Israel and weapons of mass destruction: Difference between revisions

{{Weapons of mass destruction}}

'''[[Israel]]''' is widely believed to possess '''[[weapons of mass destruction]]''', and to be one of four nuclear-armed countries not recognized as a [[nuclear weapons states|Nuclear Weapons State]] by the [[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]] (NPT).<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2006-07-02|title=Background Information, 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons|publisher=United Nations|url=http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/background.html}}</ref> The [[US Congress]] [[Office of Technology Assessment]] has recorded Israel as a country generally reported as having undeclared [[chemical warfare]] capabilities, and an offensive [[biological warfare]] program.<ref name=OTA-ISC-559 /> Officially Israel neither confirms nor denies possessing nuclear weapons.

==Nuclear weapons==

{{Main|Nuclear weapons and Israel}}

<!--Remember, folks, there's a main article you can add all the detail you want to. Please keep this section short and to the point.-->Although no official statistics exist, it has been estimated that Israel possesses up to 400 [[thermonuclear weapons]], believed to be of [[Teller-Ulam design]], including strategic warheads in the [[megaton]]-range.<ref>[http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/090316_israelistrikeiran.pdf]</ref><ref>Brower, Kenneth S., “A Propensity for Conflict: Potential Scenarios and Outcomes of War in the Middle East,” Jane's Intelligence Review, Special Report no. 14, (February 1997), 14-15.</ref><ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2007-05-30|title=Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance|publisher=Arms Control Association|url=http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat.asp}}</ref> Delivery mechanisms include [[Jericho_(missile)|Jericho intercontinental ballistic missiles]], with a range of 11,500 km.<ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/6088311/Missile-Survey-Ballistic-and-Cruise-Missiles-of-Foreign-Countries]</ref> Additionally, Israel is believed to have an offshore nuclear [[second-strike]] capability, using submarine launched nuclear-capable cruise missiles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jdw/jdw091001_1_n.shtml|title=Israel seeks sixth Dolphin in light of Iranian 'threat'|author=Alon Ben-David|date=1 October 2009|publisher=[[Jane's Defence Weekly]]|accessdate=2009-11-03}}</ref> The Israeli government maintains a [[policy of deliberate ambiguity]] on whether it has nuclear weapons, saying only that it would not be the first to "introduce nuclear weapons in the [[Middle East]]."<ref>{{cite news|first=Khaled|last=Dawoud|title=Redefining the bomb|publisher=Al-Ahram Weekly|date=1999-12-02|accessdate=2006-07-02|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/1999/458/intervw.htm}}</ref> Former [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] Director General [[Mohamed ElBaradei]] regarded Israel as a state possessing nuclear weapons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Transcripts/2004/alahram27072004.html|title=Transcript of the Director General's Interview with Al-Ahram News|author=[[Mohamed ElBaradei]]|publisher=[[International Atomic Energy Agency]]|date=27 July 2004|accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>

Israel has not signed the [[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]]. However, on July 13, 2008, Israel took part in a regional conference of the [[Union for the Mediterranean]] which pledged to pursue a Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction.<ref>{{cite news|title=43 nations to seek Middle East free of WMDs |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/13/international/i111033D26.DTL |publisher=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=2008-07-13 |accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref>

==Chemical weapons==

Israel has signed but not ratified the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]] (CWC). There are speculations that a [[chemical weapon]]s program might be located at the [[Israel Institute for Biological Research]] ([http://www.iibr.gov.il IIBR]) in [[Ness Ziona]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bsos.umd.edu/pgsd/people/staffpubs/Avner-CBWart.pdf|title=Israel and Chemical/Biological Weapons: History, Deterrence, and Arms Control|author=Avner Cohen|accessdate=2010-04-27|postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref>

190 liters of [[dimethyl methylphosphonate]], a [[List of Schedule 2 substances (CWC)|CWC schedule 2 chemical]] used in the synthesis of [[Sarin]] nerve gas, was discovered in the cargo of [[El Al Flight 1862]] after it crashed in 1992 en route to [[Tel Aviv]]. Israel insisted the material was non-toxic, was to have been used to test filters that protect against chemical weapons, and that it had been clearly listed on the cargo manifest in accordance with international regulations. The shipment was from a U.S. chemical plant to the IIBR under a [[United States Department of Commerce|U.S. Department of Commerce]] license.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel says El Al crash chemical 'non-toxic'|date=1998-10-02|publisher=[[BBC]]|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20030818042548/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/185199.stm|accessdate=2006-07-02}}</ref>

In 1993, the [[U.S. Congress]] [[Office of Technology Assessment]] WMD proliferation assessment recorded Israel as a country generally reported as having undeclared offensive chemical warfare capabilities.<ref name=OTA-ISC-559>{{Cite document|url=http://www.princeton.edu/~ota/disk1/1993/9341/9341.PDF|title=Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Assessing the Risks|publisher=[[U.S. Congress]] [[Office of Technology Assessment]]|date=August 1993|id=OTA-ISC-559|accessdate=2008-12-09|postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref> Former US deputy assistant secretary of defense responsible for chemical and biological defense, [[Bill Richardson]], said in 1998 "I have no doubt that Israel has worked on both chemical and biological offensive things for a long time ... There's no doubt they've had stuff for years."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.salon.com/news/1998/12/02news.html|title=Debunking the "ethno-bomb"|author=Jeff Stein|date=1998-12-02|accessdate=2006-07-11|publisher=[[Salon.com]]}}</ref>

==Biological weapons==

Israel is believed to have developed an offensive [[biological warfare]] capability.<ref name=OTA-ISC-559 /> Israel is not a signatory to the [[Biological Weapons Convention]] (BWC). It is assumed that the [[Israel Institute for Biological Research]] in [[Ness Ziona]] develops [[vaccines]] and [[antidote]]s for [[chemical warfare|chemical]] and [[biological warfare]].<ref name = "NesZ">{{cite web

|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/israel/cbw.htm

|title=Nes Ziyyona

|accessdate=2007-02-11

|date=April 28, 2005

|publisher=[[GlobalSecurity.org]]

|quote=<small>Israel is believed to have the capacity to produce chemical warfare agents, and probably has stocks of bombs, rockets, and artillery shells. Public reports that a mustard and nerve gas production facility was established in 1982 in the Dimona restricted area are apparently erroneous. Israel is also probably poised to rapidly produce biological weapons, though there are no public reports of currently active production effort or associated locations.…Israel's primary chemical and biological warfare facility is at Nes Ziyyona [Noss Ziona], near Tel Aviv. The Israeli Institute for Bio-Technology is believed to be the home of both offensive and defensive research.</small>

}}

</ref> While Israel is not known to be producing biological weapons currently, there remains speculation that Israel's ability to start production and dissemination, if necessary, remains active.<ref>{{cite web

|url=http://www.foi.se/upload/pdf/israel-and-wmd-1734.pdf

|title=Israel and WMD: Incentives and Capabilities

|accessdate=2007-02-11

|last=Normark

|first=Magnus

|coauthors=Anders Lindblad, Anders Norqvist, Björn Sandström, and Louise Waldenström

|year=2005

|month=December

|format=PDF

|work=

|publisher=[[Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut|FOI]]

|pages=pg. 38

|language=

|archiveurl=

|archivedate=

|quote=<small>Israel does not stockpile or produce BW in large-scale today. However, we assess that Israel has a breakout capability for biological weapons and also CW, i.e. the knowledge needed to implement theoretical knowledge into the practical management of production and deployment of CBW. The knowledge base would be the one that was built during the 1950s and 1960s where today’s advanced research can be used to upgrade potential BW and CW agents and their behaviour in the environment. We have not found any conclusive evidence that show that Israel’s offensive programs still remain active today.</small>

}}

</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Israeli nuclear development]]

[[Category:Arab–Israeli conflict|Weapons of mass destruction, Israel]]

[[Category:Weapons of mass destruction|Israel]]

[[ar:إسرائيل وأسلحة الدمار الشامل]]

[[id:Israel dan senjata pemusnah massal]]

[[he:מדיניות הגרעין של ישראל]]

[[ja:イスラエルの大量破壊兵器]]

[[ms:Israel dan senjata pemusnahan meluas]]