The
US-Israeli Attack on Gaza
Prof
Michel Chossudovsky
20
November, 2012
The
Western media in chorus has described the Israeli attack on Gaza as
an ad hoc IDF-led counterterrorism operation, launched on the grounds
of “self defense” in response to Palestinian rocket attacks on
Israel.
While
reports acknowledge that president Obama, in the wake of the November
6 elections, had granted a “Green Light” to Tel Aviv, the central
issue does not pertain to Washington’s support but rather to the
direct involvement of the US government and military in the planning
and implementation of the attack on Gaza.
There
is evidence that Operation “Pillar of Cloud” was implemented in
close liaison with Washington in the context of the broader process
of allied military planning. Senior US military officials were on
location in Israel working with their IDF counterparts in the days
leading up to the attack.
Operation
“Pillar of Cloud” was launched on the 14th of November, exactly
one week after the US presidential elections. It was slated to be
launched irrespective of the outcome of the US elections. The
first action was the targeted assassination of the leader of Hamas’
military wing Ahmed Jabari. The operation has since evolved towards a
generalized bombing campaign and ground invasion involving the
announced deployment of some 75,000 Israeli troops.
US-
Israeli War Games
What
is significant in assessing US involvement in Operation “Pillar of
Cloud” is the fact that in the month prior to the attacks, the US
and Israel were involved in the conduct of the largest joint war
games in Israeli history. The objective of the war games was to test
Israel’s missile air defense system against attacks from far and
near, namely from Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas.
US
Defense Secretary Leon and Israel’s Minister of Defense Ehud
Barack had established a process of close consultation. Panetta was
in Israel in early August. He returned to Tel Aviv two months later
on October 3, two weeks before the launching of the US-Israeli
Austere Challenge 12 military exercises.
On
October 18, the US and Israel launched within Israel the first phase
of the joint war games. The military exercises were conducted over
four weeks overlapping with the US elections (November 6) and
culminating with the commencement of the Gaza bombings (November 14).
The
joint US-Israeli war games, in a sense, “went live” on November
14 with the launching of Operation Pillar of Cloud.
It
should be understood that the joint US-Israeli war games were
intended to lead towards an actual military operation. Pillar of
Cloud was planned well in advance. It had been “embedded” into
the structure of the joint US-Israeli war games.
The
joint war games dubbed “Austere Challenge 12” involved the active
participation of some 3500 US and 1000 Israeli troops. The US
contingent was made up 1000 US troops stationed in Israel including
military advisers and special forces together with 2500 US personnel
under the jurisdiction of the US 6th fleet in the Eastern
Mediterranean and US European Command (EURCOM). UPI
Israeli
soldiers stand near the Iron Dome, a new anti-rocket system,
stationed near the southern city of Beersheba, Israel, March 27,
2011. The Israeli Defense Force deployed the $200 million Iron Dome
system in response to dozens of rockets fired by Palestinian
militants from Gaza in the past weeks. The Iron Dome is meant to
protect Israeli towns from rockets fired from Gaza. UPI October
23, 2012)
______________________________________________________________________________________________
The
joint US-Israeli war games were jointly coordinated by U.S. Air Force
Lieutenant General Craig Franklin and IDF Brigadier-General Shachar
Shohat. The stated objective of these military maneuvers was to
“create “stress situations” in Israel’s airspace and off its
Mediterranean coast that test the ability of both countries to act
against attacks” from
near [Hamas, Hezbollah] and far [Iran]“.
The
conduct of these games was overseen by Admiral
James G. Stavridis, commander of the United States European Command
(EUCOM). Reports
point to the establishment of US command posts within Israel
operating under the jurisdiction of EUCOM.
Admiral
Stavridis has acknowledged in this regard that:
“the two sides [US and Israeli command structures] had worked hard to create real intelligence during the exercise, The drill is meant to simulate an extensive war in the Middle East that would require the United States to intervene and provide Israel with further defense to intercept missiles.” (Haaretz, October 24, 2012)
The
drills involved the deployment of Batteries for the Patriot
Pac-3 missile system, “stationed across Israel”. The US Aegis
guided missile cruiser “was anchored off the coast of Israel as
part of the drill”.
The missile interception drill is considered an integral part of the general exercise. The Israeli and American forces will practice identifying targets heading toward Israel, in order to decide which means should be used to intercept them and to activate the defense system as quickly as possible, before they can land on Israeli territory.
Israel’s
Defense Minister Ehud Barak underscored the fact that “the joint
exercise reflected the
profound cooperation with the Americans” as
a means to confront the ongoing threat from Hamas. This statement was
made on November 12, two days before the onslaught of the attack on
Gaza:
“These are very important times for advancing our missile defense coordination in the face of future tests, and also for ongoing activity against Hamas and the terror organizations in Gaza, which is likely to worsen and expand,… The Gaza Strip constitutes a significant challenge, at whose center lies firepower, including the threat of rockets that can reach the Dan region.”(Haaretz, November 12, 2012, emphasis added)
In
the context of the war games, Hamas and Hezbollah are identified as
“nearby enemies” and allies of Iran:
The joint exercise is simulating the possibility of wide-ranging rocket fire on Israel, both from nearby enemies and more distant ones, and the possibility of a war with Iran and Hezbollah.
Defence
Minister Barack also confirmed that
“After the firing exercise, the defense establishment will conduct another round of tests, simulating the possibility that more advanced defense systems, including the Arrow 3 and Magic Wand systems, which have not yet been used in combat, would take part in confronting rocket barrages.”(Ibid)
The
Insidious Role of Qatar
October
18,
the joint US-Israeli war games are launched
On
October 23,
the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani visits the Gaza
Strip for meetings with the Hamas government and promises of
financial aid.
October
24,
Israel’s President Shimon Peres insinuates that Qatar, a staunch
ally of the US, is not only providing military aid to Hamas but is
encouraging Hamas to increase the rocket attacks on Israel:
No sooner had he [The Emir of Qatar] departed, than the Islamist group ruling Gaza let loose with salvoes of rockets against Israel. …
Peres commented Wednesday [October 24] said that it is intolerable for the rulers of Gaza to receive millions of dollars form the Emir of Qatar and shoot rockets. Nowhere in the world, whether London or New York, would it be acceptable for money awarded for building materials to be spent on rockets. Israel cannot put up with any more of this, said the president. “It is up to Gaza to choose between development and terror and murder.”
October
24, Israel
launches a bombing raid on Gaza killing four civilians in retribution
for rocket attacks out of Gaza, which resulted in the wounding of
four foreign workers. The press reports acknowledge that the Israeli
air raids coincided with the onslaught of the joint US-Israeli war
games:
The mock military maneuvers and computer war simulations … coincided with actual Israeli air raids 70 kilometers (44 miles) to the south on the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rocket attacks. Four Gaza residents were killed by the Israeli strikesas Palestinian militia groups launched at least 75 missiles into Israel, wounding three foreign workers, two seriously, and damaging property, according to police. (Bloomberg, October 25, 2012, emphasis added)
What
the above suggests is that the October 24 air raids on Gaza were
already ongoing in the course of the joint US-Israel war games.
Everything indicates that the attack on Gaza officially launched on
November 14 was a sequel to the joint US-Israeli war games which had
in fact already “gone live” in late October.
Covert
Op?
The
visit of the Emir of Qatar to Gaza at the very outset of the
US-Israel joint war games has all the appearances of a US-led covert
operation. Qatar is a US sponsored puppet regime It has a close
relationship to both the US and NATO in both intelligence and
military affairs, while also channelling financial aid to Hamas.
According
to one report: “the Emir of Qatar provided intelligence to
the Israelis which was used in the targeted bombings of key Hamas
government buildings.” (Fars
New, November 17, 2012)
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