He said in the immediate aftermath Israel admitted its “mistake” and paid reparations. A US inquiry resolved that the attack had been an accident and the records were closed. Four decades on the affair has virtually been forgotten, and even the 40th anniversary in June passed over without comment in any major media.
“In international affairs sometimes the truth gets trampled on and some would argue that sometimes there is a justification for tampering with the truth, but there are always repercussions and ramifications when that course of action is entered upon,” Mr Fischer said.
“The truth should come out because I believe it will help pave the way towards a peaceful settlement in that core problem in the Middle East which is fuelling the terrorism now bedevilling the world.”
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Whether one accepts Mr Fischer’s version of the events or not, there are too many inconsistencies and unanswered questions around the USS Liberty for the official version to be accepted at face value. However, it is hard to see either the US or Israeli governments reopening the inquiry into an incident they would both prefer to see buried forever.
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About the Author
Graham Cooke has been a journalist for more than four decades, having lived in England, Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, for a lengthy period covering the diplomatic round for The Canberra Times.
He has travelled to and reported on events in more than 20 countries, including an extended stay in the Middle East. Based in Canberra, where he obtains casual employment as a speech writer in the Australian Public Service, he continues to find occasional assignments overseas, supporting the coverage of international news organisations.
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