War and Natural Gas: Gaza’s Offshore Gas Fields

Almost 15 years ago in December 2008, Israel invaded Gaza under “Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009).” which is also known as the “Gaza War” and the “Gaza Massacre.” It was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Palestinian paramilitary groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The justification for this invasion was said to be “persistent terrorist activities and a constant missile threat from the Gaza Strip directed at Israeli civilians.”

There was a hidden agenda agenda, however, according to Professor Michel Chossudovsky the purpose of Operation Cast Lead was to confiscate Palestine’s maritime natural gas reserves.

The following article was first published by Michel Chossudovsky in Global Research in January 2009 at the height of the Israeli bombing and invasion under Operation Cast Lead.

Early Saturday, October 7, 2023, Hamas launched “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” which was led by its Military Chief Mohammed Deif. On that same day, Netanyahu confirmed a so-called “State of Readiness For War.”

Israel has now (October 7, 2023) officially declared an illegal war on Palestine.

Military operations are invariably planned well in advance. Was “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” a “surprise attack”? Did Netanyahu and his vast military intelligence apparatus have foreknowledge of the Hamas attack?

Was a carefully formulated plan to wage an all-out war against Palestine envisaged prior to the launching of “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”?

According to Dr. Philip Giraldi,

“As a former intelligence officer, I find it impossible to believe that Israel did not have multiple informants inside Gaza as well as electronic listening devices all along the border wall which would have picked up movements of groups and vehicles.”

[Did Netanyahu have foreknowledge] about developments in Gaza and chose to let it happen so they can wipe Gaza off the map… in retaliation” (Philip Giraldi, October 8, 2023)

It should also be understood that Netanyahu’s October 7, 2023 illegal declaration of war against Gaza is a continuation of its 2008-2009 invasion of Gaza under “Operation Cast Lead.” The underlying objective is the outright military occupation of Gaza by Israel’s IDF forces and the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland.