Israel honours spies 50yrs after Lavon affair

Instead of the Israeli bombing of US and UK interests in Egypt being something viewed upon with shame, it seems Israel must actually have some pride about the plot because they are honoring the people who participated in the attacks.

Reuters
JERUSALEM, March 30 (Reuters) - After half a century of reticence and recrimination, Israel on Wednesday honoured nine Egyptian Jews recruited as agents-provocateur in what became one of the worst intelligence bungles in the country's history.

Israel was at war with Egypt when it hatched a plan in 1954 to ruin its rapprochement with the United States and Britain by firebombing sites frequented by foreigners in Cairo and Alexandria.

But Israeli hopes the attacks, which caused no casualties, would be blamed on local insurgents collapsed when the young Zionist bombers were caught and confessed at public trials. Two were hanged. The rest served jail terms and emigrated to Israel.

Embarrassed before the West, the fledgling Jewish state long denied involvement. It kept mum even after its 1979 peace deal with Egypt, fearing memories of the debacle could sour ties. "Although it is still a sensitive situation, we decided now to express our respect for these heroes," President Moshe Katsav said after presenting the three surviving members of the bomber ring with certificates of appreciation at a Jerusalem ceremony.

President Kazav presented three surviving members of the 'Lavon affair'
with certificates of appreciation at a Jerusalem ceremony Wednesday.
(Trieb/ BauBau)

haaretz

Related thread:
The Lavon Affair: Could Isreal Be Behind 911? Are they really allies Or a Trojan Horse?

[edit on 1-4-2005 by AceOfBase]

:shk: Im not sure what to say about this. I wonder if the USS Liberty is also a cause for celbration as well????

Imagine if in England we celebrated Bloody Sunday and rewarded the soldiers who took part. Or for that matter celebrated the Suez invasion.

If its true then this is sick.

When proffesing to fight a war on terror why praise former terrorists?