WASHINGTON — Thirty Democratic lawmakers in the United States have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to disclose detailed information about Israel’s nuclear weapons program, arguing that effective Middle East nonproliferation policy is impossible while Washington stays silent on Israel’s capabilities.
In a letter led by Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, the lawmakers said it was not logical to set policy on Iran’s civilian nuclear program or Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions while keeping a key party to the current conflict opaque about its own nuclear arsenal.
The lawmakers said the United States should apply the same standard of nuclear transparency to Israel that it applies to other countries.
Israel does not officially confirm or deny that it possesses nuclear weapons, and the White House has long maintained an ambiguous position on the issue. The Democratic lawmakers said Congress had a constitutional duty to be fully informed about the nuclear balance in the Middle East, potential escalation risks and administration planning, but said such information had not been provided.
In the letter, they called for the disclosure of Israel’s likely warhead count, delivery systems and uranium enrichment capability, what is produced at the Dimona facility, and what the United States knows about Israel’s military doctrine and “red lines.”
The lawmakers noted that the United States already openly acknowledges the nuclear programs of Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, China and North Korea, and said the same transparency should apply to Israel.
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