US Congressman Demands USS Liberty Probe

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie on Monday urged the United States to reopen its investigation into the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, which resulted in the deaths of 34 U.S. service members and injured 171 others. Speaking on the House floor, Massie highlighted testimonies from USS Liberty crew members who dispute Israel's long-standing claim that the incident was a "friendly fire" accident, asserting the attack was deliberate. This congressional acknowledgment comes 59 years after the event, amidst renewed scrutiny of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Massie's address questioned the official narrative, citing statements from former U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Dean Rusk and General Thomas Hinman Moorer, who believed the attack was intentional. The congressman emphasized the clear visibility and the presence of the American flag on the USS Liberty at the time of the attack, which involved Israeli jets firing and dropping napalm before torpedoing the vessel. Israel maintains the incident was a misidentification during the Six-Day War, a conflict in which it seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the Golan Heights.

Critics of the U.S.-Israel alliance have frequently referenced the USS Liberty incident as an example of a disproportionate partnership. Massie, who has opposed unconditional aid to Israel and efforts to integrate U.S. and Israeli militaries, lost his primary election last month to a challenger supported by pro-Israel groups. The USS Liberty Veterans Association has praised Massie's efforts, while other congressional figures, such as Congressman Dan Crenshaw, maintain that objective analysis supports the conclusion of an accidental attack.