Israeli Coverup and Denial of Responsibility for Downing Russian Aircraft
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
On Friday, Israeli Air Force chief General Amikam Nurkin and his coverup and denial team returned home after meeting with Russian officials over the downing of its IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft on Tuesday, killing its 15 crew members.
Israel bears full responsibility for what happened, using the aircraft for cover, placing it in harm’s way, leaving it vulnerable to be struck by Syrian ground-to-air missiles to facilitate its latest terror-bombing aggression - numerous incidents occurring throughout most of the war.
Russia’s Defense Ministry holds Israel fully responsible for what happened. According to deputy Knesset speaker Tali Ploskov on Friday, “Putin said that many mistakes were made during the incident, and that he expected the facts to be examined,” suggesting he’s dissatisfied with Nurkin’s explanation while in Moscow.
The Times of Israel tried putting a brave face on Nurkin’s coverup and denial explanation of what happened to Russian officials.
“Improvements” in IDF coordination with Russia’s military on their military operations in Syria will follow, he reportedly said.
Russia’s are entirely legal, aiding Damascus combat US-supported terrorists in the country at the request of its government.
Israeli attacks on Syrian targets are flagrantly illegal, claiming they’re to foil an Iranian threat that doesn’t exist. Netanyahu regime officials falsely claim otherwise.
Repeated Israeli terror-bombing incidents are all about wanting Assad toppled, Syrian sovereignty destroyed, and Iran isolated ahead of a similar scheme against its ruling authorities.
Israel wants pro-Western puppet rule throughout the region, all governments rivaling its aim for regional dominance, along with America’s presence, eliminated.
The Times of Israel turned truth on its head, claiming Israel’s military delegation to Moscow “answered Russia’s questions about” the incident satisfactorily, adding:
It “debunk(ed) the false notion that the Israeli jets had hidden behind the Russian plane,” a bald-faced lie, fooling no Russian Defense Ministry officials.
The Times of Israel quoted an unnamed member of Israel’s coverup and denial team, saying “there is no merit to the theory that this was an Israeli provocation or that Israeli airplanes made any use of the Russian airplane as cover,” adding:
“Our presentation showed that Syrian air defense teams recklessly and irresponsibly fired missiles after our fighter jets had already left the area, downing the Russian aircraft.”
“We provided the Russians with our data. They had some questions that we responded to, and we also stressed that it was not a provocation on Israel’s part.”
All of the above are bald-faced lies. Israel notoriously blames Palestinians, Syrians, and other victims for its own high crimes of war and against humanity - Russia well aware of its duplicity and lawlessness.
Key is what Putin intends doing about it. Wanting good relations with Israel and the West too often comes at the expense of doing the right things, holding these ruling regimes responsible for their naked aggression and related high crimes.
On Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the “September 17 (incident) will require additional investigations and explanations from the Israeli side, and I am confident that they will follow in the very near future,” adding:
“For my part, I believe that the Israeli pilots, as a result of whose actions a threat was created and the Russian aircraft was destroyed, acted at least unprofessionally.”
Professionalism or lack of it isn’t remotely what the incident was all about. It was Israel’s latest blatant act of aggression on sovereign Syria.
Dismissing it as a tragic error ignores the high crime, assuring endless more US-led/Israeli terror-bombings of Syrian targets.
Russian dismissiveness also prolongs endless war, making resolution unattainable, along with risking East/West confrontation, including possible nuclear war.
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