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<font size=3><br>
</font><font size=4><b>Vanunu Returns To Prison And The End Of Israel's
Nuclear Ambiguity <br><br>
</font><font size=3>By Eileen Fleming <br>
<a href="http://countercurrents.org/felming110510.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://countercurrents.org/felming110510.htm<br><br>
</a></b>11 May, 2010<br>
<b>Countercurrents.org <br><br>
</b>On May 11, 2010, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled
that<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Vanunu"><b> Mordechai
Vanunu</a></b>, will “serve a three-month jail sentence handed to him by
Jerusalem District Court and not community service. ” [1] <br><br>
The ‘justices' refused Vanunu's offer to do community service in occupied
east Jerusalem, because they do not view that side of town to be a part
of their community. <br><br>
On April 30, 2007, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, convicted Vanunu on
14 [out of 21] counts of violating a court order prohibiting him from
speaking to foreign journalists in 2004. Vanunu was also convicted for
traveling the four miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem when he hoped to
attend Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity, his first
Christmas after being released from 18 years in jail [most of it in
solitary] on April 21, 2004. <br><br>
On July 2, 2007, Israel sentenced Vanunu to six more months in jail for
speaking to foreign media in 2004. <br><br>
On September 23, 2008, the Jerusalem District Court reduced Vanunu's
sentence to three months, "In light of (Vanunu's) ailing health and
the absence of claims that his actions put the country's security in
jeopardy." [2] <br><br>
On December 21, 2009, Uzi Eilam, an Israeli scientist, Tel Aviv
University chemistry professor, former worker at Israel's Dimona reactor,
former member of Israeli parliament, and the former head of Israel's
Atomic Energy Commission told PRESS TV that Vanunu "served the
regime because his revelations helped Tel Aviv intimidate others...I've
always believed he should be let go. I don't think he has significant
knowledge to reveal (about Dimona) now. ” <br><br>
On May 10, 2010, Uzi Even, spoke on Israeli army radio: <br><br>
"The policy of nuclear ambiguity, by which we fool only ourselves
and nobody else, is not good for us any more. It was good, effective and
successful for close to 40 years, but over 40 years many things changed
and now I am telling you clearly, this policy is no longer in our
interest." [3] <br><br>
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded during a foreign affairs
and defense committee parliamentary meeting: <br><br>
"I don't think there is a real danger or threat to Israel's
traditional position, as it has been expressed over the years. The link
between us and the United States is more complex than it may
appear." [Ibid] <br><br>
Strategic Affairs Minister Dan Meridor told reporters: <br><br>
"The understanding we have with the United States and other
countries for many years has been quite effective. It need not change.
" <br><br>
Meridor also dismissed as “unimportant” Egypt's tabling of a motion on
Israel's nuclear weapons status for a June meeting in Vienna of UN
watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency: <br><br>
"From time to time this issue is raised at the IAEA and other
places. It's not the first time it's mentioned and it's not the first
time we'll find a way, with the rest of the world, to deal with it."
<br><br>
But the times are always a' changing and 2010 could prove to be the year
of implementation of the 1995 NPT resolution on the Middle East, which
could be the straw to break wide open Israel's hypocritical and
ineffective policy of nuclear ambiguity. <br><br>
I ncluded in the w orking paper review , submitted to the 2010 NPT Review
Conference , Israel's sacred cows of “Security” as well as the issue of
nuclear weapon free zones and the transferring of nuclear materials were
all addressed. A ll states possessing nuclear weapons are being called to
declare and maintain a moratorium on the production of fissile material
for weapons purpose, and to place under IAEA safeguards fissile material.
<br><br>
The Arab League and Iran proposed, “ that states parties should reaffirm
the total and complete prohibition of transfer of any nuclear- related
equipment, to non-parties to the Treaty, without exception and in
particular to the Israeli regime.” [4] <br><br>
The New Agenda Coalition, composed of Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New
Zealand, South Africa, and Sweden, are an international consensus making
progress on nuclear disarmament. They have been joined by Libya, Egypt,
Algeria and China in recommending the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
Review Conference/REVCON to call on Israel to join the NPT and place its
nuclear facilities under the full scope of IAEA safeguards. <br><br>
</font><h3><b>The Arab League also called on the UN Security Council “to
exert genuine pressure on Israel to implement UN resolutions concerning
the establishment of a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone in the Middle East.”
[Ibid] </b></h3><font size=3>Egypt and Algeria also proposed that the
“RevCon reaffirm that any nuclear supply arrangement to Israel, related
to source or special fissionable material, require it to join the NPT as
a non-nuclear weapon state and place all its nuclear facilities under
IAEA safeguards.” [Ibid] <br><br>
Libya proposed that if states engage in nuclear trade with Israel, the
embargo on exports of such technology to other states in the region
should be lifted and that nuclear weapon states should give assurances
that they will honor Article I of the NPT in relation to Israel.
<br><br>
Article I states: <br><br>
Each nuclear-weapons state (NWS) undertakes not to transfer, to any
recipient, nuclear weapons, or other nuclear explosive devices, and not
to assist any non-nuclear weapon state to manufacture or acquire such
weapons or devices. <br><br>
Egypt, recommend the RevCon convene “an international conference to
launch negotiations, with the participation of all States of the Middle
East, on an internationally and effectively verifiable treaty for the
establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.”
<br><br>
Libya and the Arab League also invited the UN to convene a conference on
the subject and France called for such a conference to be attended by all
concerned states, all the states in the region, the other P5 countries
who are Great Britain, United States, China and Russia as well as the UN
and the IAEA. <br><br>
Japan and the United Nations University underscored the importance of a
coordinated and sustained cooperation with civil society to educate and
promote disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation to lead to a global
forum that brings together civil society and governments. <br><br>
Gandhi understood that is not much use to society until one weds society
to political action, and so do the people of all faiths who united in a
Pre-RevCon Interfaith Convocation organized by leaders from the
Fellowship of Reconciliation, Religions for Peace, the United Religions
Initiative, Pax Christi, and other faith-based peace and justice
organizations. <br><br>
Buddhist, Shinto, Indigenous American, Muslim, and Christian spiritual
leaders chanted, prayed and spoke in one voice how “war is contrary to
the will of God.” See it here: <br><br>
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/by-topic/international/praying-for-an-end-to-nuclear-weapons/6263/">
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/by-topic/international/praying-for-an-end-to-nuclear-weapons/6263/
</a><br><br>
President Obama's National Day of Prayer PROCLAMATION called “for wisdom,
compassion, and discernment of justice as we address the great challenges
of our time. We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of
conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental
principles…[and] let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those people
everywhere who join us in the aspiration for a world that is just,
peaceful, free, and respectful of the dignity of every human being.”[5]
<br><br>
"Prayer is also the struggle for human justice. It is the fight to
remove killing stereotypes, to hurl back ignorance of prejudice, and to
protect the holiness of creation. Prayer is the corporate, political act
that serves to equalize opportunity so that privileged and
underprivileged might have the same chance." [6] <br><br>
Thomas Merton, 20 th century Trappist monk poet, social critic and mystic
warned Christians that, “The duty of the Christian at this time is to do
the one task God has imposed upon us in this world today. The task is to
work for the total abolition of war. There can be no question that unless
war is abolished; the world will remain constantly in a state of madness.
The church [meaning all Christians] must lead the way on the road to the
abolition of war. Peace is to be preached and nonviolence is to be
explained and practiced." <br><br>
In my series of interviews with the whistle-blower of Israel's WMD
program, Mordechai Vanunu told me: <br><br>
"The Israelis have 200 atomic weapons and they accuse the
Palestinians and Muslims of terrorism. The Dimona is 46 years old;
reactors last 25 to 30 years. The Dimona has never been inspected and
Israel has never signed the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty but all the Arab
states have. <br><br>
"Twenty years ago when I worked there they only produced when the
air was blowing towards Jordan ten miles away. No one knows what is
happening now. The world needs to wake up and see the real terrorism is
the occupation and the Palestinians have lived under that terror regime
for 40 years. <br><br>
"The only way to peace is peace; the only way is nonviolence.
The only answer to Israeli nuclear weapons, their aggression, occupation
and oppression, and the wall and refugee camps is to answer them with
truth and a peaceful voice. When I became the spy for the world, I did it
all for the people of the world. If governments do not report the truth,
and if the media does not report the truth, then all we can do is follow
our consciences. Daniel Ellsberg did, the woman from Enron did, and I
did. <br><br>
“The United States needs to wake up and see the truth that Israel is not
a democracy, unless you are a Jew. Israel is the only country in the
Middle East where America can right now find nuclear weapons…Israel is
only a democracy if you are a Jew." [5] <br><br>
American poet, peace activist, Catholic priest and at one time, one of
the FBI's
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI_Ten_Most_Wanted_Fugitives">Ten
Most Wanted Fugitives </a>, Daniel Berrigan understood that,“It may or
may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution.
But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to
change anything for the better." <br><br>
The times are always a' changing but the window of opportunity is only
open for so long and as 20th century Christian Anarchist, Dorothy Day
cautioned: “No one has a right to sit down and feel helpless, there's too
much to do.” <br><br>
<b>Do Something: <br><br>
<br>
</b>Send Vanunu a message of support through his website @
<a href="http://vanunu.com/">http://vanunu.com/ </a><br><br>
Reach for nuclear disarmament @
<a href="http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/">
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/ </a><br><br>
1.
<a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3888254,00.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3888254,00.html</a> <br><br>
2.
<a href="http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1517&Itemid=227">
http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1517&Itemid=227
</a><br><br>
3.
<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i5d-sSbXuIVdDWk9SK3ZmJaOX26w" eudora="autourl">
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i5d-sSbXuIVdDWk9SK3ZmJaOX26w</a>
<br><br>
4.
<a href="http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/">
www.reachingcriticalwill.org </a><br><br>
5.
<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-day-prayer-0" eudora="autourl">
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-day-prayer-0</a>
<br><br>
6. Bishop John Shelly Spong, "WHY CHRISTIANITY MUST CHANGE OR
DIE" page 147. <br><br>
7.
<a href="http://wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=660&Itemid=175">
http://wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=660&Itemid=175
</a><br><br>
<br><br>
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