Abstract
Dimona nuclear reactor is purely a military facility situated in Negev desert near Dimona city of Israel and has covert nuclear program. In 1950s Israeli government received strategic and financial assistance from the U.S and France for the construction of this nuclear reactor. It is believed that this nuclear facilty has around 300 nuclear warheads. It is impossible to disconect Mordechai Vanunu and Malick case from Dimona nuclear reactor where both persons became victims of human rights violations and seeking justice. Therefore, the paper examines the factors behind the construction of Dimona nuclear reactor and how Israeli authorities victimized nuclear scientists as a security measure, who were working in this nuclear reactor. In this way, the cases of Vanunu and Malick are deliberate pictures of Israeli violations of human rights.
Once again in 2009 the violation of human rights by Israel in Middle East challenged the rules of international institutions when Mr. Julius Malick exposed the terrible face of Israeli authorities who respect the human rights more than any other country. Malick a nuclear scientist faced critical circumstances while serving in Dimona nuclear reactor of Israel. He was forced by an official order from his seniors to participate with five other colleagues in a toxic experiment in which they had juice laced with uranium without getting assurance of dire health risks. Dimona nuclear reactor always remained critical because at initial stage it was declared an industrial facility. Then it became an international issue when Mordechai Vanunu unmasked the production of weapons in this military installation in 1986. Therefore, before discussing the details of Vanunu and Malick cases, it is necessary to understand the role Dimona nuclear reactor and how it established.
1. Dimona Nuclear Reactor
The Dimona nuclear reactor produced weapons grade nuclear material. This reactor is a basic source of uranium and plutonium for the Israeli nuclear weapons. Dimona is considered to be the most clandestine of nuclear issues. It is Israel’s the most advanced and top secret military project which was established in 1963.1
The Ministry of Defence, the Armament Development Authority and the Armament Research and Production Administration are responsible for the nuclear weapons research and development. The official name of the reactor Kirya-le-Mehekar Gariny or KMG – the Negev Nuclear Research Centre but the word Dimona is considered to Israeli nuclear bomb factory. This reactor was established for natural uranium, heavy water and nuclear reactor in Negev Desert 8.5km away from the town of same name.2
There are 2700 scientist, technicians and administrative staff who reach there by buses and due to high secrecy everybody is unaware about duties of other. Even employees at Dimona are oblivious about the duties of their long term colleagues. Dimona is in high security zone area, when workers leave their vehicles and disperse to various Machons, which are self contained production units.3
2. How Dimona Established:
In 948 the Israeli scientist with the encouragement of Chaim Weizmann started their work on uranium in Negev Desert and perfected the techniques for the production of heavy water. Prime Minister Ben-Gurion was the person who took initiative to construct this nuclear reactor in 1957 after the end of Six Day war and got the approval from Israeli cabinet.4
To find the natural uranium was the primary step for the establishment of nuclear reactor but in Negev Desert the uranium was mixed with phosphate deposits found in 1948. The Ministry of Defence sent a team of geologists 25 miles away from Jordanian border in Negev to determine the extent of these deposits and to assess how much uranium could be extracted from them. All the efforts started on Dimona remained secret but this information was made public in December 1960 when US demanded the clarifications of suspecting that Israel has started work on a reactor for the production of nuclear weapons.5
In this way France and Israel admitted that they were are engaged in a cooperative nuclear program but Ben-Gurion denied the construction of nuclear weapons. In 1953 France not only permitted Israeli scientists to study their nuclear program but also invited them in Sahara Desert as spectator in their nuclear testing.6
France and Israeli cooperation remained from 1957 to 1964 for the development of Dimona which went on line in 1964.7 The Israeli claimed that Dimona was textile factory and the picture became clearer in 1958, when it was photographed first time by U2 an American spy plane. President John F. Kennedy asked Israeli government to provide explanation and demanded inspections by American scientists to ensure that Dimona’s factual purpose is peaceful nuclear research.8
President de Gaulle gave the assurance that Dimona was for peaceful nuclear research and France had stopped the supply of technology that could have transferd Dimona into a plant from which one day atomic weapons could emerge. In 1969 after the inspections, American scientists complained of non-cooperative attitude of Israeli authorities but there was no evidence that Dimona housed the plutonium separation plant to turn an ordinary research project into a significant atomic bomb factory.
The Americans inspectors visited Dimona several times but they were unable to get any clear picture about the activities going there. So these Photographs of U2 changed the Dimona a ‘Textile Plant’ to nuclear reactor for peaceful purpose.9
3. Structure of Dimona
Dimona consists of nine buildings. Every building is called Machon, including the building of reactor. Every building has certain task to produce the materials such as Plutonium, Lithium and Beryllium, which are essential for nuclear weapons.10
Machon 1 is silver domed building 60 feet, which is the nuclear reactor itself. Uranium rods are used for reprocessing and heavy water is used in this reactor produces 60kilograms of plutonium.11 The process of Machon 2, which is six floor underground building, Machon 2 produces 1.2 kilograms of pure plutonium weekly, which is enough for the manufacturing of 4-12 nuclear weapons per year according to Vanunu.12 It is highly secret part of reactor only 150 of 2700 workers has access to it. This facility for the production of thermonuclear weapons separates lithium-6 from natural lithium.
Machon 3 provides natural uranium for the reactor and for the thermo-nuclear weapons it converts lithium 6 into a solid. The wastage of the reactor is controlled by Machon 4, which a high level waste storage. It deals particularly with the wastage of radioactive products. The low level waste is taken out in cans and is burid nearby.13
Machon 5 receives the uranium rods coated in aluminium from Machon 3 and Machon 6 consists of emergency electricity generators and also controls the supply of electricity, steam and special chemicals for all others Machons.14 Machon 7 is unknown but Machon 8 is a secret laboratory (unit 840) for making enriched uranium on production scale. This facility initiated its work in 1979-80. This laboratory tests the purity of samples received by Machon 2 and continues experiments for further process.15 Machon 9 is a laser isotope facility, where uranium is enriched and the last building of reactor Machon10 provide uranium for domestic consumption and for transfer outside the country. It converts uranium in tip of shell for Israeli use and export to Switzerland.16
In 1986 the truth behind Dimona nuclear reactor was revealed, when Moredchai Vanunu disclosed his experience in an interview to publicize that Dimona is purely a military facility, which has acquired capability to construct handsome amount of nuclear weapons.
4. Vanunu Disclosure
Firstly Mordechai Vanunu diverted the international attentions toward Israeli nuclear program then the entire story was discussed automatically. In 1968, an Israeli technician who worked nine years in a secret underground Israeli bomb factory revealed the story and prevented the ambiguity about Israeli nuclear warheads. Vanunu provided proves to US and British nuclear scientists who had opinion that Israel has 100 to 200 nuclear weapons. On the basis of Vanunu’s statements US nuclear Scientist Dr. Theodore Taylor a nuclear Physicist, said “There should no longer be any doubt that Israel is a fully-fledged nuclear weapons state.”17
This scientist got settled at Israel in 1963 with his family from Morocco where he born was in 1952.18 He served three year compulsory military service of Israel. In 1976 he was employed in Negev Nuclear Research Centre in Dimona where he started his duties in Machon 2 the plutonium separation unit.19 Vanunu in 1979 started his studies in Ben Gurion University in Beersheva where he involved in political issue and started to criticised Israeli policies particularly in the wake of Lebanon War 1982.20
So the Israeli officials found him a dangerous for Dimona and nuclear issues. Several times security officials questioned him about his political activities and forced him to sign statements with false confession.21 Due to strict environment and illegitimate severity of Israeli authorities in 1985 Vanunu decided to leave his work at Dimona. He left Israel and decided to share his information about Israeli nuclear capabilities when he was in Australia. So Mordechai Vanunu contacted to Sunday Times of London in order to draw attention to the danger he saw in his country.22
This 33 year Moroccan born Israeli nuclear technician presented lot of data about nuclear capability of Israel even photographs about nuclear program. In 6 October 1986 Sunday Times of London published these evidences consist of reports and photographs provided by this nuclear technician and estimated that Israeli has achieved 200 nuclear weapons.23 Then US intelligence community estimated that Israeli nuclear weapons consisted of between 75 to 130 arsenals in the end of 1990s.24 It was Peter Hounam a journalist of Sunday Times who received Vanunu when he left Israel on 19 January 1986 with approximately 60 photographs and the handwritten notes which he prepared in at Dimona.25 In May1986 he arrived in Sydney, Australia and went to London with Hounam where he released the story of Israeli nuclear program. Vanunu confirmed that Israel has nuclear weapons even experts also clear this doubt.
After the interview Vanunu went to Rome because the Israeli Intelligence agencies started efforts to capture him. He was lured and abducted by Israeli agents of Mossad26. It was Cheryl Hanin a female agent of Mossad who lured Vanunu to Rome and then handed over to Moassad who smuggled him back to Israel where he escaped.27 Cheryl Hanin 26 years old an American tourist lady called Cindy trapped this Israeli escaped nuclear scientist and send back him to trail in 1986.28
The Israeli government took forty days to admit that Vanunu is being held in an Israeli prison. He was charged with espionage, treason, and the passing of the secrets to enemies which carry the maximum penalty of death.29 In Ashkelon prison 40 miles away from Tel Aviv.30 When Vanunu became critical about Israeli policies he smuggled a camera and films into Israel’s most secret military establishment and photographed highly secret areas then he left Israel with all photographs and notes he prepared in Dimona where he was working.31 Vanunu proclaimed that his intentions were to bring peace in the Middle East and he stated that his act was neither an act of espionage nor a bid for financial gain but an act for peace and justice which has blamed of civil obedience.32 In 1986 Vanunu made public all prove that the weapon grade plutonium was being produced at a rate of about 40 kilograms annually and the power level of Dimona reactor is 150 megawatts which is the twice of the level it had in 1970.33 Vanunu said the quantity of plutonium required for a nuclear weapon is four kilograms approximately and Israel had acquired enough plutonium for at least 100 nuclear weapons but it had reached the figure of 200.34
In an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now radio and TV program which was broadcasted on 18th and 19th of August 2004. Mordechai Vanunu stated in the reply of questions raised by the host that he is not allowed to leave the country and to communicate with foreigners but the report published by Sunday Times is totally true.35
5. Confirmation of Vanunu’s Statements
Former US nuclear designer Theodore Taylor and former British designer Frank Barnaby a British nuclear physicist who agreed that Vanunu provided actual story with strong evidences even Frank Barnaby spend two days with this Israeli nuclear scientist and verified that Vanunu worked in Dimona and he is straightforward about what he did.36 Theodore Taylor also confirmed his story and stated that Vanunu’s all evidences are convincing so there can no longer be any doubt about Israel’s nuclear capability.37
Dr Taylor was one of the most experienced nuclear weapons expert after examining the proves of Dimon stated that “Israeli nuclear weapon program is considerably more advanced than indicated by any previous reports or conjectures of which I am aware”.38 Vanunu stated that Israel’s capacity to produce 10 nuclear weapons a year that are significantly smaller, lighter and more competent than the weapons developed by Russia, China, America, Britain and Russia.39
Frank Barnaby a nuclear physicist worked in British nuclear weapons research establishment in Berkshire said that “it was clear to me that that the details which gave Vanunu is scientifically accurate and clearly showed that he had not only worked on these processes but also knew the details of the techniques”.40 But according to Vanunu despite of strict security system in nuclear lab he smuggled a camera into Machon 2 where he was working and took photographs. So the conclusions of both scientists Taylor and Barnaby have verified by other top nuclear experts who also examined prove.41
6. Human Rights Violation in Malick Case
In 2009, the story was disclosed by Daily Haartez when after getting retirement Malick submitted a lawsuit in Be’er Sheva Labor Tribunal after working 15 years in Dimona and explained everything to his lawyer Alexander Spinrad. In 1998, he was forced to intake uranium as a part of an experiment with his five fellows but this experiment was allegedly carried out without obtaining written consent from the workers or warning him of risks or side effects as required by Declaration of Helsinki on human experimentation.42 Scientifically, it is impossible to intake uranium and no one can believe on this report but it happened in the state of Israle (the big trumpeter of human rights).
Accoridng to reports, this nuclear plant produce enough material to build more than 200 nuclear bombs where the workers in an experiment drank grapejuice containing uranium without conducting medical supervision and without any health risk explanation. At the end, they were unaware about the results of experiment and the primary objective behind this experiment was to determine how uranium is excreted from the body through urine but after long time Malick came to know that it was a private project and his superiors never recorded his participation in the experiment in his medical records.43
Malick further added that at the time of leaving his job Mr.Yitzhak Gurevich, the former director of the facility and the the director of human resources Gary Amal threatened him that he would be fired if he did not retire. While talking about the status of uranium in Dimona, he said once in 1998 his hand was burned as a contact with small part of uranium and then he got poor treatment form authorities in response. Malick was declared by Dimona authorities persona non grata and received the title of troublemaker when he asked to his superiors to provide the safety and medical facilities to the workers. Finally,this situation brought him to resign under the threat of dismissal when he tried to highlight the safety flaws created by authorities. Malick, the chemist on Dimona rejected to provide further details about the plant where he was working and contiued his struggle to receive appropriate compensation. He claimed that the head of security departmnet in Defence Ministry was responsible because the government is responsible for secracy and security of nuclear reactor.44
Dr. Shaul Horev, the director general of Israeli Atomic Energy Comission and incharge of the reactor designed a committee of inquiry of the matter. Furthermore, the investigation reports justified it in a statement that “the nuclaer facility of Dimona has the safety and health of its workers as its highest priority and the amount of uranium the crew of Dimona drank in experiment is 100 micrograms and convinced that it entailed no immediate or potential risk to the health of the workers who participated in the research”. It was also found that no pressure was exerted on the workers with the aim of influencing them to participate in the research.” But under the Declaration of Helsinki on Human Experimentation “employers are obliged to obtain written consent from the workers and warn them of risks or side effects of the research”.45 The authorities of investigation commitee also said that the research itslef had considerable value and the aim of this experiment was to provide the knowledge concerning the curve for the excretion of uranium from the human body.
Therefore, it is sure that the government and military were involvd behind this uranium test because the results of this experiments were published in an article that appeared in scientific journal Health Physics. The writers Dr. Zeev Karpas and Avi Lorber, the directors of the Dimona facility’s analytical chemistry lab explained that the workers took part in the experiment without any pressure by them.
It is not only violation of international law but also a gross violation of the Helsinki Committee rules which stipulate when and how it is possible to carry out experiments on human subjects and the scientists at Dimona need to be told when and how it is ok to make workers drink uranium. Israeli authorities again maintained silence on the deliberate violations of human rights in Middle East and have not any proper justification against this breach of Declaration of Helsinki on Human Experimentation. But Mr. Malick, the victim of Dimona uranium tests is so much disappointed by the findings of investigation committee and the justifications of his government. He is still with hope that the Atomic Energy Commission and the management of the nuclear reactor would take responsibility for this malpractice.
Conclusion
The whole situation has shown that Dimona is purely a military facility situated in Negev desert near Dimona city of Israel with its covert nuclear program. In 1950s Israeli government strategic and financial assistance from US and France for the construction of this nuclear reactor. It is believed that this nuclear facilty has around 300 nuclear warheads. No doubt, the face of Dimona unmasked by Mordechai Vanunu, who is still paying the price of his act. Israeli authorites not only denied the evidences of Vanunu, but Israeli authorities are not agreed to investigate the Malick case. There are several estimates about the size of Israeli nuclear arsenals, but these weapons are among the world’s most sophisticate weapons. Before, Vanunu statements, there was estimation that Israel has 70-80 nuclear weapons.46 Mordechai Vanunu first time publicized the nuclear details of Israel.
On the other hand, it is an open question why the experiment on Malick was performed without authorization from the management of the reactor or the IAEC (Israel Atomic Energy Commission) and without the permission of health ministry of Israel. The victims of this uranium test are still looking for compensation. Professor Tzvi Bentwich, a doctor and human rights campaigner stated “Israel still lacks the laws to protect its people against clinical trials like this”.47 He believes the claims are plausible. But the Israeli government response is not only clear but also confusing which is demanding more investigation and denying the reality of the claim of the victims. So, the confusion created by Israeli officials has portrayed different scenarios whether the government authorities are really unaware of such experiment for the sake of nuclear development or are deliberately mum to defend this brutal face of human rights in its covert nuclear plant. But the allegations of medical tests on people and the ever growing official wall of silence on Dimona nuclear reactor unveiled the violations of international law in Israel. Guess! Who is the victim of these violations? Neither Palestinians nor Egyptians but the Israelis.
End Notes
1. Mordechai Vanunu, Dimona and Vanunu, “Journal of Palestine Studies”, Vol. 16, No. 2. (Winter, 1987), p. 173.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Roger F. Pajak, “Nuclear Status and Policies of the Middle East Countries”, op. cit., p. 590.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Mordechai Vanunu, Dimona and Vanunu, op. cit., p.175.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Dimona Reactor…A Mysterious Threatening Middle East, “Palestine National Authority”, available at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0309/S00228.htm, Retrieved on 02,06,08.
11. Dimona: Negev Nuclear Research Reactor, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), “Global Security .org”, Available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/israel/dimona.htm, Retrieved on 07,06,2008.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Martha Wenger, “Recipe for and Israeli Nuclear Arsenal”, MERIP Middle East Report, No. 143, Nuclear Shadow over the Middle East. (November. – December., 1986), p. 9.
18. Yerach Gover and Ella Shohat, “In Defence of Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Threat in the Middle East”, Social Text, No. 18, Postmodernism. (Winter, 1987-1988), p. 95.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid.
21. Ibid., p. 96.
22. Ibid.
23. “Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Program”, Strategic Analysis, Issue No. 3, (Jan – Feb 2004), p. 18
24. Ibid.
25. Frank Barnaby, The Invisible Bomb: The Nuclear Arms Race in the Middle East, London:(I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1989), p. 6.
26. Mossad is an Israeli intelligence organization known as “Ha-Mossad l’Aliyah Bet” established by the Zionist movement in 1951.
27. Donald Macintyre, “The Mossad Seductress Who Trapped Vanunu: How ‘Cindy’ The Sex-Spy Found a New Life at an Exclusive Orlando Golf Suburb”, www.rense.com, available at, http://www.nogw.com/download/_07_cheryl_hanin_fl.pdf, Retrieved on 02/ 06/ 2008.
28. Ibid.
29. Yerach Gover and Ella Shohat, “In Defence of Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Threat in the Middle East”, op. cit., p. 96.
30. Ibid.
31. Frank Barnaby, “The Invisible Bomb: The Nuclear Arms Race in the Middle East”, op. cit., p. xi.
32. Yerach Gover and Ella Shohat, “In Defence of Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Threat in the Middle East”, op. cit., p. 96.
33. “Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Program”, op. cit., p. 19.
34. Ibid.
35. Amy Goodman, Israeli Nuclear Whistleblower Risks Arrest, Again; An Interview with Mordechai Vanunu, “Counter Punch”, Available at, http://www.counterpunch.org/goodman08182004.html, Retrieved on 26/ 05/ 2008.
36. Ibid.
37. Ibid., p.7.
38. Mordechai Vanunu, “Dimona and Vanunu”, Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 16, No. 2. (Winter, 1987), p. 172.
39. Ibid.
40. Ibid.
41. Ibid.
42. Yossi Melman, “Ex-Staffed at Dimona Nuclear Reactor Says Made to Drink Uranium”, Haartez, Available at http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/ex-staffer-at-dimona-nuclear-reactor-says-made-to-drink-uranium-1.282117, Retrieved on 20/11/2010.
43. “Dimona Employees Forced to Drink Uranium”, Available at http://s10.invisionfree.com/The_Unhived_Mind_II/ar/t18552.htm, Retrieved on 12/11/2010.
44. “Dimona Employees Forced to Drink Uranium”, http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php?258863-Dimona-employees-forced-to-drink-uranium&daysprune=-1, Retrieved on 08/11/2010.
45. “Ex-Nuclear Reactor Staffer Says Forced to Drink Uranium”, Available at http://www.almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?t=12871, Retrieved on 01/11/2010.
46. Robert D. Blackwill and Micheal Sturmer, Allies Divided: Transatlantic Policies for the Greater Middle East (Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1997), p. 210.
47. Available at http://www.pakistan.tv/videos-israel-attacks-iran-with-computer-virus-%5BYAqaG3WyJus%5D.cfm, Retrieved on 20/11/2010.
