US Lawmakers Call for Transparency on Israel's Nuclear Capabilities

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.

The letter noted that the public record strongly and consistently supports the conclusion that Israel possesses nuclear weapons. It pointed to a 1974 US Special National Intelligence Estimate and statements by US and Israeli officials. The Nuclear Threat Initiative estimates that Israel has 90 nuclear warheads, a plutonium stockpile of 750 to 1,110 kilograms, six submarines capable of launching nuclear weapons, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

Individual lawmakers have previously called for more transparency on Israel's nuclear weapons. Concerted congressional pressure on US presidential administrations has been rare. The letter comes as lawmakers from both parties have increasingly questioned Washington's close ties to Israel amid the conflict in Gaza and the war on Iran.

The Trump administration has said that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is a key objective. Tehran has for years denied seeking such a weapon. In a statement to Al Jazeera, Josh Reubner of the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project said members of Congress are right to question why Israel's development of nuclear weapons gets a free pass while efforts are made to prevent Iran from acquiring them.