JerusalemU Lies About the USS Liberty
Two years ago, I contacted the founder of the JerusalemU website about the claims made in his video mentioning the June 8, 1967, Israeli attack on the USS Liberty.
He told me, “We will look into your website and your claims more in depth.”
He has not.
By Joe Meadors
In a previous version of the JerusalemU website we learned that the organization was “founded by Rabbi Raphael Shore in 2009 to address the prevalent and growing need to educate and inspire the new generation about Judaism and Israel so that they gain a stronger Jewish identity and an appreciation of their heritage.”
Jerusalem U is committed to strengthening the emotional and intellectual connection of young Jews to Judaism and Israel breaking old molds, forging new approaches to Jewish and Israel education through the creative use of film and technology all distributed via the Internet, social media, television, grassroots campaigns and partnerships with mainstream pro-Israel and Jewish organizations.
Apparently, that approach involves lying about the attack on the USS Liberty.
In their video about day six of the Six Day War they repeat the claim that the attack consisted solely of an air attack followed by a recognition of the true identity of the ship and termination of the attack.
They omit the apparently mundane facts that are routinely overlooked by those more intent on ensuring their visitors are told a fictionalized account of the attack instead of one supported by evidence and testimony of all persons involved.
Do they think their visitors can’t handle the truth?
If they don’t, why omit the facts that they used unmarked aircraft, jammed our radios on both US Navy tactical and international maritime distress frequencies, deliberately machine-gunned serviceable life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship, fired upon USS Liberty crewmen who attempted to help our wounded shipmates who were trapped topside during the attack, and departed the scene for over an hour instead of offering aid immediately upon cessation of hostilities as is their obligation under international law?
Two years ago, I contacted Rabbi Shore and asked that he consider information we have accumulated over the past 5 decades and include that information in their reference to the USS Liberty.
He promised that he would.
He has not.
Perhaps it is time for me to remind him of his promise.
He was aboard the USS Liberty when the ship was attacked by the Israeli Defense Forces in 1967 and has been in the forefront of the effort to ensure the US government finally investigates the attack.He also participated in Freedom Flotilla I in 2010 whose goal was to break the blockade of Gaza only to be brutally attacked by the IDF who killed 9 human rights activists on the MV Mavi Marmara.
The death of one American citizen on the Mavi Marmara elicited nary a peep of outrage or condemnation from the State Department.This follows the outrageous precedent the State Department initiated when 34 Americans were killed on the USS Liberty which was followed by silence from the State Department.Meadors is an eye-witness to and a victim of this policy.
Meadors has also participated in Freedom Flotillas II, III and IV in the effort to break the immoral blockade of Gaza.
His background gives him a unique perspective as an American citizen when it comes to issues involving the Middle East.
He will be sharing that perspective in his articles for The Arab Daily News.
He can be reached at joe@ussliberty.com.
- The USS Liberty Document Archive Is Now Up and Running - March 16, 2020
- The Attack on the USS Liberty is NOT a “Conspiracy Theory” - November 20, 2019
- USS Liberty: Why Investigate the Attack on a US Navy Ship? - November 5, 2019