Israel's 'Diplomatic Genius' of Covering Up Its Nukes

The growing campaign for nuclear openness in Israel has evoked angry denunciation from defenders of the policy of “nuclear ambiguity": Here is an example from writer Yosef Goell in the right-wing Jerusalem Post of last February 9:

“Israel’s official policy over the past three decades and more regarding its reported nuclear arsenal has been one of intentional obfuscation. This policy was one of the all-too-few instances of Israeli diplomatic genius.

“It was the major reason Egyptian President Anwar Sadat sued for a peace treaty with Israel in 1977. It also enabled the U.S. to avoid pressuring Israel to open up whatever nuclear facilities it had to Arab-infiltrated international inspection.

“Anything which serves to penetrate that intentional obscurity - whether it’s spy Mordechai Vanunu’s revelations to the Sunday Times in 1986; Egypt’s persistent anti-Israel diplomatic offensive; or the debate launched by the Israeli Arab MKs - is by definition harmful to Israel’s deterrent stance in a world of continuing Arab hostility.”