Burgas bus bombing: Does Iran really need to attack Israeli tourists?

Russia Today

Israel, Ben Gurion Airport: Relatives, mourn over the coffin of a
body of one of the five Israelis who were killed during the terror
attack on a tour bus in Burgas,

Following the attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria, the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to accuse Hezbollah, which also means pointing finger at Iran. Yet experts doubt Tehran really needs it.

Eight people were killed, six of whom were Israeli citizens, while one was a Bulgarian bus driver and one was the suicide bomber himself.

And while it is no secret that Hezbollah is supported by Iran, the fact that Netanyahu is now naming the group will only raise tensions in the region higher.

There is a lot of speculation now over whether or not naming Hezbollah means Netanyahu will try and use the bombing as a pretext for striking back by attacking Iran.

But Tehran is unlikely 'to cater to the wishes of the Israelis by providing them an excuse to attack', independent journalist Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich told RT.

RT: Netanyahu pointed the finger at Iran barely an hour after the attack – even before his own intelligence officials had commented, saying that “all signs point at Iran.” What signs is he referring to?

Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich: I don’t believe there are any signs at all, and it can be expected that Netanyahu would point the finger at Iran. Netanyahu, and Israel in fact, need to play the victim card in order to be more aggressive. In the past few months and years, Israel has lost a lot of support even here in the United States. Americans have always sympathized with the state of Israel in the past. But now, even American Jews who do relate to their home country are beginning to pull back. They do not like what is going on in Israel under this prime minister.

RT: But Israel is the victim in this case. Somebody bombed those buses. Do you think there is a legitimate concern that it could be Iran, or who else do you think could be possible suspects here?

SSU: I think many in your audience will know that Israel excels at false flag operations. And in fact in 2004, the New Zealand Herald revealed that Israelis tried to steal New Zealand passports in order to carry out assassinations. And they had stolen Canadian passports to kill members of the Jordanian political elite.

I can’t say for certainty that Israel was behind this or that this was a false flag attack, but I only look at who gains by this operation judging from their past behavior. And to me it does not make sense that Iran would want to carry out this operation.

RT: How far do you think such accusations against Iran could worsen the already tense situation between the two countries?

SSU: I think it depends on how much sympathy Israel can get for what’s happened, how it presents the argument.

Iran is not a very attractive country to the world, and the masses are very happy to accept whatever they are told. Like they are told by Mr. Netanyahu, who has stolen from America, who was in this nuclear smuggling ring in the 80s and 90s, and FBI files show that. If they chose to believe him and believe his pointing-finger at Iran, well that shows their naivety. But for me it is very hard to accept that Iran would willingly have the world condemn it and cater to the wishes of the Israelis by providing them an excuse to attack.

Who is Behind the Bulgaria "False Flag" Attack on Israeli Tourists?

Global Research

Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich

On July 18, 2012,  attack on an Israeli tourist bus in Bulgaria took the lives of 5 Israeli nationals, a Bulgarian, and the mysterious suicide bomber.  It is reported that the suspect, a young Caucasian, had a fake Michigan driver’s license.  According to Israeli Haaretz, a top Bulgarian official warned that it would be a “mistake” to blame a specific country or organization for the attack.   However, Israel ’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had other ideas.

Quick to point the finger at Iran , Mr. Netanyahu called it an “Iranian terror network spreading throughout the world”.  He added: "Exactly 18 years after the attack on a Jewish community center in Argentina , the Iranian terror continues to hurt innocent people."  Apparently, it takes a village and some to set Iran up.

These serious allegations with a potential for disaster, demand scrutiny on several levels.  The most fundamental question which needs to be addressed is who benefits from these attacks.  One must question the location – location, location, location.  And finally, analyze the empirical data.

  

Who Benefits? 

In spite of Israel and its Washington lobbies pushing for a war against Iran ,  of late,  prominent voices have adopted a less bellicose stance towards Iran and its nuclear program.  The possibility of any military action against Iran which would undoubtedly lead to a closure of the world’s most important oil chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, has prompted politicians around the globe to opt for a diplomatic solution to end the impasse with Iran.  

Somewhat optimistically, Iran is investing its efforts in diplomacy.   While continuing to work towards a mutually acceptable solution with the P5+1, Iran is making extensive preparations for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit it will be hosting in Tehran in August.   Over the past three centuries, Iran has never initiated a war and it would seem unlikely that at this juncture Tehran would resort to terrorism and solicit condemnation and possibly war.   On the other hand, the targeting and killing of Israeli citizens by Iran would serve to support and justify Netanyahu’s call for military action against Iran . 

For Netanyahu,  domestic dissatisfaction aside, Israel ’s policy of settlement expansion, a policy which government appointed jurists called legal, has brought international condemnation.   With the moderate Kadima party pulling out of government, leaving Netanyahu in charge of  hard-line coalition opposed to Middle East peace, Israel needs support from its allies more than ever.    Undoubtedly, Israel would have greater support as a victim instead of an aggressor.

Location, Location, Location

In addition to the Bulgaria attack, Mr. Netanyahu has blamed Iran for attacks in other countries, including the apparent  foiled attack in Cyprus and  the accusations leveled against Iran for plotting an attack in Kenya.  

Bulgaria - Bulgaria and Israel have very cordial relations.  In July 2011, an Israeli-Bulgarian declaration pledged wide range cooperation.  A year later, on July 8th,   Bulgaria ’s former foreign minister Solomon Passy told The Times of Israel that Israel should aggressively seek to join NATO and the EU.   Passy said: “Israel is part of Western civilization and of the Euro-Atlantic political culture and that’s why Israel shouldn’t be shy to vocally say that it wants to become a member of NATO, the EU and OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe],”.    Ten days later, an attack against Israel took place in Bulgaria . 

Thailand – Thailand and Israel have had cordial relations with moderate and steady trade.  In January 2012, Thailand recognized Palestine as an independent state.  A month later, Israel blamed Iran for “terrorist attacks” in Bangkok .  Allegedly, one of the perpetrators had carried his “Iranian” passport on him to carry out the mission. 

India -  India and Israel have had very amicable relations.   On July 17, 2003, JINSA’s executive director delivered a speech in Washington to the US–India Political Action Committee International Conference on Terrorism in India in which he put Israel, the United States, and India in the same boat – as the number one on the terrorist hit list (Bonney 2008).  In 2008, India launched Israel’s spy satellite into orbit.  In spite of its close ties to Israel , India has not stopped trade with Iran .  In fact, two days prior to the  Israeli embassy staff in India were targeted on February 13, 2012, India defended its oil trade with Iran.

Georgia – Israel ’s relations with Georgia are unique.  It was widely reported in 2008 that Israel had the green light to attack Iran from Georgian territory.   Israel is thought to have played a prominent role in the Russian-Georgian conflict (see link for full details of the relationship.   In 2010, Georgia and Iran entered a new phase in their relationship and Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister expressed that “ties will further deepen”.  As with India , Iran was blamed for the bomb attempts in Georgia.  

Bulgarian Foreign Minister: Mistake to blame ‘any country or organization’ for Burgas attack at this point

MondoWeiss
Adam Horowitz

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has told Benjamin Netanyahu to slow down before using the terrorist attack in Burgas as an excuse for war with Iran or Hezbollah. So far all that is known about the suspected bomber (pictured above) is that he was traveling with a fake Michigan driver's license. Haaretz reports:

However, speaking on Thursday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov said that he thought "it is wrong and a mistake to point fingers at this stage of the investigation at any country or organization."
"We are only in the beginning of the investigation and it is wrong to jump to conclusions," he added, saying that Bulgaria had "excellent cooperation with the Israeli security forces in matters pertaining to the investigation."
Mladenov added that the countries "will investigate until we discover who is behind the attack. At this stage all we know about the identity of the culprit is his external appearance and a copy of a counterfeit Michigan driver's license."

Yesterday, Netanyahu issued a statement saying, “all signs point towards Iran." News sources are reporting this morning that Iran denies any responsibility.

Haaretz commentator Amir Oren says Netanyahu wants to turn an Israeli intelligence failure into an excuse to attack Iran:

And yet Benjamin Netanyahu, for his own reasons, is trying to turn the failure into an accomplishment. Two hours after the attack, he was saying that “all signs lead to Iran.”
Naturally, this is a well-founded suspicion; but from a prime minister – as opposed to a commentator – one expects a little more proof. And until he has proof, Netanyahu is talking about a worldwide pattern “in recent months” and the 18th anniversary of attack on Jewish community in Buenos Aires (which did not justify, in his eyes, a heightened alert concerning terror attacks). The conclusion: “This is an Iranian terror attack.” The aspiration that follows: “Israel will react forcefully to Iranian terror.”
Even if Netanyahu’s wish comes true, and evidence to Iran’s responsibility is found, it would not justify moving beyond the shadow war of what appears to be mutual terror attacks and onto a big war, the one that according to Ehud Barak would only take the lives of 500 Israelis – all in all, Burgas times 70.

Death-Toll From European Deep Freeze Hits 540 As Danube Freezes Over

Before It's News

GERMANY – Thick ice closed vast swathes of the Danube on Thursday, crippling shipping on Europe’s busiest waterway, as the death toll from bitter cold across the continent rose to at least 540.
As it has every day for nearly two weeks, the brutal cold claimed lives in several countries and killed dozens more in weather-related accidents. The 2,860-kilometre (1,780-mile) Danube, which flows through 10 countries and is vital for transport, power, irrigation, industry and fishing, was wholly or partially blocked from Austria to its mouth on the Black Sea. Navigation was impossible or restricted in Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria, as ice covered the river or formed dangerous floes in shipping lanes. An official from the Serbian economy ministry said the commercial repercussions “could be very bad,” while infrastructure ministry official Pavle Galico said shipping would not resume for 10 days.

Bulgarian authorities, who have banned all navigation on the river, reported 224 vessels stuck in ports, and Ukrainian rescuers in Croatia reached three crew members on a ship trapped in the ice since Friday. Temperatures in Bulgaria dropped to a new record low Thursday of minus 28.6 degrees Celsius (minus 19.5 Fahrenheit) in the northwestern town of Vidin. The country has halted all power exports due to the cold snap. So far, 28 people have been killed in Bulgaria as a result of the weather, including eight who drowned when the icy waters of a small dam swept through their village of Biser in the southeast. Serbian railways, meanwhile, said the famed Balkan Express train that runs from Belgrade to Istanbul would only go as far as Sofia for now because of the flooding in Bulgaria.