Israel Proliferation of WMD’s
Many people might not even be able to point out on a map where the country of Israel is
located. Israel is a small country located in the Middle East between Syria and Egypt. This
country although small has a few tricks up its sleeve regarding its military. Israel is known as
having one of the most technology advanced militaries in the world. On top of this they also have
one of the most sophisticated nuclear weapons programs in the world as well. Israel’s nuclear
weapons program may lack in overall size however it makes up for this in what it can do.
History
Israel did not always have a great military and nuclear program. In fact, they were late to
the party when it comes to having a nuclear program at all. In 1952 a man named Ernst David
Bergmann established the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission. Ernst is regarded as the father of
Israel’s nuclear program. The Atomic Energy Commission was the start of Israel’s nuclear
program however it wasn’t until 1957 when the French agreed to assist Israel in the construction
of their first nuclear reactor. This reactor was located in Dimona, a small city in the Negev
Desert. France and Israel agreed that the nuclear reactor would only be used for “scientific
research”. The real reason was obviously to start a nuclear program in Israel as an extension of
the collaboration between Israel and France on the French nuclear program. The French Foreign
Ministry was kept unaware of the true intentions of the nuclear reactor and this became a theme
with Israel’s program throughout the years. “Officials in the French, Norwegian, British and US
governments all supported the project, even when it did not have the backing of their elected
representatives” (Cohen). In 1960 the new French President de Gaulle opposed the project and
severed ties with Israel but allowing French companies to help finish the project. In 1961 it was
brought the President John F Kennedy’s attention that Israel had been reprocessing plutonium,
but there was no indication that this was to be used for weapons. Kennedy was committed to the
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons at the time and the Israeli Prime Minister Ben Gurion kept
delaying visits to the reactor in Dimona. By 1963 the French company Marcel Dassault began
the manufacturing of the Israeli surface to surface missile named Jericho. During this time
Kennedy continued his stance on to limit the development of nuclear weapons in Israel and
Egypt. Prime Minister Gurion resigned in 1963 and Eshkol became the new one. “Kennedy
maintained his diplomatic offensive and indeed persuaded the new Prime Minister, Eshkol, to
sign the Partial Test Ban Treaty” (Cohen) which prevents anyone from conducting nuclear
weapons tests anywhere except underground. Eshkol agreed to sign the treaty but continued to
keep the nuclear program. In 1966 Israel received the Jericho surface to surface missile. Eshkol
kept insisting that Israel did not have any nuclear weapons and that they would not be the first to
