by Stephen Lendman

Here we go again. We've seen it all before strategically timed, especially in America. A previous article explained, accessed through the following link:

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/05/false-flags-american-tradition.html

It said:

With or without bin Laden, bogymen threats are plentiful. Since WW II alone, America's had numerous ones, including communists, Al Qaeda, Saddam, WMDs, the Taliban, Gaddafi, and a host others yet unnamed, as well as numerous "foiled" domestic ones.

Among others, they include:

-- a fake shoe bomber;

-- fake underwear bomber;

-- fake Times Square bomber;

-- an earlier one there;

-- fake shampoo bombers;

-- fake Al Qaeda woman planning fake mass casualty attacks on New York landmarks;

-- fake Oregon bomber;

-- fake armed forces recruiting station bomber;

-- fake synagogue bombers;

-- fake Chicago Sears Tower bombers;

-- fake FBI and other building bombers;

-- fake National Guard, Fort Dix and Quantico marine base attackers;

-- fake 9/11 bombers; and

-- others to enlist public support for the fake war on terror and very real ones it spawned.

Israel, of course, uses the same tactics. In this instance, it's strategically timed ahead of the upcoming General Assembly vote for Palestinian statehood and full de jure membership.

Israel's also wants Syria blamed for giving safe haven to Hamas leaders to intensify pressure on Assad's government during ongoing internal strife.

On September 7, US Middle East envoy David Hale and special State Department advisor Dennis Ross (a notorious pro-Israeli hardliner) met with Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah to pressure him to drop his UN bid.

On September 6, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton phoned him to give it up, saying "continue (instead) to work hard with us to avoid a negative scenario in New York at the end of the month."

In other words, save Washington the embarrassment of a Security Council veto. In fact, it's without teeth as only the General Assembly admits new members. The Security Council can only recommend.

Nonetheless, in recent days, Abbas statements indicate he's waffling, suggesting he'll again prove collaborationist by seeking less than statehood and full de jure membership.

Saying a final course of action has yet to be decided suggests a strong undertone of surrender. Hopefully it's not so, but don't bet on it at the moment of truth.

The Latest Israeli False Flag?

On September 7, Haaretz writer Anshel Pfeffer headlined, "Israel security forces foil multiple terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, arrest dozens of Hamas militants," saying:

Sin Bet security forces "foiled a suicide terrorist attack last month in Jerusalem, it emerged Wednesday."

If so, why wait until now to announce it?

Allegedly "an explosive belt was seized only 24 hours before the planned attack, after it was smuggled into Jerusalem," according to Israeli officials.

They claimed foiling the attack "was part of a large-scale operation by Shin Bet, the IDF and the police against the Hamas military infrastructure in the West Bank and Jerusalem."

Israel said they operated from 13 separate cells, the main one in Hebron. The full Shin Bet report can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.shabak.gov.il/SiteCollectionImages/english/TerrorInfo/reports/shotef070911-en.pdf

Read it with caution. It's a thinly veiled propaganda piece, not legitimate information about terror cells planning attacks on West Bank and Jerusalem locations.

It claims the main Hebron cell and Hamas headquarters in Syria set August 21 for the attack. Allegedly it involved a fire extinguisher, containing six kilograms of explosives, supposedly to be carried by a suicide bomber on a bus for use in the Jerusalem Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood.

Shin Bet said the device was discovered in Azhak Arrafa's East Jerusalem's Ras al-Amud neighborhood home, a man called a Hamas operative. The alleged suicide bomber was identified as Hebron-based Said Qawasmeh.

Israel blamed the same cell for a March 23 attack at Jerusalem's central bus station, killing a British tourist and wounding 47 others. No evidence proves it.

Shin Bet said Hamas wanted to restore its West Bank infrastructure to launch terrorist attacks. Notably, alleged reasons behind the "scheme" and verifiable proof weren't given, except to say kidnapping an Israeli soldier was planned to negotiate Palestinian prisoner releases.

Shin Bet's account wreaks of illegitimacy, including why an elaborate terror plot would be needed to capture an Israeli soldier when doing so, if intended, could be done by other means.

Notably at issue is why Hamas would risk it when success or failure carries such a big price, entirely benefitting Israel.

Yet, according to Shin Bet, discovering Hamas terror cells proved its Damascus leadership plans rehabilitating its West Bank infrastructure to attack Israel.

Take it with a grain of salt, but expect Israel to exploit what appears to be bogus accusations fully.

They include claiming a terror cell operated out of Ketziot prison, without explaining how, and accusing Hebron resident Ahmad Madhoun of getting $10,000 in Saudi Arabia to buy weapons for the operation.

Unsubstantiated accusations were made. No information was given on how he got there and back undetected or who allegedly funded him.

Israel also said militants received orders and money from a Syrian official through Jordanian national Iman al-Adm. Israel arrested him. Expect him to be tortured to confess, whether or not he did anything.

In fact, Ynet News said interrogations learned he'd "undergone extensive military training in Syria and was involved in Hamas operations worldwide, including in Syria, Turkey and China."

Under torture, of course, suspects say anything to stop it. Israel writes confessions it wants signed, usually in Hebrew detainees don't understand or well enough.

Information obtained by torture lacks legitimacy, yet it's used by Israel, America and other nations to convict. Guilt or innocence doesn't matter.

Ynet added that Israeli intelligence sources said the Hamas "West Bank infrastructure was partially funded by Gaza-based Hamas elements."

In June, Israeli security forces arrested alleged Hamas operative Shaher Skaphi in Hebron. Under torture, he admitted being being part of a terror cell instructed to kidnap an Israeli soldier to be used in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Shin Bet also claimed Hamas tries to launder money in China. In addition, its members living in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey try funneling funds to West Bank operatives.

Shin Bet's account reads more like a B movie scrip than an elaborate terror plot when, in fact, only the victim would benefit.

Again, Israel saying it doesn't make it so. All governments lie. Believe nothing they say - ever.

Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman, Abu Ubayda, emphatically denied Israel's accusations, calling them politically motivated, "express(ing) a hostile point of view."

He added it may involve increasing Israel's bargaining power in negotiations for a Gilad Shalit prisoner swap, the captured Israeli soldier.

Nonetheless, Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff headlined their September 8 article, "IDF raids prove Hamas growing more active in West Bank," saying:

Arrests of dozens of "Hamas militants from the West Bank....points to a significant uptick in the activity of (its) military wing...."

"In the past five years, these militants had lowered their profile, carrying out few terror attacks. Most of the organization's leaders....had been killed or jailed by Israel, while others were pursued by (collaborationist) Palestinian security forces."

In fact, both writers made inflammatory unsubstantiated accusations, acting more government spokesmen than journalists, who'd demand proof before publishing Shin Bet's version of events.

Even they, however, admitted only one alleged Hamas attack was carried out in recent years. Notably, no evidence links it to them. Claiming it doesn't make it so.

Both writers should say so, but they didn't. It represents a serious lapse of journalistic ethics, especially about something as important as terror attacks claiming lives.

Nonetheless, they added the following:

-- a Hamas terror infrastructure "was maintained in part by activists who did time in Israeli prisons;"

-- there they learned about terror operations;

-- Hamas terror reflects operational as well as policy considerations;

-- while Hamas leaders want no confrontation with Israel in Gaza, they "apparently (have) no objection in principle to suicide attacks and abductions" in the West Bank and Jerusalem; and

-- "Shin Bet officials believe the attacks were approved by" Damascus-based Hamas leaders though no evidence proves it.

A Final Comment

Israel is pulling out all the stops to deny legitimate Palestinian rights. The August 18 bus and other attacks, killing and wounding Israelis, appeared very likely to be another strategically timed Israeli false flag.

An earlier article explained why, saying Israel benefits if it they help derail Palestinian statehood and full UN membership, as well as diffuse and end social justice protests by changing the subject.

So far, achieving the former one only appears likely but not certain. Last weekend, up to half a million Israelis rallied across the country for rights they seem committed to keep working for until gotten.

At the same time, both Israelis and Palestinians have miles to go to achieve what they've been long denied. Perhaps if they joined forces their chances would improve.

The power of coming together for social and political justice might be just what's needed, but never accomplished easily or quickly.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.