Nuclear Research Center Negev

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The Negev Nuclear Research Center, image from October 2010

The Negev Nuclear Research Center ( Hebrew קריה למחקר גרעיני - נגב) is a nuclear facility in Israel near the city of Dimona in the Negev desert (see also Israeli nuclear weapons ).

history

The site is located around 12 kilometers southeast of Dimona. It was built with French help from 1958 . The Israeli and French governments justified the construction of the nuclear reactor with the intention of supplying a desalination plant with energy to green the Negev desert, as well as supplying a textile factory and other projects. But most experts concluded that the real purpose was the production of nuclear weapons . The Israeli government has so far neither confirmed nor denied this.

The reactor in Dimona was commissioned between about 1962 and 1964. With the plutonium produced here and probably with enriched uranium from an unknown source ( Operation Plumbat ), the Israeli armed forces probably had their first nuclear weapons ready before the Six Day War . The Israeli government has always emphasized the peaceful purpose of the facility. Nevertheless, the USA flew over the site several times with U-2 scouts and collected air samples in order to examine them for radioactive traces.

Satellite image of the facility from 1968

When the American secret service realized the real purpose of the facility in the early 1960s, they demanded that Israel permit international inspections. Israel agreed that this would not use IAEA inspectors , but only US inspectors; In addition, all inspections should be registered in advance. It is reported that false walls and other things were installed prior to inspections to hide sensitive areas. The inspectors informed the US government that the restrictions imposed by Israel on the facility made their inspections pointless. In 1969 the inspections were stopped.

In 1986 a former Dimona technician , Mordechai Vanunu , opened Evidence of Israel's Nuclear Program to the press. He was then kidnapped by Israeli agents , drugged and deported from Italy to Israel. A court sentenced him to 18 years in prison for treason and espionage . While Vanunu was in prison , The Times reported that Israel had materials for 20 hydrogen bombs and 200 uranium bombs. In spring 2004, Mordechai Vanunu was released from prison under strict conditions.

The Israeli Atomic Energy Agency has been officially informing about this facility since 2012 at the latest.

On August 29, 2018, the facility was renamed the Shimon Peres Nuclear Research Center in the Negev in honor of the former president .

Others

2002 because of possible Iraqi attacks a battery Patriot - aircraft missiles designed to protect the reactor.

After doubts about the safety of the 40-year-old reactor, the authorities distributed iodine tablets as a precaution to the population in the area in 2004 . In 2006 a citizens' initiative was formed by residents out of concern for their health and safety.

literature

Web links

Commons : Negev Nuclear Research Center  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Israel's Nuclear Weapons Program and Lessons for Iran . Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  2. ^ Israel Atomic Energy Commission Nuclear Research Center NEGEV -NRCN , archive information 2012 ( Memento from March 5, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ Netanyahu: Israel must be strong In: Israelnetz.de , August 30, 2018, accessed on September 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ ABC News Online: Israel distributes radiation pills to residents near nuclear reactor ( Memento of May 13, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), August 8, 2004.

Coordinates: 31 ° 0 ′ 13 ″  N , 35 ° 8 ′ 48 ″  E