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despite the fact that Israel's bomb was produced with French and South African help.

Is that the same thing as saying "WITHOUT any help from the US",or does it just say the French and the South Africans were also involved?". Hey,we all know how much the French love Jews,so it's no surprise they would help the Israeli's,right? Or could it be that the French involvement was with South Africa,and then South Africa made a business deal with Israel? A business deal where the South Africans were a "cut out" to hide US involvement,either official or unofficial?

Well,at least we now know what the official US stance is on these old rumors.

Is that the same thing as saying "WITHOUT any help from the US",or does it just say the French and the South Africans were also involved?".

The US was rather pissed off at the Israelis for building the Dimona reactor, because the US was trying to keep France from developing nukes (Gosh, it seems Eisenhower was smarter than anyone gives him credit for).

Hey,we all know how much the French love Jews,so it's no surprise they would help the Israeli's,right?

In the 1950s and into the mid-1960s, the Israelis and the French had very close ties--notice the large numbers of Dassault aircraft in the Israeli Air Force starting in the 1950s. There were Israeli nuclear scientists at the first French nuclear test in 1960--because the French and the Israelis collaborated on nuclear weapons research. DeGaulle flipped to the Arabs in 1967 in return for oil.

Or could it be that the French involvement was with South Africa,and then South Africa made a business deal with Israel?

BZZT. Wrong answer!

Nope. The Israelis, after being dumped by the French, cut a deal with the South Africans--bomb design expertise in return for uranium...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Is that the same thing as saying "WITHOUT any help from the US",or does it just say the French and the South Africans were also involved?". Hey,we all know how much the French love Jews,so it's no surprise they would help the Israeli's,right? Or could it be that the French involvement was with South Africa,and then South Africa made a business deal with Israel? A business deal where the South Africans were a "cut out" to hide US involvement,either official or unofficial?

The French will sell anything to anyone. The only question is 'How much?'.

South Africa had its own problems back then.

The Jews didn't need U.S. help. They have brilliant scientists, home grown. The only help the South Africans gave them was a place to test the weapon. In exchange (I am guessing) Israel gave South Africa technology.

However much you or anyone else hates Israel, 400 nukes are in the equation, now and forever.

BTW. I ain't Jewish, not by blood or faith. But if I was I would be more than OK with it.

I would guess that if Arab countries weren't constantly talking, planning and actually trying to wipe Israel from the face of the earth, they wouldn't have a NEED to develop nukes. Had they lived in peace for the last 50 years, they would be a peaceful democracy, more worried about the latest plasma screen TV's, and not the latest nuke's.

The ARAB'S are the one's who made it neccessary for Israel to have nukes.