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Satellite images reveal Israel quietly expanding secretive Dimona nuclear site

Press TV – February 19, 2021

Newly-released satellite images have revealed that the Israeli regime — the sole possessor of nuclear arms in the Middle East — is conducting “significant” constructive activities at the highly-secretive Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev Desert.

Citing commercial satellite imagery of the facility, the International Panel on Fissile Material (IPFM), a group of independent nuclear experts from 17 countries, reported  Thursday that “significant new construction” had been underway at the Dimona complex.

The construction site sits “in the immediate vicinity of the buildings that house the nuclear reactor and the reprocessing plant,” the report said.

The IPFM’s website said the construction had “expanded and appears to be actively underway with multiple construction vehicles present,” adding, however, that the purpose was not known.

It was unclear when the construction work began, but Pavel Podvig, a researcher with the program on science and global security at Princeton University, told The Guardian that the project had apparently been launched in late 2018 and 2019.

“But that’s all we can say at this point,” he added.

Israel has tightly withheld information about its nuclear weapons program, but the regime is estimated to be keeping at least 90 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, according to the non-profit organization Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

The warheads, FAS said, had been produced from plutonium obtained at the Dimona facility’s heavy water reactor.

Dimona, which is widely believed to be key to Israel’s nuclear arms manufacturing program, was built with covert assistance from the French government and activated sometime between 1962–1964, according to reports.

Israel has acknowledged the existence of the Dimona nuclear reactor, but neither confirms nor denies the purpose of the facility, which is assumed to be widely assumed to be the manufacturing of nukes.

Meanwhile, environmentalists have warned that Dimona — one of the world’s oldest nuclear facilities —could pose enormous environmental and security threats those living in the area and to the entire Middle East, calling on the regime to shut down the complex.

Turning a deaf ear to international calls for nuclear transparency, the regime has so far refused, with the US’s invariable support, to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

February 19, 2021 - Posted by | Deception, Militarism |

3 Comments »

  1. “Israel has acknowledged the existence of the Dimona nuclear reactor, but neither confirms nor denies the purpose of the facility, which is assumed to be widely assumed to be the manufacturing of nukes”.

    I wonder if Iran tried that “We neither confirm or deny” that we are producing Nuclear weapons Bullsh?t, would they be allowed to get away with it? The hypocrisy in the Middle East is breath taking.
    Israel is under no pressure to behave like a member of the Human Society, but Iran, and everyone else must comply.

    Memo to the Iranian government. Next time Israel accuses you of developing Nuclear Weapons, simply say, “We neither confirm nor deny that we have Nuclear Weapons”……If it’s ok for Israel, it should be ok for everyone else!

    Liked by 2 people

    Comment by brianharryaustralia | February 19, 2021 | Reply

  2. Grrrrrr.

    I’m a bit surprised and disappointed that the Press TV report, as part of the historical context, didn’t mention Mordechai Vanunu who (in the 1980s?) “outed” the Zionist enterprise’s nuclear-weapons ambitions and realities. He paid a grievous personal price for his service to humanity.

    Liked by 2 people

    Comment by roberthstiver | February 19, 2021 | Reply

    • Yes, Mordechai Vanunu exposed Israel’s Nuclear Program, and paid a heavy price for it(Jail in Israel, and God only knows what torture he would have endured). But, if The USA really was “The World’s Policeman”, they would have pulled Israel into line, but, fat chance of that happening. Israel plays the USA Government, like a Fiddle.

      Liked by 2 people

      Comment by brianharryaustralia | February 20, 2021 | Reply


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