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Our Dinner with Mordechai Vanunu
Delegation meets with a man of great courage and moral rectitude.
WaPSR Delegation Diary 3: Our Dinner with Mordechai Vanunu
Dr. Bill Dienst writing from occupied Palestine, Live from Palestine, 26 November 2005
Mordechai Vanunu. (Bob Haynes)
East Jerusalem, March 7, 2005 — Tonight, the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility met with Mr. Mordechai Vanunu at St. George's Hostel in East Jerusalem. Mr. Vanunu is famous around the world for exposing Israel's secret nuclear weapon's program at the Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev Desert in Southern Israel.
Mr. Vanunu explained his life's story to our group. He was born to a Jewish family in Morocco. When he was 10, his family immigrated to Israel. After high school, he completed his compulsory military service in the Israeli army. He then finished a year studying physics at Tel Aviv University. When he was 22 years old, he was hired on at Israel's Dimona Nuclear facility, in a top secret lab 23 meters underground. His job was to help in producing plutonium.
He described himself as being 'apolitical' at this stage of his life, and simply in need of a job. He worked at Dimona for 9 years, starting in 1979. In the 1980's, he also witnessed the production of materials to produce a hydrogen bomb. He left Dimona in 1985, and returned to university, studying geography and philosophy.
By this time, he had become a political activist, and was active in "Peace Now" against Israel's elective war and occupation in Lebanon. He also had developed very serious concerns regarding Israel's ambitious nuclear weapons program.
While at Dimona, he was personally involved in producing 40kg per year of weapons grade plutonium, enough to make 10 nuclear bombs. By 1985, he had decided that this secret must be revealed to the world. Israeli intelligence agents had already questioned him about his political activities at university.
The Dimona Reactor, as seen from space. (Photo: Space Imaging/NTA Space Turk)
Two months before resigning, he discreetly took 60 photos of the secret nuclear weapons lab at Dimona. He didn't speak to anyone and did not even develop the film until after he had left the country. By this time, he had concluded that Israel was not a real democracy; especially in it's persecution of native Palestinians.
He decided that exposing Israel's nuclear secrets would be his opportunity to contribute to world peace, and add pressure toward demolishing these weapons. In Sidney, Australia, he explained all this to a reporter from The Sunday Times of London. He was invited to London to elaborate his information for the newspaper. Initially, The Sunday Times delayed publishing Vanunu's information until it investigated suspicions that he might be an Israeli Mossad agent with an alternative agenda.
Meanwhile, Vanunu traveled to Rome with an American woman named "Cindy" who turned out to be a real Mossad agent. He was kidnapped, and brought back to Israel to face prosecution for treason. The Sunday Times subsequently published his reports, with photos, and nuclear arms experts have estimated, based on this information that Israel had already produced 500kg of plutonium by 1985, enough for over 200 nuclear weapons, as well as enough material to produce 200 hydrogen bombs.
On his way to a Jerusalem Court, after being abducted in Rome, Vanunu used his hand to send a message to journalists: "Vanunu M was hijacked in Rome. ITL. 30.9.86, 21:00. Came to Rome by fly BA504." (Photo: AP)
Vanunu was convicted to 18 years in prison and spent 11 of these years in total isolation. He describes psychological torture intended to break his will and says Israeli authorities tried to brand him as a criminal. He decided to stand firm, resorting to exercise and meditation, as well as spirituality. By this time, he had converted to Anglican Christianity, and read in a loud voice the New Testament for one hour per day. He would also sing loudly to express his anger. He did have access to foreign news. After 11 years of solitary confinement, he completed the additional 6 years in Ashkelon Prison as a security risk. He was finally released last year, with instructions not to talk with foreigners, and unable to leave the country for an additional year.
Vanunu having dinner with the delegation. (Bill Dienst)
Mordechai Vanunu was briefly re-arrested on November 11, 2004, during world attention caused by the death of Yasser Arafat. Vanunu had been practicing Civil Disobedience by continuing to talk with foreign reporters, such as Democracy Now's Amy Goodman in August, 2004. He was detained for only 12 hours by Israeli Authorities, who quickly yielded to intense world pressures. He continues to speak out in spite of his gag order.
Mr. Vanunu describes himself as an optimist, and denies the inevitability of Armageddon that some people feel. "After all," he said, "this could have happened during the Cold War between the US and the Russians but rationality prevailed."
He supports current efforts to limit nuclear proliferation to countries such as Iran and North Korea, but also insists on ending the current silence and hypocrisy on Israel's nuclear capabilities. He favors a nuclear-free Middle East, as well as comprehensive disarmament of nuclear weapons worldwide.
Bill Dienst and Mordechai Vanunu.
Next: Washington PSR visits the Kiryat Arba'a settlement in Hebron and downtown Hebron and the Tomb of Abraham under an Israeli military curfew.
Dr. Bill Dienst is a rural family and emergency room physician from Omak, Washington, USA. In March 2005, he traveled to Palestine and Israel as part of a delegation sponsored by Washington State Physicians for Social Responsibility (WaPSR). The delegation met with prominent Palestinians as well as members of the Israeli peace movement. They also traveled inside the Kiryat Arba'a settlement to hear a prominent member of the settler movement. In this series of articles, Dr. Dienst describes these meetings. Dr. Dienst has been to Israel-Palestine twice before. In November 2003, he spent 10 days in Gaza sponsored by Gaza Community Health Programme, and in 1985, he spent 4 1/2 months in Egypt the West Bank and Gaza sponsored by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
Dr. Bill Dienst writing from occupied Palestine, Live from Palestine, 26 November 2005
Mordechai Vanunu. (Bob Haynes)
East Jerusalem, March 7, 2005 — Tonight, the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility met with Mr. Mordechai Vanunu at St. George's Hostel in East Jerusalem. Mr. Vanunu is famous around the world for exposing Israel's secret nuclear weapon's program at the Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev Desert in Southern Israel.
Mr. Vanunu explained his life's story to our group. He was born to a Jewish family in Morocco. When he was 10, his family immigrated to Israel. After high school, he completed his compulsory military service in the Israeli army. He then finished a year studying physics at Tel Aviv University. When he was 22 years old, he was hired on at Israel's Dimona Nuclear facility, in a top secret lab 23 meters underground. His job was to help in producing plutonium.
He described himself as being 'apolitical' at this stage of his life, and simply in need of a job. He worked at Dimona for 9 years, starting in 1979. In the 1980's, he also witnessed the production of materials to produce a hydrogen bomb. He left Dimona in 1985, and returned to university, studying geography and philosophy.
By this time, he had become a political activist, and was active in "Peace Now" against Israel's elective war and occupation in Lebanon. He also had developed very serious concerns regarding Israel's ambitious nuclear weapons program.
While at Dimona, he was personally involved in producing 40kg per year of weapons grade plutonium, enough to make 10 nuclear bombs. By 1985, he had decided that this secret must be revealed to the world. Israeli intelligence agents had already questioned him about his political activities at university.
The Dimona Reactor, as seen from space. (Photo: Space Imaging/NTA Space Turk)
Two months before resigning, he discreetly took 60 photos of the secret nuclear weapons lab at Dimona. He didn't speak to anyone and did not even develop the film until after he had left the country. By this time, he had concluded that Israel was not a real democracy; especially in it's persecution of native Palestinians.
He decided that exposing Israel's nuclear secrets would be his opportunity to contribute to world peace, and add pressure toward demolishing these weapons. In Sidney, Australia, he explained all this to a reporter from The Sunday Times of London. He was invited to London to elaborate his information for the newspaper. Initially, The Sunday Times delayed publishing Vanunu's information until it investigated suspicions that he might be an Israeli Mossad agent with an alternative agenda.
Meanwhile, Vanunu traveled to Rome with an American woman named "Cindy" who turned out to be a real Mossad agent. He was kidnapped, and brought back to Israel to face prosecution for treason. The Sunday Times subsequently published his reports, with photos, and nuclear arms experts have estimated, based on this information that Israel had already produced 500kg of plutonium by 1985, enough for over 200 nuclear weapons, as well as enough material to produce 200 hydrogen bombs.
On his way to a Jerusalem Court, after being abducted in Rome, Vanunu used his hand to send a message to journalists: "Vanunu M was hijacked in Rome. ITL. 30.9.86, 21:00. Came to Rome by fly BA504." (Photo: AP)
Vanunu was convicted to 18 years in prison and spent 11 of these years in total isolation. He describes psychological torture intended to break his will and says Israeli authorities tried to brand him as a criminal. He decided to stand firm, resorting to exercise and meditation, as well as spirituality. By this time, he had converted to Anglican Christianity, and read in a loud voice the New Testament for one hour per day. He would also sing loudly to express his anger. He did have access to foreign news. After 11 years of solitary confinement, he completed the additional 6 years in Ashkelon Prison as a security risk. He was finally released last year, with instructions not to talk with foreigners, and unable to leave the country for an additional year.
Vanunu having dinner with the delegation. (Bill Dienst)
Mordechai Vanunu was briefly re-arrested on November 11, 2004, during world attention caused by the death of Yasser Arafat. Vanunu had been practicing Civil Disobedience by continuing to talk with foreign reporters, such as Democracy Now's Amy Goodman in August, 2004. He was detained for only 12 hours by Israeli Authorities, who quickly yielded to intense world pressures. He continues to speak out in spite of his gag order.
Mr. Vanunu describes himself as an optimist, and denies the inevitability of Armageddon that some people feel. "After all," he said, "this could have happened during the Cold War between the US and the Russians but rationality prevailed."
He supports current efforts to limit nuclear proliferation to countries such as Iran and North Korea, but also insists on ending the current silence and hypocrisy on Israel's nuclear capabilities. He favors a nuclear-free Middle East, as well as comprehensive disarmament of nuclear weapons worldwide.
Bill Dienst and Mordechai Vanunu.
Next: Washington PSR visits the Kiryat Arba'a settlement in Hebron and downtown Hebron and the Tomb of Abraham under an Israeli military curfew.
Dr. Bill Dienst is a rural family and emergency room physician from Omak, Washington, USA. In March 2005, he traveled to Palestine and Israel as part of a delegation sponsored by Washington State Physicians for Social Responsibility (WaPSR). The delegation met with prominent Palestinians as well as members of the Israeli peace movement. They also traveled inside the Kiryat Arba'a settlement to hear a prominent member of the settler movement. In this series of articles, Dr. Dienst describes these meetings. Dr. Dienst has been to Israel-Palestine twice before. In November 2003, he spent 10 days in Gaza sponsored by Gaza Community Health Programme, and in 1985, he spent 4 1/2 months in Egypt the West Bank and Gaza sponsored by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
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Edited by Zachary Wales, The Electronic Intifada, 26 November 2005
Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu, often dubbed the "Israeli nuclear whistle-blower," was arrested on Friday 18th November for traveling to the East Jerusalem suburb al-Ram. Vanunu, 51, was released on the following day and returned to his de facto house arrest at St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem, where he has sought refuge since being released from his 18-year detention and torture under Israeli authorities.
The former nuclear technician made international headlines in 1986 when he revealed to the world that Israel had undertaken a covert nuclear weapons program at the Dimona nuclear facility. His revelations led independent experts to confirm that Israel has 100 to 200 nuclear bombs. Since his release, Israel has kept Vanunu under close watch, fearing that he might rally further criticism of the regime's illicit conduct. This tactic has produced the opposite effect as Vanunu remains resilient in his efforts to publicize the systematic repression of Palestinians and their censorship of critical thought. In addition to his anti-nuclear campaigning, Vanunu has repeatedly called for the dismantlement of Israel's racist policies, and the fundamental right of return for Palestinian refugees.
"Last Friday, the Israeli authorities abused their power yet again to arrest me. Although I remained in prison for only two days, I was visited by the cruel memories of my 18 years in isolation.
The reason for my arrest this time was that I came very close to the checkpoint near the wall in al-Ram, a small Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem where they have not yet decided where the Apartheid Wall is going to continue.
I took a bus from the station in East Jerusalem and traveled to al-Ram without incident, but as the bus returned to Jerusalem, they inspected it at the checkpoint.
At the checkpoint, they took my ID card and the soldiers received orders to arrest me. They confiscated my camera and mobile phone, and took me to the nearest police station, where I waited for the special police unit to come from Tel Aviv and take me in for questioning.
Meanwhile, the police themselves invited the Israeli television media to come and take as many photos as they wanted and to report my arrest as one against a man who was going to the occupied territories where the "enemies" were "fighting" against them. They did this because they want the Israeli public to regard me as equal to terrorists.
I told the Israeli media: "They arrested me because I went to see the al-Ram checkpoint, the Apartheid Wall and the Palestinian ghettos."
In Tel Aviv they questioned me about why I wanted to enter the occupied territories. They wanted to know what I was doing there and why I was not following the Army's general orders. I told them that al-Ram is still part of Palestine East Jerusalem, and that I was not interested in visiting the occupied territories, but that I wanted to see the Apartheid Wall and how it affects this village -- it is not yet clear where the borders of Jerusalem are. They wanted to know with whom I was traveling, their names, why I was with foreigners, and they wanted to see the photos I took.
The police decided to release me under court orders. However, there is no court on the Jewish Sabbath day, so they had to wait until Saturday night. They imprisoned me in Tel Aviv, in a cell without any thing but a mattress and a blanket.
On Saturday morning, my lawyers, Feldman and Sfard, came to hear what happened and to represent me in court. In the evening, the police took me back to the court and the judge heard my case at 20:30. Feldman did not agree with the terms of my release. They wanted two weeks of house arrest, and 50,000 shekels. Feldman convinced the judge and the police that this arrest was a big mistake because I did not violate the terms of my release, since it is not yet clear where Israel wants to put its Apartheid Wall. Before the judge made her decision the police capitulated and agreed for immediate release without conditions other than my signature.
This was a small victory for Feldman in defending me, and my friend Gideon took me back to St. George Cathedral in Jerusalem, where we shared a glass of beer.
But the police and the Israeli spies couldn't go without something. They demanded that I give them my camera and mobile phone so that they could examine them. I am now deprived of a telephone connection until these items are returned.
So that was another incident of harassment in this new series of cruelty since my release. They will not give up and let me go — to leave Israel. If they could put me back in prison they would.
My conclusion: The world continues to ignore my situation and is not doing anything to help me gain freedom in the same way it did during the 18 years of my imprisonment. Nobody will intervene to demand my release. The world stands by and allows Israel to do as it pleases. The world will let them commit more crimes such as kidnapping, injustice and cruelty."