Israeli Atomic Commission Unveils Web Site
nytimes.com
"There is no reference to nuclear weapons on the Web site, which says the Dimona facility is for "expanding and deepening basic knowledge of nuclear science and related fields and providing an infrastructure for the practical and economic utilization of atomic energy."
July 4, 2004
By GREG MYRE
JERUSALEM, July 4 — Israel's Atomic Energy Commission unveiled today a Web site on the country's highly secretive nuclear program, though it is limited to the most basic information and a few long-distance photos.
The launching of the Web site came just two days before a visit by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, who last week called for talks on a nuclear-free Middle East.
As noted on the new Web site (www.iaec.gov.il), Israel's Atomic Energy Commission was established in 1952 by the prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. Since then, Israel has sought to say as little as possible about its nuclear program.
Israel has always refused to confirm or deny whether it possesses nuclear weapons, though various estimates have said the country has enough plutonium to make about 200 such weapons.
In an interview last December with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Mr. ElBaradei said he presumed that Israel had a nuclear arsenal.
The Web site notes that Israel has two nuclear research centers, including a nuclear reactor in the Negev Desert, outside the southern town of Dimona.
There is no reference to nuclear weapons on the Web site, which says the Dimona facility is for "expanding and deepening basic knowledge of nuclear science and related fields and providing an infrastructure for the practical and economic utilization of atomic energy."
Several photos are of nondescript buildings, with bright flowers in the foreground. One shows what appears to be the silhouette of the dome-shaped Dimona reactor at sunset, from a great distance.
The English Web site has just one page, while the Hebrew site has a bit more material. Back in May, Israel's equally secretive intelligence service, Mossad, posted its own Web site, which advertises for recruits.
While Mr. ElBaradei's two-day visit will focus attention on Israel's nuclear program, Israeli analysts say they see no possibility that it will lead Israel to change its policy of "strategic ambiguity."
"These policies have been followed by all prime ministers, they enjoy wide support in the Israeli body politic, and are well understood by Israel's allies," said Uzi Arad, head of the Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, outside Tel Aviv.
Mr. ElBaradei's visit is likely to cover a variety of civilian nuclear issues, such as nuclear medicine and safety regulations, Mr. Arad said.
Israel is a longtime member of the I.A.E.A., however, the country has never signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and has not allowed international inspectors to visit the Dimona reactor.
Israel argues that its shrouded nuclear program serves as an effective deterrent in a region where several of its enemies have sought nuclear weapons.
Israel points to past nuclear projects in Iraq and Libya, and says that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. Many senior Israeli officials regard Iran's nuclear program as the most serious security threat facing Israel in the coming years, though Iran denies it is attempting to build such weapons.
Mr. ElBaradei said a week ago that he would like all unconventional weapons removed from the Middle East.
"Israel agrees with that, but they say it has to be after peace agreements," Mr. ElBaradei said. "My proposal is maybe we need to start to have a parallel dialogue on security at the same time when we're working on the peace process."
Israel's critics have argued that Israel is able to maintain its clandestine program with the blessing of the United States, while other countries in the region have faced tremendous international pressure over their nuclear weapons programs, real or perceived.
To date, the most detailed description of Israel's Dimona nuclear reactor has come from Mordechai Vanunu, a former technician at the plant.
Mr. Vanunu was released from prison in April after serving almost 18 years for describing his work at the reactor and for smuggling out dozens of photos. His story was published in 1986 in The Sunday Times of London.
Meanwhile, in violence today, Palestinian gunmen fatally shot a Jewish settler when they riddled his car with bullets in the northern West Bank, Israeli authorities said.
The Israeli security forces shot dead three Palestinians. One was a gunman attempting to reach a Jewish settlement in the northern West Bank, the military said.
In the Gaza Strip, a young man was hit while taking part in a stone-throwing clash with troops, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Palestinian security officials.
Also, Israeli police fatally shot a Palestinian man in Jerusalem after he drove a van at an officer and attempted to run him over. The man then attempted to flee on foot, and was shot after he refused warnings to stop, the police said. |
