A tiny country with no strategic depth built one of the world’s most secretive and disciplined nuclear deterrents — to make “Never Again” a strategic reality.
Nachum, good article. And if there was ever a country or people that would truly regard nuclear weapons as a last resort, it would be Israel.
For 75 years Israel has been attacked, threatened, invaded, terrorized, and surrounded by enemies openly calling for its destruction. Yet despite all of that, Israel has not committed genocide, has not built a culture around mass slaughter, and when wrongdoing has occurred, there have been investigations, reprimands, trials, and removals from military service. That is what democracies do. That is what societies that value human life do.
What makes Iran so frightening is the exact opposite mentality. When a regime embraces martyrdom, apocalyptic ideology, and religious fanaticism, traditional deterrence becomes far less reliable. That is why Iran can never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
In many ways, Israel and Iran represent opposite models of what nuclear responsibility looks like. Israel’s deterrent exists to prevent annihilation. Iran’s leadership openly glorifies destruction and death. That distinction matters enormously.
Apparently, during October 1973, at its darkest moment, Golda Meir Israeli PM got Richard Nixon’s attention when she informed him that Israeli pilots were loading 21 Kiloton nuclear weapons on their fighter-bombers. The airlift followed very shortly after. The Arab states are aware of Israel having nukes. There is no nuclear arms race in the Mideast bcuz the Arab states know that Israel is committed to a no-first strike doctrine. The same cannot be said of Iran. If Teheran gets “the bomb,” then the atomic bomb race will be on at the speed like the winning horse in the Kentucky Derby. The Left in America is overwhelmingly anti-Semitic & hates Israel, especially the Democratic Party. Indeed, the hard core Left in the Democrat Party has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for intel on Israel’s nukes. He will either blow them off or respond appropriately, which should be the same thing. Of course, the Dems have no problem with Iran going nuclear in weapons.
While Europe and Canada strugglewith deindustrialization, energy dependency, and demographic stagnation, Israel has been quietly building one of the most formidable small-nation portfolios on earth.
Militarily, it operates technology its critics can't match. Cyber, drone warfare, missile defense — Israel isn't catching up to anyone; others are catching up to it.
Economically, its GDP per capita now rivals major European economies, driven by a tech sector that produces more Nasdaq-listed companies per capita than any nation outside the US. That's not luck — that's compounding investment in human capital over decades.
The diplomatic friction with Europe and Canada is real, but largely irrelevant to Israel's trajectory. Trade diversifies, alliances shift, and nations that build real capacity outlast the ones that substitute rhetoric for results.
Critics make noise. Israel makes progress.
The gap isn't closing — it's widening.
One million jews will make Aliya from those countries and it will surely continue the brain drain to Israel from long time enemies of Jews.
(continuing) others, those nations like Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates, appreciate the fact that Israel has a first-rate economy, and is second only to America’s Silicon Valley in technological expertise. In an historic first, during the current Iran war when Iran was bombarding the UAE with missiles, the Emiratis requested and not only received Israel’s Iron Dome but also the soldiers to man it. This is the first time Israeli troops were ever on Arab soil, by request.
Agree but you left out the US obsession with boycotting Israel. We see them in the streets daily, we read about the attacks on us, our institutions, our religious sanctuaries daily. We read about the hatred on too many college campuses and most classrooms and its spread by Teacher's Unions and state run education systems k-12. The rhetoric is no longer confined to Israel and Zionsim, it is overt hatred of Jews. Not just Israeli's -jews worldwide. It is rampant with this country's youth because it is rampant on social media and subliminal but resolute on every main stream media outlet. It is in Congress and is the playbook for every ambitious sycophant running for President of a political party inhabited and supported by 70% of voting Jews in the US . We are in trouble!
"Most critically, submarine-launched cruise missiles provide a second-strike capability that ensures no adversary could eliminate Israel’s deterrent in a first blow."
That may have changed. The last Dolphin air independent engine submarine the "Drakon" that was built in Germany like all Israeli navy subs, was redesigned at the last minute with a much larger "sail" - some observers believe this design change might allow for vertically launched missiles instead of the Popeye cruise missiles sent through the Dolphin's 650 mm wide tubes. That would mean a much longer range and thus being able to be launched much closer to home. Speculation at this point
Israel has (3) more on order in the new Dakar Class to replace the oldest three subs. Those might have vertical launch capability.
To change the subject slightly, can anyone tell me why Pope Leo shook hands with the Iranian emissary and honored the Iranian butchers of their own people, the leading state sponsor of terrorism , and sworn to destroy Israel (“the Little Satan”) and the United States (“the Big Satan”), with the Vatican’s highest award?
Thanks for this excellent description of Israel's nuclear posture. I'll just add, since you rightly mentioned Ben-Gurion as the leader at the time that Israel's nuclear program was initiated, that the actual architect of that nuclear program was Shimon Peres.
Lets cut to the chase. If israel were on the brink of annihilation ( not an if but when): to use or not to use and on whom. I note that those who support the Iranian regime ( whether they admit it or not) have been justifying the regimes actions t o stay alive or to seek maximum retribution. Ask this to both Israelis and American jews ( the former being in the cross hairs every day). This is a hypothetical so stick with the assumed facts and question. The answer may in fact create its own deterrence. This is a multifaceted question.
Nachum, good article. And if there was ever a country or people that would truly regard nuclear weapons as a last resort, it would be Israel.
For 75 years Israel has been attacked, threatened, invaded, terrorized, and surrounded by enemies openly calling for its destruction. Yet despite all of that, Israel has not committed genocide, has not built a culture around mass slaughter, and when wrongdoing has occurred, there have been investigations, reprimands, trials, and removals from military service. That is what democracies do. That is what societies that value human life do.
What makes Iran so frightening is the exact opposite mentality. When a regime embraces martyrdom, apocalyptic ideology, and religious fanaticism, traditional deterrence becomes far less reliable. That is why Iran can never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.
In many ways, Israel and Iran represent opposite models of what nuclear responsibility looks like. Israel’s deterrent exists to prevent annihilation. Iran’s leadership openly glorifies destruction and death. That distinction matters enormously.
Apparently, during October 1973, at its darkest moment, Golda Meir Israeli PM got Richard Nixon’s attention when she informed him that Israeli pilots were loading 21 Kiloton nuclear weapons on their fighter-bombers. The airlift followed very shortly after. The Arab states are aware of Israel having nukes. There is no nuclear arms race in the Mideast bcuz the Arab states know that Israel is committed to a no-first strike doctrine. The same cannot be said of Iran. If Teheran gets “the bomb,” then the atomic bomb race will be on at the speed like the winning horse in the Kentucky Derby. The Left in America is overwhelmingly anti-Semitic & hates Israel, especially the Democratic Party. Indeed, the hard core Left in the Democrat Party has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for intel on Israel’s nukes. He will either blow them off or respond appropriately, which should be the same thing. Of course, the Dems have no problem with Iran going nuclear in weapons.
See my question/hypothetical below. Love to hear your thoughts
There was no question.
While Europe and Canada strugglewith deindustrialization, energy dependency, and demographic stagnation, Israel has been quietly building one of the most formidable small-nation portfolios on earth.
Militarily, it operates technology its critics can't match. Cyber, drone warfare, missile defense — Israel isn't catching up to anyone; others are catching up to it.
Economically, its GDP per capita now rivals major European economies, driven by a tech sector that produces more Nasdaq-listed companies per capita than any nation outside the US. That's not luck — that's compounding investment in human capital over decades.
The diplomatic friction with Europe and Canada is real, but largely irrelevant to Israel's trajectory. Trade diversifies, alliances shift, and nations that build real capacity outlast the ones that substitute rhetoric for results.
Critics make noise. Israel makes progress.
The gap isn't closing — it's widening.
One million jews will make Aliya from those countries and it will surely continue the brain drain to Israel from long time enemies of Jews.
While other nations are obsessed with boycotting Israel (Spain, Ireland, Norway, Canada, the UK, France, and some
(continuing) others, those nations like Germany, India, and the United Arab Emirates, appreciate the fact that Israel has a first-rate economy, and is second only to America’s Silicon Valley in technological expertise. In an historic first, during the current Iran war when Iran was bombarding the UAE with missiles, the Emiratis requested and not only received Israel’s Iron Dome but also the soldiers to man it. This is the first time Israeli troops were ever on Arab soil, by request.
Agree but you left out the US obsession with boycotting Israel. We see them in the streets daily, we read about the attacks on us, our institutions, our religious sanctuaries daily. We read about the hatred on too many college campuses and most classrooms and its spread by Teacher's Unions and state run education systems k-12. The rhetoric is no longer confined to Israel and Zionsim, it is overt hatred of Jews. Not just Israeli's -jews worldwide. It is rampant with this country's youth because it is rampant on social media and subliminal but resolute on every main stream media outlet. It is in Congress and is the playbook for every ambitious sycophant running for President of a political party inhabited and supported by 70% of voting Jews in the US . We are in trouble!
"Most critically, submarine-launched cruise missiles provide a second-strike capability that ensures no adversary could eliminate Israel’s deterrent in a first blow."
That may have changed. The last Dolphin air independent engine submarine the "Drakon" that was built in Germany like all Israeli navy subs, was redesigned at the last minute with a much larger "sail" - some observers believe this design change might allow for vertically launched missiles instead of the Popeye cruise missiles sent through the Dolphin's 650 mm wide tubes. That would mean a much longer range and thus being able to be launched much closer to home. Speculation at this point
Israel has (3) more on order in the new Dakar Class to replace the oldest three subs. Those might have vertical launch capability.
I only need to know it is a deterrence. Thanks 🙏
To change the subject slightly, can anyone tell me why Pope Leo shook hands with the Iranian emissary and honored the Iranian butchers of their own people, the leading state sponsor of terrorism , and sworn to destroy Israel (“the Little Satan”) and the United States (“the Big Satan”), with the Vatican’s highest award?
Thanks for this excellent description of Israel's nuclear posture. I'll just add, since you rightly mentioned Ben-Gurion as the leader at the time that Israel's nuclear program was initiated, that the actual architect of that nuclear program was Shimon Peres.
Lets cut to the chase. If israel were on the brink of annihilation ( not an if but when): to use or not to use and on whom. I note that those who support the Iranian regime ( whether they admit it or not) have been justifying the regimes actions t o stay alive or to seek maximum retribution. Ask this to both Israelis and American jews ( the former being in the cross hairs every day). This is a hypothetical so stick with the assumed facts and question. The answer may in fact create its own deterrence. This is a multifaceted question.