Blast from the past. De waarnemend ambassade-chef voor de V.S. in Bonn, William Woessner, maakte in 1981 gebruik van het discrete “Dissent Channel” van zijn ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken om interne kritiek te leveren op het beleid van desinformatie (lees: “fake news”) over de Israelische en Amerikanse betrokkenheid bij de burgeroorlog in Zuid-Libanon.

“Within recent weeks, we have repeated our «condemnation» of Palestinian «terrorism», when Palestinians kill or attempt to kill Israelis; while at the same time we «deplore the violence on both sides», when Israelis kill Palestinians and Lebanese. On possible Israeli violations of agreements with the U.S. –– which could, under the law, lead to a cut-off of further arms deliveries to Israel –– we have systematically evaded clear answers to clear questions over a period of years. We are steadfast in our hypocrisy.”

Dit was 42 jaar geleden.

De vlieger gaat nu nog steeds op, zoals ook blijkt uit de volgende passage van hetzelfde hekelschrift: “This bankrupt United States policy depends objectively on the proposition that peace in the Middle East is best achieved inter alia by instrumentally facilitating aggression. We may succeed in deceiving ourselves, but the Arabs and Palestinians –– without whom peace is impossible –– will not be deceived.

      At a time when the Israeli government is systematically sabotaging even the possibility of a future «autonomy» solution on the West Bank, a U.S. information policy of «hear no evil see no evil» towards Israeli interference in Lebanon defies even tactical rationalization.”