Yes, strong evidence suggests Israel diverted bomb-grade uranium from the United States in the 1960s, a matter detailed in the NUMEC affair, where approximately 200–600 pounds of highly enriched uranium went missing from a US company,
Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation (NUMEC). Declassified CIA and FBI documents and the findings of the
Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) point to this diversion, with the material eventually traced to Israel's nuclear weapons program around Israel's
Dimona nuclear complex.
The NUMEC Affair
- The Incident:
Between 1958 and 1978, a significant amount of highly enriched uranium disappeared from the NUMEC plant in Apollo, Pennsylvania.
- The Investigation:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with other agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), investigated this loss, which was linked to the company's president, Zalman Shapiro, a known Zionist sympathizer with ties to Israel.
- Evidence of Diversion:
By 1968, the CIA had found highly enriched uranium traceable to the US near Israel's Dimona nuclear complex.
- US Government Position:
Declassified documents confirm the diversion, but the U.S. government has maintained a policy of nuclear ambiguity regarding Israel.
Israel's Nuclear Program
- French Connection:
Israel received technical assistance from France to develop its nuclear program, including the provision of a research reactor and plutonium reprocessing designs.
- Espionage:
Israel also used a network of Jewish scientists in the US and Europe to acquire sensitive materials and classified nuclear data.
- Front Companies:
Israeli agents established front companies in Europe and the U.S. to procure sensitive materials and dual-use technologies from civilian industries, evading export controls and international scrutiny.
Impact and Controversy
- U.S. Foreign Policy:
The diversion of uranium created a significant breach of U.S. nuclear security and placed the U.S. in a compromised position, undermining its efforts to enforce nuclear non-proliferation policies with other nations.
- Moral Authority:
This perceived double standard, where the U.S. prosecuted others for similar actions but did not take public action against Israel, has been cited as weakening the U.S.'s moral authority on nuclear proliferation.