by Stephen Lendman

Rabin was a career Israeli warrior before serving twice as prime minister - from June 1974 to April 1977, then a second term from July 1992 until his November 4, 1995 assassination.

As Chief of General Staff, he was in charge of Israel’s June 1967 Six-Day War of aggression - premeditated, planned months in advance, falsely claimed to be fought in self-defense.

He may have ordered the June 8, 1967 USS Liberty attack - a clearly identified American intelligence gathering ship in international waters, killing 34 crew members, wounding 171 others, causing major vessel damage, failing to sink it as intended. Lyndon Johnson took no action against this heinous act.

Rabin’s war seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, dramatically changing the dynamic on the ground for Palestinians, placing them under brutalizing occupation harshness, continuing today worse than ever - oppressed by slow-motion genocide, suffocating an entire population unaccountably, waging war on Palestine today.

As prime minister, Rabin’s agreed to September 1993 Oslo Accords was a Palestinian Versailles - unconditional surrender. Theft and colonization of their land followed, continuing unabated today.

Persecuted people got nothing in return for renouncing armed struggle, recognizing Israel's right to exist, and agreeing to leave major unresolved issues for later final status talks. They're still waiting - while being oppressed, murdered and brutalized daily.

Rabin, Arafat and Bill Clinton bear full responsibility for an atrocity against long-suffering people.

On October 31, the 20th anniversary of Rabin’s assassination was commemorated at a Tel Aviv memorial rally. Tens of thousands attended, bombarded by deplorable addresses, delivered behind a bullet-proof glass screen.

President Reuven Rivlin vowed to continue waging war on Palestine. Israel is “in the crosshairs,” he said. We’re “all…the target. We will not become a sacrifice on your alter of violence and fear.” Thousands cheered in response.

“To those who seek to silence others, to those who threaten, to those who raise their clenched fists, to those who design pictures of SS uniforms, to those who threaten members of the legislature and judiciary, to those who threaten ministers and prime ministers, I want to say to them all: We do not fear you,” he added.

“Even in the midst of the current bloodshed, even in the face of the heinous terrorism…Israel’s democracy has not ceased to realize its strength and resilience, and for this we are today filled with pride” - code language for saying unrestrained slaughter of Palestinian freedom fighters will continue no-holds-barred.

Israel is no democracy. Its fascist police state policies are clear for all to see, left unexplained in Rivlin’s remarks.

Throughout his tenure, Bill Clinton one-sidedly supported Israel, Oslo betrayal the lead example. As a 1991 presidential candidate, he openly supported moving America’s embassy to Jerusalem (not acted on in office). It’s an international city under a UN protectorate, its responsibility ignored as mandated.

As president, Clinton did nothing to support an equitable Israeli/Palestinian peace process - backing then Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s impossible to accept “final agreement,” with no written offer, documents or maps presented, proposed in 2000, one-sidedly benefitting Israel.

Arafat was unfairly blamed for rejecting what no responsible leaders would accept - enslaving Palestinians more than already, assuring continuing conflict, not peace.

Clinton addressed the Rabin memorial crowd, saying “Yitzhak Rabin defended this country, but more importantly, he advanced the values that are fundamental to Israel. He stood for freedom, for peace, acceptance of those different from of us and the preservation of democracy.”

It bears repeating. He was a warrior, not peacemaker. No leader in Israel’s history supported or now supports an equitable, lasting peace, granting Palestinians rights everyone deserves.

“We will (continue to) fight terrorism,” Clinton added, code language for blaming Palestinians for Israeli high crimes.

All Obama remarks make painful listening. He addressed the Tel Aviv crowd by video message, turning truth on its head, claiming Rabin’s “dream of peace will never die.”

It’s “the only way to ensure true lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians.” - code language for wanting long-suffering people to accept permanent subjugation at the hands of a ruthless occupier, depriving them of all fundamental rights.

Their liberating struggle continues, a generation of youths refusing to be slaves, beholden to a brutal Israeli master.

-###-

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

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs