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Democrats challenge nuclear silence
A group of 30 House Democrats led by Representative Joaquin Castro urged the Trump administration to break the United States’ longstanding silence on Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program, arguing that the U.S. cannot develop coherent nonproliferation policy for the Middle East while maintaining “a policy of official silence.”
“Some 30 Democratic lawmakers led by Representative Joaquin Castro”
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers said, “We cannot develop coherent nonproliferation policy for the Middle East, including with respect to Iran’s civil nuclear program and Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear ambitions, while maintaining a policy of official silence about the nuclear weapons capabilities of one party central to the ongoing conflict in which the United States is a direct participant.”
The push is tied to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, which the letter describes as a conflict in which the United States is a direct participant, and the lawmakers asked Rubio to explain Israel’s nuclear capabilities and doctrine.
Al-Monitor reported the letter was made public late Wednesday and said the lawmakers asked Rubio to reply by May 18, including whether Israel could use “the ultra-destructive weapons” in Iran and an assessment of risk for U.S. citizens of any future Iranian strike on Israel’s Dimona nuclear research center.
Rubio letter demands details
Democracy Now! said the letter urged Rubio to acknowledge Israel’s secret weapons program and argued that Congress has “a constitutional responsibility to be fully informed about the nuclear balance in the Middle East.”
Democracy Now! quoted the lawmakers’ warning that “We do not believe we have received that information,” framing the demand as a gap in what lawmakers have been told about escalation risks and U.S. planning.
The Hill reported that Castro and more than two dozen lawmakers asked Rubio to specify Israel’s nuclear capacity, enrichment capabilities, assurances Israel has given that it will not use nuclear weapons, and the circumstances under which Israel could use them.
The Times of Israel said the letter is expected to be ignored and quoted the Democrats’ argument that they asked for details on warheads and launchers, enrichment capabilities, and what the U.S. has been told about Israeli doctrine and red lines, as well as what is produced at Dimona.
What’s at stake next
Al Jazeera said the letter, dated May 4 and signed by 30 members of Congress, asked Rubio what nuclear weapon capabilities Israel has and focused on the Negev Nuclear Research Center in Dimona, asking, “Does Israel currently possess enrichment capabilities, and at what level?”
“Does Israel currently possess enrichment capabilities, and at what level?”
Al Jazeera also reported the lawmakers asked whether Israel has articulated to the U.S. “nuclear doctrine, red lines, or thresholds for nuclear use in the context of the current conflict with Iran,” and whether the administration has received assurances from Israel that nuclear weapons will not be used.
The Times of Israel described Israel’s policy as “official ambiguity” and said the Democrats argued the U.S. “openly acknowledges the nuclear weapons programs of the United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, China and North Korea,” urging that Israel be held to the same standard.
In the letter’s framing as reported by Al-Monitor, the lawmakers said the risks of miscalculation, escalation, and nuclear use are tied to the ongoing conflict in which the United States is a direct participant, and they pressed for answers that could affect how the administration plans and contingencies for such scenarios.
