Israel's nuclear ambiguity
On October 5, 1986, the London Sunday Times published details of secret Israeli nuclear weapons manufacturing, indicating that over the past 20 years Israel may have accumulated a nuclear arsenal of 100 to 200 weapons. While not entirely new, these recent revelations, in contrast to past information, are attributed to an identifiable source: Mordechai Vanunu, a former technician in Israel's Dimona nuclear facility. The prompt Israeli action that brought Vanunu to Israel to stand trial indicates how seriously the Israeli government has treated his story. The revelations bring into sharp focus the peculiar features of Israel's nuclear posture and the difficulty inherent in any serious discussion of the subject - notably the secrecy that has surrounded the program since its inception. To Israelis, no defense-related topic more sensitive. Although there is some evidence of internal debate at key junctures in the history of the Israeli nuclear project, there has never been any serious public questioning of the program, or its direction, from its inception three decades ago to the present, a period spanning the tenures of seven prime ministers. In view of the above revelations, the authors review Israel's nuclear weapons policy, deliberately ambiguous, and discuss possible alternatives in the context of possible nonproliferation efforts by the superpowers. 14 references, 2 figures.
- Research Organization:
- Tel Aviv Univ., Israel
- OSTI ID:
- 6491997
- Journal Information:
- Bull. At. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. At. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 43:2; ISSN BASIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
350200* -- Arms Control-- Proliferation-- (1987-)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202 -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
ISRAEL
MIDDLE EAST
NON-PROLIFERATION POLICY
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
PRODUCTION
WEAPONS