Did Israel ever satisfactorily explain the attack on the LIBERTY, ( AGTR-5)?

Question

I am not aware of this if anything came to light

BMCR: Do you really believe everything a government tells you? I knew people on that ship, but this is not relevant, however Israili intelligence is good enough even then to KNOW the identity of an American ship, flying a large ensign in an 8 knot breeze, with clearly mariked hull numbers.
As near as the recon air craft were, there was no excuse for mistaking her identity. Evan JANE'S had Liberty listed at the time. You don't think their intelligence was good enough to know this ship was American? My guess is Israeli field commanders, killing caputured Egyptians just miles away, did not want this information recorded.
Was it friendly fire to send in torpedo boats and have them machine gun the life rafts in the water as well? Makes you wonder.

Answer 1

Did USA really sought any explanation from Israel or it was OK for USA. USA have their mind to blindly support Israel, and that's it.

Answer 2

No. Sadly they stuck with their story that is was an accident. That they mis-identified the Liberty even though the flew low enough to strafe the decks and thus see the US Ensign (that's the US Flag in the stern for you civilians!!); during 2 or 3 runs.

A quick review. The USS Liberty was attacked in international waters by the Israeli air force for 75 minutes killing 34 Americans and wounding 174. The Israelis claimed they thought it was an Egyptian ship and no US flag was visible. They lied because in fact there were a total of 3 US flags raised in an effort to stop the attack. All 3 flags were presented with bullet hole and fire damage. The attack occurred on June 8, 1967 during the Six Day War.

Why we let it go at that? Politics...particularly since the Liberty called for help from a US aircraft carrier and the carrier Captain refused or delayed sending help...why has never been established.

And the most disgusting and insulting event after the attack?
The ships CO Captain McGongle earned and received the Congressional MEDAL of HONOR for his heroism above and beyond. However he was awarded THE MEDAL at the US Naval Ship Yard in a quiet ceremony instead of the White House by the President as is the custom. Why? To avoid embarrassing the attackers. A sad day in US military history.

Answer 3

It has been nearly 40 years since that time.

There were about 6 official investigations conducted by both sides in those years. They all concluded that it was a friendly fire incident.

If you can't accept that, then I'd have to say that nothing Israel or the US can say would convince you.

Update:

Like I said, "If you can't accept it... nothing will convince you."

In other words, what can the US or Israel possibly do to convince you that it was a friendly fire incident? Present evidence? You'd dismiss it as part of the "cover up". Have an independant third party investigate and conclude that it was a friendly fire incident? You'd dismiss them as a tool of someone or being ignorant of your so called "facts".

So, as was clear from your "question", you have no real question, you think Israel deliberately did it.

As for myself "beleiveing everythnig the government tells me"... actually its more of an issue of not believing anything that is a conspiracy theory, which is precisely what this is. (The main reason is that conspiracy theories have a lousy track record of being proven correct... namely none of them.)
I have also read a few articles, written by non governmental people, in which they critique this conspiracy and show it for what it is, BUNK. Interestingly, one article I read pointed out that one of the people from the Liberty who was promoting the conspiracy contradicted his own testimony to the official investigation.

Update 2:

What I find interesting about this whole thing is the conspiracy theorists grasp at trying to come up with a motive and the utter lack of proof thereof.
Take for example your conjecture. Aside from the fact that Israel killing captured POWs is not true (though many have claimed so and try to pin it on Ariel Sharon too), assuming it was true, you have no proof whatsoever that the Liberty knew of the alleged incident. You just assume it to be true and use it to ascribe a motive.
But once you do that, you will have us beleive that Israel wanted to cover that up to the point that they would sink an allies ship. Yet at the same time,. you also want us to beleive that Israel and the USA collaborated together in a massive coverup that would cause 6 investigations to come to the conclusion that it was a freindly fire incident.
So what is it? Either the USA and Israel and not so close that the USA cannot be trusted to cover up Israel's alleged misdeads during waretime, or that they are so close that they are willing to coverup the aftermath together and fake a friendly fire incident.
In other words, you cannot have it both ways.
It is for reasons like this why conspiracy theories are bunk. You make all sorts of assumptions and then ask us to take a leap of faith and beleive it, dispite its own inherint contradictory logic.

Answer 4

Satisafctory answer to whom. The Israeli public - for the most part. To American public - for the most part and not a terribly controversial matter or one that damaged our countries relationship. The Israeli government/leadership - apparently enough of an explanation. To the USA - you bet they did, but you and I will never hear about the details in our lifetime.

Bottomline - not a matter for full public disclosure so you and i will never hear an official and truthful account of this incident, not now, not ever.

Answer 5

They never gave a reason that was satisfactory to the general public, which has a tendency to forget those kind of things anyhow.

They did eventually get around to explaining their reasons through diplomatic channels. All of this explanation was, of course, highly classified.

What upset the Isaraeli's the most was that the Liberty was capable of detecting Israeli funny business across the electromagnetic spectrum which detected, jammed, and even falsified messages between the Arab nations allied against Israel.

The American response was "Oops, sorry about that. We see nothing, we hear nothing, we say nothing."

Answer 6

Shrouded in mystery.

Answer 7

No but they said that they were sorry so I guess that makes it alright.

Answer 8

Israel says "jump" ,USA says "How high?"