How Britain helped Israel get the (A) bomb

You —

How Britain helped Israel get the bomb

Newsnight reporter Michael Crick tells the story of how Britain helped Israel build the bomb - without telling the Americans.

Documents uncovered by Newsnight in the British National Archives show how, in 1958, Britain agreed to sell Israel 20 tonnes of heavy water, a vital ingredient for the production of plutonium at Israel's top secret Dimona nuclear reactor in the Negev desert.

Robert McNamara, President John F Kennedy's defence secretary, has told Newsnight he is "astonished" at the revelation that Britain kept this secret from America....

BBC Newsnight

very interesting.

The UK caught with its pants down proliferating nuclear technology... To Israel WITHOUT US permission...

Forum
General

You — Fri, 9 Dec 2005 - 23:59

...Newsnight reveals how British officials decided it would be "over-zealous" to impose safeguards on the Israelis, and chose not to insist that Israel use the heavy water only for peaceful purposes.

Earlier the Americans had refused to supply heavy water to Israel without such safeguards...

Frome above link.

Knowing this, It would be hypocritical for the UK to demand ANYTHING from Iran.

You — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 00:04

And France built the reactor in a secret agreement around 1957... SA supplied the Uranium.

The heavy water was 'sold to the norwegians' by the brits by placing it on Israeli ships going to Israel. Thus as the foriegn office has stated it clearly had nothing to do with anything. Clearly it was the norwegians who were at fault!

This is juts like when the UK complained to Israel for using copters bought from britain against the Palestinians. They were bought for use. D'oh!

Is it me or do governments deliberately play stupid?

You — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:05

UK 'covered up' Israeli nuke deal

The government has been accused of covering up the sale of 20 tonnes of heavy water to Israel for its nuclear programme in the early 1950s.

The BBC's Newsnight says fresh evidence shows the UK knew the ingredient it sold to Norway would be subsequently sold on to Israel for nuclear weapons.

Government officials insist they knew nothing of Israel's nuclear ambitions or Norway's intentions.

The Foreign Office has declined to comment, amid calls for an inquiry.

'Cover-up'

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell is asking Foreign Secretary Jack Straw for clarification.

He said: "The trouble with this cover-up is that this is not a cover-up, it simply flies in the face of the known facts, now that we have access to previously classified documents."

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn wants the Commons' foreign affairs select committee to investigate.

He said: "Right back to the late 1950s we were a party to the transfer of nuclear technology to Israel.

"We were party to the development of a nuclear facility in Israel that could and has been used for the manufacture of nuclear weapons. Norway was always a smokescreen."

New claims

In August, Newsnight uncovered papers which revealed details of the deal.

But Foreign Office minister Kim Howells insisted Britain had simply negotiated the sale of surplus heavy water to Norway.

He said the UK knew nothing of Norway's intentions or Israel's desire to start a nuclear weapons programme.

But Newsnight says it has new evidence that casts doubt on these claims.

It says the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) had written to Foreign Office official Donald Cape, who approved the sale.

In the letter, the energy authority said too much heavy water had been bought from a Norwegian firm and another company from the country wanted to buy it back and sell it on to Israel.

'Sham' denied

Newsnight also has a copy of the company's contract with Israel, which stated it would provide heavy water from the UKAE.

Mr Cape denied the sale back to Norway was a "sham".

But Newsnight says confidential letters he wrote suggest the Foreign Office knew Israel had been trying to buy uranium from South Africa.

One letter quotes CIA reports from 1957 and 1958 that say Israel will try and establish a nuclear programme when it has the means.

Other secret government documents apparently say: "It has been, and remains our opinion, that Israel wanted an independent supply of plutonium so as to be in a position to make a nuclear weapon if she wished."

Mr Cape told Newsnight: "We had no idea at that stage, nobody suspected - not only in Britain but in the US - that the Israelis hoped to manufacture nuclear weapons."

BBC News

100man — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:38

Admin,

That is the second BBC article you have posted, on the same news item. It is the second time you opened a thread about Israel when you already have threads on Israel. On the other one you have written 'I know there's already threads on Israel'. So why aren't you using them?

On topic, is it your point that Israeli possession of nukes is as threatening as Iranian possession of nukes? Are you arguing that Israel needs to be challenged over its nukes? That Iran must not be challenged on its nukes? That Iran's ambitions are legitimate? Never mind what you think is hypocritical, it is hypocritical that Manchester is a city but the Vatican is a state unless you are intelligent enough to differentiate, OR unless you are vying for Manchester to host the Holy See.

And what outcome would you like to see for Israel/Palestine?

You — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:46

I am arguing that Britain cannot say anything to Iran. It would be hypocritical.

threat wise, both are no real threats.

I do not have a problem with any country having nukes. I would see it as a right for any soveriegn nation.

However Britain cannot go around sayng yes but no but. yes but no but.

A New topic, as its less to do with Israel, more to do with the UK.

You — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:52

what has manchester/vatican got to do with this topic?

is it an attempt to saboage the subject of the UK helping Israel gain nukes?

DO you think Israels aims were honourable? if so, why did they want nukes?

And why did Israel (with help from the CIA) try to get the US to nuke Cairo?

100man — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:52

You feel that Iran is no real threat.

AdminHowever Britain cannot go around sayng yes but no but. yes but no but.

"Do I have to go to jail? I am law-abiding."
No.

"Do I have to go to jail? I just assaulted a passer-by."
Yes.

Israel is not threatening anyone's annihalation.

Your last post is despicable. Take the time to understand what I wrote, I would not try to confuse you. And there are questions I asked.

You — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 - 19:54

100manIsrael is not threatening anyone's annihalation.

Apart from Palestines, which it has already completed.

And if it had honourable intentions, why get nukes?

afterall its enemies did not have them so there was no argument about MAD. It was to use them.

100man — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 - 11:45

AdminOk, that was not fair.

I find that comment a great pity. It shows you are just playing games when you discuss serious issues, and you want to win. That is a cul-de-sac I won't go down.

You — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 - 22:37

100man

AdminOk, that was not fair.

I find that comment a great pity. It shows you are just playing games when you discuss serious issues, and you want to win. That is a cul-de-sac I won't go down.

why? I admitted to my mistake, and admitted it was a low blow.

It is a cul-de-sac though.