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Nuclear Zero Fact Sheet #6
Israeli Nuclear Policy
Israel is generally believed to possess a nuclear arsenal of 100–200 devices, a capacity developed with assistance from France and apartheid South Africa. However, alone of the nine current nuclear weapons states — America, Russia, England, France, Israel, China, Pakistan, India and North Korea — Israel has never acknowledged its nuclear weapons, a policy known as nuclear "opacity." With two other states possessing nuclear weapons — India and Pakistan — Israel has never joined the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (North Korea has withdrawn from the Treaty).
Regarding inspection of Israel nuclear facilities, Israel was at first under heavy pressure from the Kennedy Administration, which it resisted. That pressure abated after Kennedy's assassination.
Israel has twice bombed alleged nuclear sites in nearby nations: destroying the Osirak breeder reactor in Iraq (June 1981) and destroying a facility at Deir ex-Zor in Syria (September 2007).
In August 2007, Israel proposed building a nuclear power plant at Shivta, on the border with Egypt: it was believed that the plant would involve American technology and be subject to an agreement similar to the agreement between the United States and India: the plant would be subject to safeguards, while all other Israeli nuclear facilities would be exempt. |
