Michael Ben Yair
Former Israeli attorney general, Michael Ben Yair, confirms IDF false flag operation leading to Deif assassination.
You'll recall a few days ago I posted a tantalizing clue from Haaretz' Amir Oren which noted that thirty years ago Israel fabricated an alleged terror provocation which it used to launch a military attack (or assassination) of its own. While I haven't been able to isolate which historical event he's referring to, given Oren's track record and journalistic style, I had a strong hunch he was trying to tell his readers something specific about the Deif assassination.

My guess is that he was saying that Israel fabricated the rocket fire which it claimed violated the truce agreement. After it informed the world about Hamas' violation, it was emboldened to launch the attack on the al Dalou home, where Deif and his family were sheltering. That bombing, which used American-made GBU28 bunker buster bombs delivered by U.S.-made war planes, killed 12 civilians including Deif's wife and two children. It may've also killed Deif, though no one knows for sure.

This false flag operation was clumsily mounted and will easily be exposed. It will further erode what little credibility Israel has in the world community. You remember when Israel cloned passports of citizens of allied nations as part of an assassination plot against Mahmoud al-Mabouh? In doing so, it endangered them and violated the trust and sovereignty of friends (and leading to the expulsion of a number of Mossad station chiefs)? In terms of the effect this will have on Israel's already tarnished reputation, it's a similar exercise in chicanery.

Michael Ben Yair Facebook
Now comes confirmation from Michael Ben Yair, a former Israeli attorney general under both Yitzhak Rabin and Bibi Netanyahu, and former Supreme Court justice, that the IDF did indeed fabricate the truce violation. Under normal circumstances, I might be skeptical of the source. But in this case, Ben Yair is about as much of an insider as you can be. He posted on Facebook:
There is no ceasefire [agreement]. There are only renewed acts of hatred. Who's at fault? Good question - Hamas which wants a deal more or Israel which faked a violation in order to assassinate Mohammed Deif.
This revelation, which I believe is rock-solid, makes a mockery of Jodi Rudoren's reporting in the NY Times:
Hamas is the party that keeps extending this summer's bloody battle in the Gaza Strip, repeatedly breaking temporary truces...
I've been tweeting to her repeatedly about this pathetic representation of journalism. Do you think she'll ever recant or acknowledge her error of credulousness when offered false information and claims by official Israeli spinmeisters?