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US Lawmakers Call for Transparency on Israel's Nuclear Capabilities
A group of Democrats in Congress sent a letter to the State Department urging officials to provide information on Israel's nuclear program. The letter, dated May 4, cites the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran as the reason for the request. Lawmakers stated that the longstanding US policy of ambiguity on the issue hinders nonproliferation efforts in the Middle East.
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A group of Democrats in the United States Congress have called on the State Department to provide information on Israel's nuclear capabilities. In a letter sent to the Secretary of State on May 4, the lawmakers pointed to the US-Israel war on Iran as the reason more clarity is needed.
The letter was signed by 30 members of Congress. It states that Congress has a constitutional responsibility to be fully informed about the nuclear balance in the Middle East, the risk of escalation by any party to the conflict, and the administration's planning for such scenarios.
"We do not believe we have received that information," the letter said. It added that a policy of official ambiguity about the nuclear capabilities of one party to the conflict makes coherent nonproliferation policy in the Middle East impossible for Iran, Saudi Arabia and every other state in the region.
The lawmakers asked what nuclear weapon capabilities Israel has, as well as details on its warheads and launchers. They specifically sought information on the Negev Nuclear Research Center in Dimona, long believed to be the core of Israel's nuclear program.
The letter asked whether Israel currently possesses enrichment capabilities and at what level. It also requested details on fissile material and plutonium production. In addition, the lawmakers inquired whether Israel has articulated any nuclear doctrine, red lines or thresholds for nuclear use in the context of the current conflict with Iran.
Israel is believed to have possessed nuclear weapons since the 1960s but maintains a policy of nuclear opacity. It has never officially confirmed the existence of its nuclear weapons program and arsenal. The White House has also long maintained ambiguity on the issue.
