that +asser had done the same thin% in reverse, so to speak!
.y Israeli friends, and many others (ho said such thin%s, (ere kiddin% themselves! It
(as (hat they (anted to $elieve! The truth a$out (hat happened in airo is this!
+asser did not inform his chosen successor of his intention to resi%n and, conseuently,
he did not ask .ohieddin if he (as prepared to take over! .ohieddin did not (ant to $e
*resident in any circumstances, $ut especially those no( prevailin% in /%ypt and
throu%hout the Ara$ (orld $ecause of the scale and speed of Israels victory (hich, for
the Ara$s, (as an even $i%%er humiliation than that of 19'8! #ike all /%yptians and other
Ara$s, .ohieddin did not kno( that +asser (as intendin% to resi%n until he said so liveon TF and radio! As soon as the $roadcast ended, .ohieddin drove at top speed to
+assers home 2 to refuse the succession for himself and to tell the resi%ned *resident
that he could not a$andon his post (hile remnants of his army (ere still trapped in "inai!
An ar%ument follo(ed! +asser insisted there (as no %oin% $ack on his decision! =ou
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are no( responsi$le>, he said to .ohieddin, =you cannot refuse!>@iv .ohieddin %ave
as %ood as he %ot! ?e told +asser that he had no ri%ht to choose his successor! 3nly the
+ational Assem$ly could decide (ho (ould $e *resident!
Chile the t(o men continued to ar%ue, the ca$inet (as assem$lin% in another room for a
meetin% +asser had called to ratify his hand:over of po(er to the Fice:*resident!
.ean(hile, in the streets outside, the people (ere havin% their say! ontrary to (hat
Israelis $elieved at the time, it (as an entirely spontaneous happenin%! The $est
summary description of it (as in a report filed to #e .onde $y the perceptive /ric
4ouleau, one of the $est )rench correspondents of his %eneration! ?e (rote@v
The follo(in% day, (hile the I-) (as %oin% for the 5olan ?ei%hts, the +ational Assem$ly,
$y a unanimous decision, invited +asser to remain as *resident!
It mi%ht have $een that he resi%ned in the hope and even the epectation that his
announcement (ould tri%%er a popular response in his favour, $ut there can $e no dou$t
that it (as spontaneous! Chy, really, did it happenB
In my analysis the $est (ay to eplain it is $y comparin% perceptions!
;ionism had succeeded in sellin% its lie for the (ar! As a conseuence 0%enerally
speakin%, +asser (as perceived in America and throu%hout the Cestern (orld as thecommon enemy in %eneral and, in particular, the Ara$ a%%ressor (ho had %one to (ar to
annihilate the Je(ish state! If thats (hat you $elieved, (hether you (ere Je(ish or not,
the events in airo follo(in% +assers resi%nation statement (ere perplein%! ?e had led
his people to catastrophe! ?e (as a disaster for them! "urely no( they (ould see that
and, if he did not uit, they (ould overthro( him! 3r ou%ht to!
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The perception of the people of /%ypt and almost all Ara$s every(here (as rather
different and rooted in reality! In it the ;ionist state (as the a%%ressor and the Ara$s
(ere the victims of a%%ression! There (ere, of course, some /%yptians (ho realised that
+asser had made mistakes and miscalculations (hich had contri$uted to the disaster 2
%iven Israels ha(ks and their American conspirators the pretet they (anted for (ar!
Gut such criticism as there (as of +asser for his leadership failin%s (as the small:printon the invoice for catastrophe!
In summary< The vast maEority of /%yptians, and very many other Ara$s, still sa( +asser
for (hat he really (as 2 the sym$ol of their (ish not to $e dominated, not to $e
controlled and eploited $y the com$ined forces of emer%in% American imperialism
0replacin% Gritish and )rench imperialism and its ;ionist ally!
Thats (hy +asser survived!
I think the $est account of the 1967 (ar $y any Je(ish (riter, Israeli or other, is in Avi
"hlaims revision of modern Israels history< $ut I think his conclusions a$out (hat really
happened on the Israeli side in the (ar miss a fundamental point! 0I remain puOOled $y
the fact that he did not mention the attack on the #i$erty, let alone the reasons for it!
"hlaim (rote for more land came not from =eatin%> 2 not simply $ecause the
opportunities to eat (ere there! ?e (as hun%ry $ecause he (as a %ut:;ionist,
conditioned $y centuries of persecution, traumatised $y the +aOi holocaust, driven $y the
$elief that 5entiles (ere never to $e trusted and, a$ove all, convinced that the (orld
(ould one day turn a%ainst the Je(s a%ain! I kno( he (as convinced $ecause he told
me so! Chen that day came, Israel had to $e $i% enou%h and secure enou%h to serve as
the refu%e of last resort for all the Je(s of the (orld! Israel confined to its pre:1967
$orders (as not $i% enou%h and did not possess sufficient natural resources, (ater
especially!
I once said the follo(in% to -ayan in private conversation< =Chat you really fear is that a
day (ill come (hen the maEor po(ers (ill reuire Israel to $e the sacrificial lam$ on the
altar of political epediency 2 Eust as in 19'7 and 19'8 they reuired the *alestinians to
$e the sacrifice on that altar!> -ayan replied, =ou could put it like that!> Then, after a
lon% pause, he added, =Gut (e (ont let it happen!> Thou%h he did not say so, he meant,
=Ce have an independent nuclear deterrent and no$ody is %oin% to make Israel do (hat
it does not (ant to do!>
"o is there really need to call in the psycholo%ists to eplain -ayans $ehaviour,
includin% and especially his truth:tellin% in conversation (ith 4ami Tal for pu$licationafter his deathB I think not! If the "yrians =(ere not a threat to us>, (hy did he order the
I-) to attack them and %ra$ a chunk of their territory 2 i!e! if not for the sole purpose of
completin% ;ionisms 5reater Israel proEectB There (as a part of the -ayan I kne( that
(anted to say out loud< =I created 5reater Israel! I delivered on the promise our foundin%
fathers made!> Gut there (as also a part of ;ionisms (arlord that kne( it (ould not $e a
%ood idea to say so 2 in case the 5reater Israel of his creation turned out to $e, as it
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has, a %hastly mistake!
-ayan (as never entirely comforta$le in the presence of non:Je(s and %ave me the
impression that he (as sometimes uncomforta$le (ith himself! I think he (ent to his
%rave (onderin% (hether he had done the ri%ht or (ron% thin% for the $est interests of
Je(s every(here! 3n that $asis the main difference $et(een .oshe -ayan and 5olda
.eir defines itself! In the privacy of her o(n conscience 0as I indicated in Folume 3ne,
hapter 3ne she had the coura%e at the end of her days to consider the possi$ility that
;ionism mi%ht have done the (ron% thin%! -ayan, at times the most charmin% and most
en%a%in% (ar criminal I ever met, did not have that kind of coura%e! It (as moral
coura%e and he allo(ed ;ionism to ro$ him of it!
As it happened, the most vivid epression of ;ionisms 5reat #ie a$out the 1967 (ar
(as %iven voice $y *rime .inister /shkol himself! In the Rnesset on 1D June he
asserted that the (ar had $een started $y =the Ara$ invasion of Israeli territory!> ?e then
said< =The very eistence of the "tate of Israel hun% upon a thread, $ut Ara$ leaders
hopes of annihilatin% Israel have $een confounded!>
A (eek earlier, in the first moments of the (ar, )orei%n .inister /$an had launched the
lie (ith an eually remarka$le and astonishin% statement! In the course of his assertion
to reporters 0includin% me that Israel (as actin% in self:defence, he said< =+ever in
history has there $een a more ri%hteous use of armed force!>@vii In retrospect, it
could and should $e said that never in history has a countrys forei%n minister talked
such nonsense! Thereafter Israels am$assadors around the (orld spoke from /$ans
script!
Ce kno( that our leaders tell l ies in (ar 0and peace, and that disinformation is
sometimes necessary if ri%ht is to triumph over (ron%! Gut (hy, really, did Israels
leaders lie, and lie so completely, in 1967B
*rime .inister /shkol lied after the (ar $ecause he had no choice! ?e could not say, =I
lost control of events of my side to those (ho (ere determined to create the 5reater
Israel of ;ionisms mad dream!>
And the lo%ic that drove the lie so far as -ayan (as concerned can $e summarised as
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follo(s< the $i%%er the lie, and the %reater the authority (ith (hich it (as told, the smaller
the chance of Israel $ein% $randed (here it mattered most 2 in the "ecurity ouncil 2 as
the a%%ressor!
Chy, really, (as it so important that Israel not $e $randed as the a%%ressor (hen it (asB
A%%ressors are not allo(ed to keep the territory they take $y force! They have to
(ithdra( from it unconditionally! That is the reuirement of international la( and also a
fundamental principle (hich the + is committed to uphold, as, for eample, *resident
/isenho(er did (hen Israel invaded /%ypt in 196! That is on the one hand!
3n the other is the %enerally accepted vie( that (hen a state is attacked, is the victim ofa%%ression, and then %oes to (ar in self:defence and ends up occupyin% some or even
all of the a%%ressors territory, the occupier has the ri%ht, in ne%otiations, to attach
conditions to its (ithdra(al!
The pointB
If in 1967 Israel had $een $randed as the a%%ressor, as it should have $een, the
Johnson administration (ould have had the choice of $y checkin% =Air
)orce unit histories, commanders names, technical details and so forth!> ?e also noted
that (hile he (as seekin% to confirm the story throu%h contacts (ith other individuals
(ho mi%ht have participated in the operation and senior officials in the *enta%on, Chite
?ouse and "tate -epartment, Air )orce intelli%ence contacted several mem$ers of the
units involved =remindin% them of their o$li%ations to maintain silence on any previous
intelli%ence missions in (hich they had $een involved!>@viii 0The main reason for5reens satisfaction that the story (as true (as, he said, that =certain of the details
provided $y the source (ould have $een very difficult to learn other than $y participation
in such a mission in Israel!>
Assumin% 5reens clinically detailed account to $e correct 2 an assumption I make
(ithout reservation and not least $ecause of the confirmation in principle I o$tained from
very hi%h:level Israeli and American sources of my o(n 2 the American military
contri$ution to the I-)s (ar effort (as spearheaded $y planes and pilots of the &8th
Tactical 4econnaissance "uadron of the D6th Tactical 4econnaissance Cin%, !"! Air)orce! The &8th (as $ased in 4amstein, Cest 5ermany! Its participatin% planes 0four
(ere flo(n from there to the !"! air $ase at .oron in "pain (here they (ere Eoined,
$efore flyin% to Israel on ' June, $y supportin% elements from the 17th Tactical
4econnaissance "uadron of the 66th Tactical 4econnaissance Cin% $ased at pper
?eyford near 3ford in /n%land! At an Israeli air $ase in the +e%ev, the &8ths planes
(ere painted over (ith a (hite "tar of -avid on a $lue $ack%round and ne( tail num$ers
correspondin% to actual inventory num$ers in the Israeli Air )orce!
The &8ths planes (ere 4):'s! They (ere modified versions of the ):' *hantom Eetfi%hter! In June 1967 the 4):' (as state:of:the:art military reconnaissance and had
$een operational for only three years! It utilised cameras of various focal len%ths and
for(ard and side:lookin% radar 0"#4 to provide $oth lo( and hi%h altitude
reconnaissance! sin% radar and infrared sensors, (hich provided a thermal map of the
area under reconnaissance, the 4):' could operate $y day or 2 this (as the main
reason for !"! involvement 2 $y ni%ht!
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Cithout air cover $ecause their o(n planes had $een destroyed in the first t(o hours or
so of the I-)s aerial $litOkrie%, the /%yptians had to move their %round forces $y ni%ht
to avoid as much as possi$le the unopposed attacks of Israeli planes! The Israeli Air
)orce did not then have the necessary ni%ht:time aerial reconnaissance or strikecapa$ility! "o the main task of the 4):'s (as to track and photo%raph the movements
of /%ypts %round forces throu%h the ni%ht so that, $y da(n the follo(in% mornin%, I-)
%round and air forces (ould kno( precisely (here the enemy (as and in (hat stren%th,
and (ere positioned to attack (ithout delay! The "inai campai%n of June 1967 (as the
most one:sided fi%ht in the history of modern (arfare! The /%yptians really had no more
of a chance than turkeys a(aitin% the annual hristmas slau%hter!
This American military assistance (as provided to %uarantee that the I-) achieved its
o$Eectives on the /%yptian front in the shortest possi$le time 2 $efore the !"! cameunder irresisti$le pressure to stop $lockin% a "ecurity ouncil resolution demandin% a
cease:fire and, initially, an unconditional Israeli (ithdra(al! The pre:(ar calculation of
those in Cashin%tons (ar:loop (as that the !"! (ould not $e a$le to delay thin%s in
the "ecurity ouncil for pro$a$ly more than three days! 0In retrospect it is not difficult to
understand (hy, $efore the (ar, the leaders of Americas intelli%ence community, IA
director ?elms in particular, (ere so confident in their assurances to *resident Johnson
that the I-) (ould achieve complete victory on the /%yptian front in three or four days!
They had correctly assessed the effectiveness of the contri$ution the 4):'s (ere to
make!
Initially the 4):'s (ere assi%ned to assist the I-) on only the /%yptian front! Gut their
mission (as etended (hen Israel (ent to (ar (ith "yria! The need then from
Cashin%tons perspective (as to help the I-) %et that campai%n done and dusted
$efore the "oviet nion (ent over the $rink and intervened!
Cithout American operational assistance it is at least possi$le that the I-) (ould have
needed more time to destroy the /%yptian army in "inai, and that in the etra time the
!"! mi%ht have come under irresisti$le international pressure to support a "ecurity
ouncil demand for a ceasefire earlier than it did! In this event the creation of 5reater
Israel 2 control of all of the Cest Gank and the %ra$$in% of the 5olan ?ei%hts 2 mi%ht not
have happened!
)or serious seekers of the truth, the record as set do(n for the #yndon Gaines Johnson
#i$rary 3ral ?istory *roEect is a %oldmine, especially if the researcher is really focused!
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"ome years after the 1967 (ar, the previously uoted ?arry .c*herson made the
follo(in% contri$ution to that 3ral ?istory! ?e (as reflectin% on the nature of the =service>
advisers %ive American *residents!
= you tend to vie( everythin% in terms of (hether it hurts your Administration, your
*resident and that sort of thin% or helps! ou look at almost nothin% from the point of
vie( of (hether its true or not! Its only the sort of *4 sense (hat effect it (ill have on
pu$lic support or lack of support for your Administration! And thats a terri$le (ay to %et!
It makes you very efficient! ou $ecome very uick! And you $ecome %ood at offerin%
advice on (hat your principal should do instantly! Gut you may miss the $oat $adly,
$ecause you havent really understood and taken in (hat the concern of the country
is!>@i
)or =concern of the country> read Americas o(n lon%er term and $est real interests!
It (as the case that the .iddle /ast did not %et enou%h of *resident Johnsons uality
time $ecause he $ecame increasin%ly distracted $y the prospect of defeat for America in
Fietnam and that and other policy priorities, includin% his no$le fi%ht for the civil ri%hts of
$lack Americans, laid him open to manipulation $y the supporters of ;ionism ri%ht or
(ron% in his administration!
An eample of ho( ;ionisms po(er $rokers never missed an opportunity to manipulate
Johnson (as si%nposted $y .acphersons recall of a particular comment the *resident
made in an un%uarded moment< =-amn it, they (ant me to protect Israel, $ut they dont
(ant me to do anythin% in FietnamL>@l
=They> (ere $oth the %overnment of Israel and the Je(ish Americans (ho (ere in the
van%uard of the %ro(in% anti:Fietnam (ar movement! The $ack%round contet revealed
$y declassified documents makes it clear that Johnson (as really pissed off 0he
undou$tedly (ould have put it like that in private $y the refusal of Israels %overnment tosupport his =free (orld effort> in Fietnam, and $y the opposition to that (ar of many
Je(ish Americans! 0/cept on the matter of Israel and the *alestinians, many Je(ish
Americans (ere and are, like many Je(s every(here, li$eral, even left leanin%, a%ainst
inEustice and for human ri%hts!
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Throu%h 196 and the early months of 1966, at *resident Johnsons reuest, the "tate
-epartment made strenuous efforts to %et Israel to support the American (ar effort in
Fietnam! The support reuired $y the !"! (as the esta$lishment of diplomatic relations
$et(een Israel and the Thieu re%ime in "ai%on and the sendin% of Israeli rural health
teams! In )e$ruary 1966, (hen Israel (as still sayin% =no> to American reuests,
"ecretary of "tate 4usk instructed the American Am$assador in Tel Aviv to %ive thefollo(in% messa%e to Israeli )orei%n .inister /$an! =Israel (ould ri%htly $e the first to $e
fri%htened if the !"! (ere to Ncut and run in Fietnam! ou should note that the !"! is
$ein% most helpful to Israel currently, and that reciprocal %estures (ould $e (ell received
in Cashin%ton!>@li
In April 1966 !"! Assistant "ecretary of "tate 4aymond ?are (as sent to Israel to plead
(ith *rime .inister /shkol! ?are told him that the Fietnam pro$lem (as =no( the
touchstone of American forei%n policy>, and that the !"! %overnment considered closer
relations $et(een Israel and the Thieu %overnment to $e =important!>@lii /shkol still said=no>! ?e stuck to the line that Israels relations (ith Asian and African developin% nations
(ould suffer if Israel supported Americas (ar in Fietnam!@liii
"o it (as that *resident Johnson $ecame increasin%ly irritated $y Israels refusal and
that of many Je(ish Americans to support and $e seen to $e supportin% his Fietnam
Car policy! 0?ence his comment as uoted $y .c*herson!
And that %ave ;ionisms po(er $rokers an openin% to do some manipulatin%! They
chose their moment (ell! 3n 7 June, the third day of the (ar, -avid Grody, -irector of
the Anti:-efamation #ea%ue, (as instructed to call at the Chite ?ouse to speak (ith t(o
of *resident Johnsons staffers, #arry #evinson and Gen Catten$er%! The Je(ish
community of America, Grody said, (as concerned that the administration should not
force Israel to =lose the peace> after it had (on the (ar, as had $een the case (ith
/isenho(er after the "ueO (ar!@liv The reality (as that ;ionisms po(er $rokers (ere
concerned that *resident Johnson mi%ht not yet $e fied in his determination to prevent
Israel $ein% reuired to (ithdra( unconditionally from occupied Ara$ territories! Grody
(ent on to su%%est that in future pu$lic statements on the (ar, the *resident ou%ht to
stress the =peace, Eustice and euity theme>, and should specifically not mention=territorial inte%rity> 0as he had done in his pre:(ar statements!@lv #evinson and
Catten$er% then (rote a memorandum to the *resident uotin% Grodys advice and
sayin% that it (as %ood! =It could lead>, the memorandum stated, =to a %reat domestic
political $onus 2 and not only from Je(s! 5enerally speakin%, it (ould seem that the
.iddle:/ast crisis can turn round a lot of anti:Fietnam, anti:Johnson feelin%, particularly
if you use it as an opportunity to your advanta%e!>@lvi Translated that meant the ;ionist
lo$$y in all of its manifestations (ould do its $est to see that Je(ish American opposition
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to the (ar in Fietnam (as stifled 2 if *resident Johnson stuck to his %uns and did not
reuire Israel to (ithdra( (ithout conditions as /isenho(er had done!
3n its o(n the #evinson and Catten$er% memorandum pro$a$ly did not have a maEor
influence on *resident Johnsons thinkin%, $ut it (as part of a (ell:eecuted campai%n,
inside and outside the Chite ?ouse, to manipulate him $y takin% advanta%e of his
preoccupation (ith the (ar in Fietnam!
True and tra%ic is that *resident Johnson kno(in%ly took sides (ith Israel out of fear of
offendin% ;ionism and riskin% the loss, for himself and his party, of Je(ish votes and
Je(ish campai%n funds! And that reuired him to =miss the $oat $adly> $y puttin%
;ionisms interests $efore Americas interests in the .iddle /ast!
The man (ho had seen it all comin% and tried to stop it happenin% $efore it (as too late
(as the first !"! "ecretary of -efence, James )orrestal! As (e have also seen,
*resident /isenho(er shared )orrestals concerns, and for his t(o terms in office did
insist that Americas interests should have priority over ;ionisms interests! And it is
reasona$le to speculate that a second:term *resident Rennedy (ould have follo(ed
/isenho(ers lead! The pro$lem $y the time #yndon Johnson $ecame the leader of the
so:called )ree Corld can $e simply stated 2 there (as no$ody (ith real influence on
!"! policy (ho (as prepared to ar%ue seriously for puttin% Americas o(n $est interests
first!
"ecretary of "tate -ean 4usk and others kne( that support for ;ionism ri%ht or (ron%
(as $ound to have catastrophic conseuences for America, eventually! Gut they also
kne( they could not $uck their pork:$arrel system!
"ince this $ook (as first pu$lished more information has come to li%ht, much $ut not all
of it from #i$erty survivors, a$out (ho kne( (hat (hen the spy ship (as attacked!
It includes the fact that American intelli%ence a%encies had taped intercepts of Israeli
pilots tellin% %round control that their tar%et (as an America ship and askin% if they (ere
still reuired to attack it! The ans(er (as, =es, follo( orders!> 4ay .c5overn, D7 years
(ith the IA under seven presidents and the man (ho $riefed some of them every
mornin%, has confirmed that the +"A destroyed many tapes (hich proved the Israelis
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(ere lyin% (hen they said it (as an =unfortunate accident> and a =case of mistaken
identity>!
In this $ook Ill leave the last (ord on (hy the #i$erty (as attacked to a senior I-)
officer in conversation (ith #i$erty survivor -on *ae%ler!
?is task after the Israeli attack (as to collect and try to re:assem$le the $odies of those
$lo(n to pieces $y Israeli $om$s and torpedoes! -ons o(n account, (hich he e:mailed
to me, included this
There reason (hy -on decided to speak out (as to do (ith his health! The post:
traumatic stress caused $y keepin% the truth $ottled up inside him had $ecome a life
threatenin% phenomenon! ?e put it this (ay