"Russiagate" Was Israelgate

It began with Flynn asking Russia for help in protecting Israel from condemnation at the United Nations.

After Trump won the 2016 election, the Obama administration finally, after years of stalling, allowed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel’s building of colonial settlements, which violates the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel asked the Trump transition team to lobby other countries to help Israel stop the resolution from passing. Netanyahu would sleep in Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner’s bed when he visited New York.

Kushner ordered Gen. Michael Flynn (who would become Trump’s national security advisor) to contact the Russian government.

On Dec. 22, 2016, Flynn contacted then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, asking the Russians to delay the vote until Trump got into office and could then veto it.

The Russians didn’t do what Kushner wanted. On Dec. 23, the United Nations Security Council passes resolution 2334 condemning Israeli settlement building with the United States abstaining.

On Dec. 28, 2016, outgoing President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia, ostensibly because of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Kislyak then contacted Flynn about getting the sanctions reversed.

That is the origin of “Russiagate” which dominated US political discourse for years.

It was Flynn contacting the Russians to do a favor — for Israel.

(See related pieces including accuracy.org news releases on Israelgate, Ali Abunimah: “Israel lobby billionaire praises Kushner for collusion with Netanyahu”, Aaron Maté: “RIP, Russiagate”, “The Trump Team Definitely Colluded With a Foreign Power—Just Not the One You Think”, Mehdi Hassan: “Trump’s Transition Team Colluded With Israel. Why Isn’t That News?” James Bamford: “The Trump Campaign’s Collusion With Israel”.)