Biden Team Ignores Israel’s History of Deceit and Deception to the detriment of Palestinians in Gaza

MONTEGO BAY, June 22, 2024 - Melvin A. Goodman has sharply criticized the Biden administration for its seemingly oblivious stance towards Israel’s extensive history of deceit and deception. 

Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University, argues that this history, spanning 76 years, began with Israel’s denial of its role in expelling hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during its War of Independence. 

This expulsion, referred to by the Arab world as the “nakba” (the catastrophe), is consistently denied in Israel, much like Holocaust denial in other parts of the world.

Goodman, a former CIA analyst and the author of several books including "Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA" and "National Insecurity: 

The Cost of American Militarism," highlights the mainstream media's tendency to defend Israel, often glossing over its history of deceit. For instance, the Washington Post recently published a headline stating, "Israel is on its honor to comply with U.S. intelligence limits." 

This article detailed the significant role U.S. intelligence played in a rescue operation that resulted in the deaths of nearly three hundred Palestinians, mostly women and children. Goodman points out that by any standard of wartime proportionality, this action constitutes a war crime.

Furthermore, Goodman underscores comments made by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who has been an apologist for Israel since the war's inception on October 7th. 

Sullivan admitted that the U.S. has provided Israel with an “intense range of assets and capabilities,” and that this support is not conditional or limited. 

This, Goodman asserts, demonstrates the United States' complicity in Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinian civilians, despite U.S. officials' claims that Israel is prohibited from using U.S. intelligence for targeting in Gaza.

Goodman also draws attention to the historical context of deceit by both the U.S. and Israel. He points to past conflicts, including the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars, where U.S. intelligence was misleading, as well as Israel's own history of deception in the 1956, 1967, 1973, and 1982 wars. 

These examples, he argues, illustrate a long-standing pattern of misinformation and broken agreements.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is singled out for his role in perpetuating this deceit. Goodman asserts that Netanyahu's recent false accusations are aimed at embarrassing the Biden administration and dividing American public opinion on the Gaza war and the U.S. elections. 

Despite Netanyahu's tactics, the Biden administration has responded by canceling a significant meeting of the U.S.-Israeli Strategic Consultative Group regarding policy toward Iran. 

However, this response is seen as inconsistent, as National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew continue to assure Israel of unwavering support and weapons supplies.

Goodman criticizes the mixed signals from the Biden administration, particularly in relation to the so-called "red line" proclaimed by President Biden. 

This red line, intended to limit Israeli assaults on areas like Rafah where millions of refugees are affected, appears ineffective. Despite Biden's threats to withhold weapons, U.S. deliveries continued unabated, leading to devastating consequences in Rafah over the past weeks. 

National Security Adviser Sullivan's announcement that the "red line" had not been broken highlights the contradictions in U.S. policy.

Goodman further criticizes the upcoming visit of Netanyahu to the U.S. Congress, calling it particularly ludicrous given his history of manipulating American public and congressional opinion. 

He reminds readers of Netanyahu’s 2015 address to Congress, which was designed to embarrass the Obama administration and derail the Iran nuclear accord. 

This time, Goodman argues, the invitation is even more shameful because Netanyahu's policies are currently resulting in the death and starvation of innocent civilians in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s private remarks about his ability to manipulate Democratic administrations due to the power of the Jewish lobby and Democratic presidents' fear of antagonizing Jewish voters and fundraisers further emphasize his strategic use of influence. 

Goodman highlights Netanyahu's history of insulting American presidents, vice presidents, and secretaries of state, demonstrating his consistent upper hand in negotiations with the United States. He calls for the U.S. to adopt a tougher stance in response to Netanyahu’s hardball tactics.

Goodman concludes by stressing the need for a more balanced U.S. approach to Israel. He asserts that continued support without accountability not only undermines U.S. credibility but also exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

Goodman urges the Biden administration to reconsider its unconditional support for Israel and to hold Netanyahu accountable for his actions. This, he argues, is crucial for the future of U.S.-Israel relations and for the protection of Palestinian civilians.

Melvin A. Goodman is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and a professor of government at Johns Hopkins University. 

A former CIA analyst, Goodman is the author of "Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA" and "National Insecurity: The Cost of American Militarism," among other works. His most recent books are “American Carnage: The Wars of Donald Trump” (Opus Publishing, 2019) and “Containing the National Security State” (Opus Publishing, 2021). Goodman is the national security columnist for CounterPunch.org.