Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal

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12/20/2025

Another Blood Libel Debunked: Israel Rushed To Save The USS Liberty, Not Sink It

Colorized image of USS Liberty by Grok. Photo via Wikipedia.

The 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty during the Six-Day War remains a flashpoint for controversy. While conspiracy theories allege a deliberate “false flag” operation designed to frame Egypt and pull the U.S. into the conflict, declassified evidence and logical analysis point to a tragic case of mistaken identity amidst wartime chaos.
Recent public debates and digital forensics have highlighted major inconsistencies in survivor claims and the ways in which emotion is being weaponized to bypass historical facts.

The Liberty Was A Spy Ship

This fact should be noted up front.

https://ia601201.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=/17/items/USS-Liberty-nsa/USS%20Liberty.zip&file=USS%20Liberty%2Fnavy_messages%2Fap_news_copied_june_11.pdf

https://ia801201.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=/17/items/USS-Liberty-nsa/USS%20Liberty.zip&file=USS%20Liberty%2Fnavy_messages%2Fap_story_filed_june_17.pdf

These declassified documents, released by the NSA and U.S. Navy, provide a stark look at the underlying mission of the USS Liberty during the 1967 Six-Day War. While the official public narrative claimed the ship was positioned near the Sinai coast to facilitate the evacuation of American citizens and maintain embassy communications, the internal reports tell a different story. The documents explicitly highlight that military personnel understood the ship’s true task was to “intercept and evaluate radio communications” of both the Israeli and Arab forces. One of the most striking sections includes a quote from an officer who stated bluntly, “She was in there to spy for us,” comparing the operation to similar tactics used by Russia to monitor regional conflicts in real-time.

Beyond just confirming the intelligence mission, the text details the ship’s sophisticated technical capabilities, describing it as a vessel “loaded with electronic equipment” for the rapid acquisition and transmission of intelligence data. The reports also underscore the controversy surrounding the attack itself; one survivor is quoted as saying it was “absolutely impossible” for the attackers not to know the ship’s identity, especially since it was flying the American flag (“Old Glory”) and had been under constant surveillance by Israeli planes for four hours leading up to the strike. These documents suggest a significant gap between the ship’s public “noncombat” status and its actual role as a high-level signals intelligence platform.

The Weaponization of Emotion

In modern discussions, a significant shift has occurred from forensic analysis to emotional appeal. Proponents of the intentional-attack narrative often use the genuine trauma of survivors as a rhetorical shield.

Moral Silencing: By framing any questioning of the “intentional” narrative as an insult to veterans, activists bypass the need for evidence. This creates an environment where pointing out a logistical impossibility is treated as a personal attack on a hero’s character.
The “Betrayal” Trope: The narrative of being “abandoned by one’s own government” is a powerful tool. It shifts the focus from the complex realities of the Israel-U.S. relationship to a populist “Government vs. Soldier” dynamic that resonates emotionally but lacks evidentiary support.

Key Inconsistencies and Exposed Fabrications

NSA Transcripts Reveal Genuine Confusion
Declassified NSA intercepts from post-attack Israeli helicopters show pilots and controllers debating the ship’s nationality in real-time. They rushed to offer aid once it was identified as American—an action entirely inconsistent with a “leave no survivors” plot.
The Failure to Use “Ship-Sinking” Munitions
If the intent was to sink a massive intelligence vessel, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) used the wrong tools. The initial strikes utilized 30mm cannons and napalm—weapons designed to clear decks and disable structures, not breach a hull. Israel possessed armor-piercing bombs that could have sunk the Liberty in minutes; they were not deployed.
The Myth of “Perfect” Visibility
A common emotional argument is that “the American flag was flying and clearly visible.” However, forensic reports indicate near-calm wind conditions (approx. 2 knots), meaning the flag likely hung limp. Furthermore, the smoke from the first strafing run would have obscured the mast for pilots traveling at hundreds of miles per hour.
The “Jamming” Contradiction
Survivors often claim Israel jammed U.S. distress frequencies. However, U.S. Navy records show that the Liberty successfully transmitted a distress call that was received by the USS Saratoga. A sophisticated “false flag” operation would have prioritized total electronic silence, which did not occur.
Exaggerated Testimonies in Public Debates
Recent debates have revealed significant fabrications in testimonies used to promote the conspiracy:

Inflated Numbers: One prominent survivor recently claimed “at least 30 jets” attacked, a detail absent from his own previous books and official crew accounts, suggesting on-the-spot exaggeration.
Attacking the Captain: The same survivor accused Captain William McGonagle (a Medal of Honor recipient) of lying under oath, despite McGonagle’s consistent account of mistaken identity.

Speculative Claims About LBJ

Allegations that President Lyndon Johnson orchestrated the attack or recalled rescue jets to ensure the ship sank lack any documentary proof. Records show Johnson was asleep when the initial reports arrived, and the “recalls” were standard procedure by lower-level commanders until the situation was clarified.
Logical Realities:

Alliance Preservation: In 1967, Israel faced an existential threat. Risking its relationship with its primary superpower ally by attacking a U.S. ship would have been a suicidal strategic move.
The Neutral Spying Role: The Liberty was monitoring everyone, including Israel. While this made it a nuisance, it didn’t make it a target worth the international pariah status that would follow a deliberate attack.