Fact Check: "Israel attacked the USS Liberty"
What We Know
On June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War, the USS Liberty, a United States Navy technical research ship, was attacked by Israeli Air Force jet fighters and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats. This incident occurred in international waters off the coast of the Sinai Peninsula, approximately 25.5 nautical miles from the Egyptian city of Arish. The attack resulted in the deaths of 34 crew members and injuries to 171 others, severely damaging the ship (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).
The Israeli government later stated that the attack was a mistake, claiming that the USS Liberty had been misidentified as an Egyptian vessel. Both Israeli and U.S. government inquiries concluded that the attack was unintentional due to confusion over the ship's identity (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia). However, many survivors and independent analysts have disputed this conclusion, arguing that the attack was deliberate (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).
Analysis
The claim that Israel attacked the USS Liberty is supported by a substantial body of evidence. The attack involved multiple Israeli aircraft and torpedo boats, which engaged the Liberty over a period of approximately two hours. Reports from the U.S. Naval technical research ship indicated that it had been under surveillance by Israeli aircraft prior to the attack, and communications from the ship confirmed that it was clearly marked as a U.S. vessel (Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968).
Despite Israel's assertion that the attack was a mistake, the circumstances surrounding the incident raise questions about the reliability of this claim. For instance, the USS Liberty was flying an American flag, and its hull number was clearly visible. Additionally, the attack occurred after Israeli forces had been informed of the ship's presence in the area (Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968).
Critics of the official narrative, including some military officials and survivors, have suggested that the attack was a deliberate attempt to eliminate a potential source of intelligence gathering on Israeli operations during the conflict. Thomas Hinman Moorer, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, alleged that there was a cover-up regarding the true nature of the attack, suggesting that it was not merely a case of mistaken identity (USS Liberty incident - Wikipedia).
The reliability of the sources involved in the investigation is mixed. While official government reports provide a structured account of the events, they may be influenced by political considerations. Conversely, independent analyses and survivor testimonies offer alternative perspectives that challenge the official narrative, highlighting the complexities and controversies surrounding the incident.
Conclusion
The claim that "Israel attacked the USS Liberty" is True. The evidence indicates that the USS Liberty was indeed attacked by Israeli forces, resulting in significant casualties and damage. While the Israeli government has maintained that the attack was a mistake, numerous accounts and analyses suggest that the circumstances of the attack warrant further scrutiny and raise doubts about the official explanations provided.
