Statement by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Thomas
Moorer during interview by talkshow host Don Brook, Wisconsin radio
station WOJB, February 12, 1990:

Host:  Why on earth would the Israelis take that chance?  What possible
benefit could they have that would justify knocking out a friendly ship
and risk the political embarrassment?

Moorer:  Well, it is quite clear in my mind what they were doing.  They
were going to attack the Golan Heights the next morning. They were
finding it necessary to communicate among the units that were going to
participate in the operation and consequently they were very concerned
that this ship would intercept--and that was incidentally why the ship
looked so strange, it was the antenna configuration on the
superstructure--and they would intercept the message and learn what they
were up to and then the United States would have undoubtedly protested
in no uncertain terms.  Israel then they would have been placed in the
position of either ignoring the United States protest and suffered the
aftermath of that or not conducting the operation which they were hell
bent on doing.