Vanunu gets 6 months for speaking the truth

[mhgaffney]

In 1986 Mordechai Vanunu informed the world about Israel's top secret plutonium separation plant, a key part of Israel's massive nuclear weapons program. Vanunu, a nuclear technician at Israel's Dimoa nuclear facility, turned whistleblower after suffering a crisis of conscience.

He was kidnapped by the Mossad and convicted of treason in a kangaroo court in Jerusalem. He spent 18 years in Ashkalon prison in Israel -- and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize more than a dozen times.

Israel finally released him from prison several years ago. However, the Israeli government refused to allow Vanunu to leave the country, and they've been hassling him ever since. He's basically been under house arrest. Vanunu's latest sentence violates his right to free speech. His "crime" was talking with the press.

Last update - 16:18 02/07/2007

Vanunu to return to prison for violating the terms of his parole

By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court has sentenced nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu to six months in jail for violating the terms of his parole.

Vanunu, a former technician at Israel's nuclear plant near the southern town of Dimona, spent 18 years in prison for giving details of the country's atomic program to British newspaper "Sunday Times" in 1986.

Upon his release in 2004, Vanunu was banned from leaving the country and talking to foreigners without approval, because Israeli authorities claimed he could still divulge classified information.

Some two months ago, Vanunu was convicted of 14 parole violations including contacts with journalists and attempts to leave Israel proper to go to Bethlehem, which is in the West Bank.

The court's sentence was unexpected, and even the prosecution expected the court to hand down a suspended sentence, meant solely as a deterrent.

Vanunu's attorneys, Michael Sfard and Avigdor Feldman, said before the conviction was handed down that the terms of their client's parole order were unreasonable.

According to the verdict, "The order stemmed from the fact that the accused had hoarded in his memory classified information that has not been released, and the release of which could harm the security interests of Israel."

After the verdict was announced, Vanunu said that his conviction proves that Israel is still ruled, in effect, by the British mandate, because the law under which he was convicted is from that era.

"Maybe I need to turn to the queen or to Tony Blair in order to grant me justice," he said.

[mhgaffney]

Here is a excellent short video tour of Israel's nuke plant at Dimona -- based on information supplied by Vanunu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf39qkvwOhU

[cutthemdown]

sounds like a matter of Israeli national security to me. By the way I support Israel having nukes. They need that threat to deter any attack from Syria and Iran mainly.

[mhgaffney]

Vanunu is quite correct that nukes make Israel less safe -- not more so.

The nukes cannot be used against Israel's main adversary, the Palestinians, without endangering Israel itself.

The nukes represent a direct challenge to every Arab and Muslim state in the region, all of whom are targetted and live under this sword of Damocles. Obviously, the very existence of Israel's nukes is an incentive for surrounding states to acquire their own WMD. This sets up the likelihood of continuous conflict and escalation -- until sooner or later the weapons are used.

Israel's nukes have tempted the Israeli leadership to simply impose their version of peace -- without even talking to their neighbors -- or even trying to reconcile the differences. No doubt, this explains why Israel simply dismissed a Saudi peace offer in 2002. It sits on the table even today, awaiting a response. Israel obviously decided that because it has nukes it doesn't have to talk. That is a dangerous error in judgement.

And finally, Israel's nuclear facilities are leaking radiation and polluting the environment -- and Israel itself. Many workers have died from cancer. The Dimona site is a toxic disaster -- and it needs to be shut down -- and cleaned up.

Vanunu served his full sentence and should be a free man. He has no more secrets to tell. But Israel administers harsh treatment as a warning to others who would speak out against the nuclear policy -- were they not so intimidated. The warning is clear: "Keep quiet -- or you'll end up like Vanunu."

As Chomsky poined out in his essay -- these weapons will one day be used -- and if that occurs there will be no way back for humanity.

[W*GS]

Yep, gaffney's view of ME politics - it's all Israel's fault.

[mhgaffney]

Yep, gaffney's view of ME politics - it's all Israel's fault.

There is no way to resist a morsel like this.

No, I've ever said it's all Israel's fault. There is plenty of blame to go around.

In fact, the British are at the top of the **** list. After WW I they renegged on their promise to grant Arab independence. At Versailles they joined with the French in dividing up the region - imposing a new round of western colonization.

The Brits are also responsible for the current disaster -- because they endorsed and made possible a Jewish settler state in the middle of the Arab world. The future will look back on that decision by Churchill and company as one of the worst political boners of history. The Brits also provided critical assistance to Israel's nuke program.

The French are also guilty -- they joined with the Brits and Israel in the invasion of Suez in 1956 -- which was intended to murder Nasser and reimpose colonial rule. It failed only because of Ike.

Like the Brits the French also helped Israel build up its nuke program. France supplied the Dimona reactor and the plutonium separation plant. They also gave plenty of arms -- until Israel's aggression in 1967 soured de Gaulle on Israel and he cut off French support.

That's when the US stepped in and lavished billions on Israel's military machine -- the new Sparta in the region. Even though the official US position was that Israel must withdraw from territories siezed in the 67 war -- we have looked the other way, ever since. Indeed America funded Israel's expansion of settlements into the W Bank -- and its expropriation of Arab lands.

Since 1967 -- except for a brief period of sanity under Jimmy Carter -- America has inflamed the Mideast situation at every step -- Making everything much worse.

This is why we are now poised on the brink of global nuclear war.

[yavoon]

those ****ing jews and all that defending of themselves they are doing.