Construction intensifies at site linked to Israel’s suspected nuclear program, satellite photos show

From AP

Construction work has intensified on a major new structure at a facility key to Israel’s long-suspected atomic weapons program, according to satellite images analyzed by experts. They say it could be a new reactor or a facility to assemble nuclear arms — but secrecy shrouding the program makes it difficult to know for sure. >>>Read More

From Resurrection Life of Jesus Church

Israels nuclear program has always stuck fear in its enemies in the region, especially after the 1960’s. Today it is suspected to have 90 nuclear weapons in a variety that could be launched by land, sea, or air. Some estimates are 4 times that number. While the United States typically does not comment on their program or their nuclear inventory its desire was to keep it from being a known fact. Israel’s nuclear doctrine centers on a policy of deliberate ambiguity, or amimut, under which the state neither confirms nor denies possession of nuclear weapons.

Israel’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction stemmed from the need for an ultimate deterrent against existential threats posed by numerically superior Arab adversaries committed to its destruction. Facing repeated invasions and blockade attempts since its 1948 independence culminating in the near catastrophic 1973 Yom Kippur War, where Egyptian and Syrian forces initially overwhelmed Israeli defenses. Leaders viewed conventional military parity as insufficient for long-term survival.

In today’s era The Sampson Option has kept its current enemies guessing. We are sure that the back channel threats to Iran and Turkey effectively limited their options in attacking Israel. The recent attack on Iran and Iran’s restrained response with its advance missile stockpile is a sign of fear.

Israel is a tiny country that has easily targeted facilities. Its electrical grid, desalination plants, military and intelligence sites, air fields, communications hubs, refineries, and other soft infrastructure could have been overwhelmed by barrages of Iranian advance missiles possibly making the place nearly unlivable for quite a while.

In the most recent engagement with Iran, the iron dome and anti-missile defenses protected Israel to a point. Its treaty with Jordan protected Israel as they helped by knocking down slow moving incoming drones, but the most effective detterrant was the threat of nuclear war against Iran if they went to far.

It has been reported that Iran warned Israel before it attacked. Its next possible adversary, Turkey, knows of and fears Israel’s nuclear arsenal. All of this is dicussed in backchannel talks and threats that we cannot see in the light of day as it happens. In the region, bitter national enemies still communicate.

Their nuclear program was developed to the point where they could build their first reactor with French help under strict international secrecy. The United States first detected the Dimona project in 1960 through intelligence reports confirming its weapons potential, prompting diplomatic pressure from Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy for inspections, which Israel limited to misleading “textile plant” visits.

A series of sharply worded letters between President Kennedy and Prime Minster David Ben-Gurion ensued. With Kennedy not wanting to anger the Arab countries and with a deep desire to limit the nuclear weapons club a back channel crisis emerged threatening US Israel relations. Prior to Kennedy Truman and Eisenhower were deeply suspicious of Israel. Both administrations gave the Zionists the cold shoulder. JFK was the first to allow major arms sales to Israel.

With the assassination of JFK the incoming Johnson administration greatly expanded arms sales and started the coupling of Israel and the United States together into a deep and permanent partnership by aligning interests between the two countries. LBJ was always know as a close friend to Israel.

Today everyone in the region knows Israel possesses a potent nuclear arsenal and the means to deliver those weapons. The political landscape has changed drastically post 911 with most of its regional enemies demolished, a solid peace treaty with Egypt and Jordan, and the Abraham accords moving forward. The US has assured Israels survival for a long time to come.