Led that it has enjoyed continuea acto Israeli technology. As South Africa's mentor, Israel has had the bomb since at least 1973 and, according to information divulged last vear by Mordecna Vanunu, the technician worked tor ten years at Israel's secret nuclear weapons factory at Dimona in the Negev desert, can build at least ten After examining photographs and verifying the details of manufacturing processes at Dimona provided by Vanunu, presently being tried for espionage and treason in Israel, leading British American physicists concluded possessed from 100 to 200 nuclear weapons. It had been known that it decided 'to go nuclear' during its first decade existence; estimates, • however, number of Israeli bombs at 10 to 20. On the basis of the new information the scientists ranked Israel the world's sixth nuclear power.
Built It was France Dimona reactor and plutonium production plant, gave technology, and left room for Israel to build a plant to produce tritium. This the Israelis began in 1980. From Vanunu's intormation the scientists concluded that Israel can now build sophisticated thermonuclear devices.
Mordechai Vanunu told Sunday Times reporters that South Africans regularly came on exchange programmes to Dimona, that African scientists, metallurgists and had frequently there. This disclosure lent credence to previous reports of the testing of an Israeli Jericho II missile (capable of delivering nuclear warheads) in South Africa, and the hiring in Israeli 'safety' consultants for South Africa's nuclear reactors — a decision that struck some as strange, since the plants were built by the French.
Until quite recently, Africa's major focus had been enriching its abundant uranium for export for domestic generation. In the 1970s Pretoria had West German help in developing a gas nozzle enrichment process aimed at producing weapons-grade uranium However, according to Spector, a nucica ert at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, it was not until 1980 that the white minority government had the capacity to build weapon.
One year earlier, a fleet of South African naval craft was spotted in the South Atlantic in the very spot where a US Vela satellite registered characteristic double flash nuclear explosion ding to the CIA, was a 2-3 megaton "joint South African-Israeli test'.
The 1979 explosion came three and economic South then South 1981 of they Cola Africa would receive and in 1 South for the power Suitable for weapons testin Leonard proliferation exBritain and nuclear Israeli bomb test.
Agreed the of - which, accor- patrol boats, and a half years after the two countries had signed a sweeping set of accords covering military, technological co-operation. The agreements were signed in Israel after plane. a widely-publicised state visit by the African premier • Vorste (who was jailed during World War II by the British for pro-Nazi activities).
It was agreed to combine the endowments and complement the deficiencies of each nation, in order that pressure to alter their policies. South weapons and sophisticated technologies from Israel return would put up the funds development Israeli weapons systems. South Africa would also provide Israel with raw materials, such as rare metals and uranium.
Israel was especially attracted by the large expanses in South Africa . In 1977, • Soviet satellite detected prepar tions for a nuclear test underway in binka by the ss, the rane West Germany forced a halt to the proceedings which US officials were convinced was to be an During the decade following the signing of the accords, Israel has sold missile-armed anti-tank weapons, radar installations, and a range of equipment remotely piloted planes to electronic border fencing. Its state-owned aircraft company has helped the South Africans update their aging Mirage aircraft with the Cheetah Ultimately, Israel licensed South Africa to build much of this equipment and provided plans, technology, and advice to help Pretoria establish a military electronics industry. Africa now boasts that it defeated the UN mandatory arms embargo of 1977 — it is indeed an exporter of weapons.
Likely The Israelis have encouraged the South Africans to bring their wares to Israel for finishing •re-export under a 'made in Israel' label. allows South Africa to avoid consumer rejection and to enjoy Israel's duty-free agreements with the US and EEC (for industrial goods) and has made South Africa the second largest foreign investor in Israel after the US. And while Israeli investment in south Africa's high technology sector and in the Bantustans (the so-called 'tribal reserves') does not rank with British, West German, or US investment, it is growIng fast Western interests have been hastily departing the scene.
As military and economic links increased, so did political and cultural between Aviv Pretoria. Since the imposition of the current state of emergency Israel has allowed the visit of severat South African deputy ministers and sent a trade delegation, its chamber chestra, South Africa. In return Israel permitlea two cnons to parucipale I a combat festival.
Many wonder what makes Israel cleave determinedly Africa when detrimental nonaligned nations South African members) and with impor tant sectors of the US public, in particular Black leaders apartheid activists. Possible explanations blackmail of Israel -yet undivulged details of their nuclea collaboration benefits Israel reaps and the fact that both countries, This pariahs, have so very much in comThe truth 110l combination of all these factors. any rate, most Israeli officials are embarrassed about the South African connection; few are enthusiastic collaborators.
Delighted
Pretoria, delighted with the relationship while has sought to emulate Israel in number of areas.
Israeli military advisers are always present in South Africa giving tactica and counter-insurgency training. And some of South Africa's attacks on its neighbours have been modelled on Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
On nuclear weapons, feelings are mutual, от- short of open own dismantled.
and its top tennis stars to South the relationship is so tions, a links with the (especially antiThe South African perhaps ove the economic probably lies in a legislation, At which have on the other hand, is apartheid several nunarco should then Meanwhile however, just stopping declaration of sion of the African National Congress appear to show that the white govern ment has contemplated • using low.
nuclear weapons on Black population centres - while avoiding damage to white areas.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has voiced fears that the Pretoria government is crazy enough to obliterate what they can no longer control. And Israel's raids on Iraq's nuclear reactor and on Tunisia in attest to a lack of restraint. Whatever their plans for future use of nuclear weapons, the past and present nuclear of Israel and South Africa indicates a defiant, absolute intransigence: for Israel, there is no end to territorial occupation, to subthe regional hostility — and for the white minority regime, there is simply no possibility of a multiracial successor About South Africa, very little except wait for the white government to hope that multiracial successor will have no need for nuclear weapons and will scrap them. In the meantime, Israel prevented helping South Africa increase the sophistica tion of its weapons. And, of course its nuclear arsenal has … lo be Study In 1979 the Carter administration knew without being told that it was best to pretend a nuclear test had not occurred. In the face of the 1980 elecWhite House investigation was quietly scuttled and, despite the grumbling of several participants, it was announced that there was no conclusive evidence that a nuclear device had been detonated avoided its statutory responsibility as Israel's aid giver to investigate the detonation, and a subsequent study released in 1985 by Michigan Congressman John Convers included new government evidence that the test had occurred -but also failed to evoke any reaction. In line with the 1986 anti-apartheid will have ane them chatie this yearaeli South implications Israeli-South African nuclear weapons collabora tion, at the end of the 180-day term specified for the president to report "industrialised democracies? military relationship with South Africa. Authored by a retiring senator, this amendment to the antibill • says Congres: consider cutting off military aid to recipients that have such a relationship with South Africa.
Few expect Congress to act - or talk about this relationship continued silence Israeli and South African scientists prepare the next generation of nuclear bombs can only convey the impres sion that the world is cowering.
THE FRENCH Communist Party (PCF) has been Socialist Action 10 April 1987