Memorandum on Israel's Claims Regarding Nuclear Activities
(January 30, 1961)
This memorandum notes
Israel's claim to not be seeking nuclear
capability and the U.S.'s position on Israel's
research.
SUBJECT
Israel's Atomic Energy Activities
In 1955 under the "Atoms-for-Peace" program the United States
undertook to assist Israel with its atomic energy development program.
Subsequently a one megawatt research reactor was built with our aid
at Nahal Rubin, near Tel Aviv.
In the summer and early fall of 1960 rumors reached our Embassy at
Tel Aviv that the French were collaborating with the Israelis in the
construction of a large reactor at Dimona, near Beersheba, in the northern
part of the Negev desert. After our intelligence agencies had established
on December 2 that a significant atomic installation was in fact being
built near Beersheba, Secretary Herter on December 9 called in Israeli
Ambassador Harman who undertook to obtain full information from his
government. After a number of exchanges, Prime Minister Ben-Gurion gave
us categoric assurances supported by appropriate public statements to
the effect that Israel does not have plans for developing nuclear weaponry.
The French have also assured us that their assistance is premised on
Israel's atomic energy program being solely for peaceful purposes. Ben-Gurion
had indicated that aside from normal military precautions the reason
for Israel's extreme secrecy with respect to the Dimona project was
his fear and that of the foreign firms assisting the project that the
Arab states would boycott or take other retaliatory measures against
any firm or even country assisting the project. There is considerable
justification for this Israeli reasoning.
Our government's concern was two-fold: a) pursuant to Congressional
legislation and firm executive branch policy the United States is opposed
to the proliferation of nuclear weapons capabilities; and b) Israel's
acquisition of nuclear weapons would have grave repercussions in the
Middle East, not the least of which might be the probable stationing
of Soviet nuclear weapons on the soil of Israel's embittered Arab neighbors.
The Israeli and French assurances which we have received appear to
be satisfactory, although several minor questions still require clarification.
In any case, the Department considers this not a single episode but
a continuing subject and it is the intention of our intelligence agencies
to maintain a continuing watch on Israel as on other countries to assure
that nuclear weapons capabilities are not being proliferated. At the
moment, we are encouraging the Israelis to permit a qualified scientist
from the United States or other friendly power to visit the Dimona installation.
Prime Minister Ben-Gurion has indicated that this may be possible at
an early date.
A full chronology of our interest in Israel's atomic energy activities
is attached in the event that it may be of interest to you./2/
Dean Rusk/3/
/1/Source: Department of
State, Central Files, 884A.1901/1-3061. Secret.
Drafted by Meyer (NEA/NE).
/2/Attached but not printed.
/3/Printed from a copy that
indicates Rusk signed the original.
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963, V.
XVIII. |