US congressman demands probe into Israel’s 1967 attack on USS Liberty

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has urged the United States to reopen its investigation into a 1967 Israeli attack on a US Navy ship, the USS Liberty , that killed 34 service members and injured 171 others.

Monday marked the 59th anniversary of the attack, and Massie honoured the occasion by delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, in the presence of survivors.

The Israeli government has long maintained the incident was a “friendly fire” accident. But some crew members from the USS Liberty have disputed that assessment, calling the attack deliberate.

Massie highlighted their testimonies in his speech, which questioned the official version of the events.

“While they’re still alive, they need closure,” Massie said of the survivors.

“Let’s give them closure. Let’s have an investigation. Let’s pass a resolution honouring them. It’s long overdue. And then they can have their justice.”

The House floor speech represented a rare congressional acknowledgement of the lingering questions surrounding the attack.

It also comes at a time of growing opposition to the US’s policy of giving unconditional aid to Israel.