Israel: former senior advisor to prime minister says govt uses ‘lies’ to justify attack

A former senior advisor to the Israeli prime minister said on Wednesday that Israel’s government is using lies to justify attacking the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Daniel Levy is now head of the US/Middle East Project, and made his comment when being interviewed on the BBC.

When asked by the news anchor about Israel striking Hamas targets with its air strikes and trying to eliminate the “terrorist” organisation, Levy said: “Do you really keep a straight face when you say that? Do you think terrorist organisations embedded in populations who are denied their most basic rights are ended once and for all in a military campaign? Does that happen in history?”

He asked further, “Can someone credibly tell me that when a leadership of a country says, ‘We are cutting off food, electricity, water, all supplies to an entire civilian population,’ that they are targeting militants?

“I am sorry, these kinds of lies can’t be allowed to pass. And when you tell yourself the lies, it leads to the wrong policy. If anyone told me that what the militants did on the weekend was a legitimate response to years and years of occupation, I would say: no, you are wrongheaded. You have lost sight of humanity and reality. And if anyone tells me that what [Israel] is doing in Gaza today is a legitimate response to what happened on the weekend, [I would say] exactly the same.”

The presenter then injected with, “And yet, the international community is saying it.”

“Yes,” replied Levy, “and people need to challenge them on it because it is a lie, and we are warmongering if we allow them to get away with it.”

READ: Israel says no to humanitarian break to Gaza siege unless hostages are freed