THE PLOT

The Negev Nuclear Research Center, usually just known as the Dimona reactor, is where, officially, Israel pursues research into atomic science and energy. But most people suspect that its real job is producing Israel’s nuclear weapons.

From the beginning of Israel, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion wanted to pursue nuclear science both as a matter of defense and also as a matter of Israel’s technical superiority. He had the Holocaust in mind, but also the economic needs of the young state that could be fulfilled by the practical applications of nuclear energy. He assigned his young protege, Shimon Peres, to get it done. 

Peres worked closely with France, which agreed to supply Israel with the necessary technology and resources to develop a nuke — which even France, in the early 1950s, didn’t have yet. At the same time Israel became the second country to take advantage of the Americans’ Atoms for Peace program, building a peaceful nuclear reactor at Nahal Soreq. President Eisenhower was not pleased with Israel’s parallel program at Dimona, which he knew was working towards a bomb (and which Ben Gurion told him was just a textile factory).

That opposition continued under John F. Kennedy, who continuously pushed Ben Gurion for more details about Dimona. At the same time he assured Golda Meir that he, and the United States, would always have Israel’s back. In exchange for being allowed to inspect Dimona, the United States would supply Israel with the latest anti-aircraft missiles — the first such agreement between the U.S. and Israel, that launched the two countries on a close relationship. Yet Israel thwarted the inspectors by hiding different parts of the facility from prying eyes. By the 1960s the world assumed that Israel had by that point built at least a few nuclear bombs.

In public Israel has only addressed the question of nuclear weapons by refusing to admit or deny possessing bombs, declaring only that Israel will not be the first to introduce those weapons into the region. It seems to have reserved a “Samson Option”: the use of nuclear weapons only as a very last-ditch effort to prevent annihilation, should Israel be pushed to the brink of extinction in a war. 

THE PEOPLE

Dwight Eisenhower: President Eisenhower launched the Atoms for Peace initiative to provide countries with nuclear technology if they agreed to forgo developing nuclear weapons.

John F. Kennedy: as president, continued to push Ben Gurion for details about Dimona. Also began the U.S.-Israel military relationship by providing Israel with anti-aircraft missiles.

Shimon Peres: 29-year old Director General of the Ministry of Defense and protege of Ben Gurion put in charge of developing Israel’s nuclear capabilities. Went on to become one of the great leaders and statesmen of the Jewish State.

THE BIG IDEAS

Throughout the 1950s France and Israel enjoyed very close relations. Partly this was due to France’s atonement for its role in the Holocaust, and sympathy for the Jewish refugees in Europe. But France also had a lot of interests in the Middle East and North Africa, especially amongst their current and former colonies, and Israel had spies in those countries who could share intelligence with France. Israel was happy to exchange intelligence with France in exchange for military arms and equipment.

Israel was setting out a doctrine that would stay with it through today: the qualitative military edge. Israel could never hope to have as many guns as the Arab states. So Israel had to have better guns that could outmatch whatever the Arabs had. Instead of trying to constantly acquire more weapons, Israel sought better weapons than what the Arabs could get.

Israel has always maintained a policy of ambiguity: neither admitting nor denying they possess nuclear weapons. This acting as if they don’t have nuclear weapons while possibly possessing them nonetheless was intended to both keep its Arab enemies uncertain of Israel’s capabilities while also not encouraging them to develop their own nukes.

FUN FACTS

Ben Gurion is said to have instructed an agent to recruit Jewish scientists in Europe who could develop Israel’s ability to either “kill masses or cure masses; both things are important.”

Shimon Peres was first cousins with actress Lauren Bacall.

Most of Israel’s highest-ranking officials, including in the military, had been against acquiring nuclear weapons.

© Jason Harris 2020