Reviewing The Samson Option by Seymour Hersh is challenging because the book is both deeply researched and controversial. On one hand, it’s clear that Hersh and his publisher undertook significant legal and investigative work to produce it. Notably, they faced a lawsuit from two individuals mentioned in the book, though the author ultimately won, and an official apology was issued according to Wikipedia.
As I neared the end of the book, my understanding of its message evolved. The book begins with a comprehensive account of how Israel started to build its nuclear weapons program in the 1950s, detailing how this capability allowed Israel to pressure the United States for conventional military support, financial aid, and political backing. By the end, though, the tone shifts, almost as if Hersh is conveying a message of acceptance: “Israel now has nuclear weapons—accept it.”
The book details Israel’s 1981 bombing of Iraq’s first nuclear reactor, constructed by France. Israel claimed it was targeting nuclear weapons, but this was false. Israel’s intelligence for the mission relied on American sources, obtained without U.S. authorization. Prior to this, Israel had pushed for access to a high-tech U.S. satellite to gather images, apparently limited to a range of 100 miles from their borders (primarily covering Egypt and Lebanon). However, Israel managed to bypass these restrictions, obtaining imagery of Iraq and even parts of Russia. It appears they were considering strikes on Western Russia as well. Tensions rose with Britain, who felt that the U.S. was sharing more critical intelligence with Israel than with their own World War II allies. Despite these breaches, Israel lobbied for even more access, pushing Washington to provide a private downlink in Tel Aviv, funded by U.S. tax dollars. Interestingly, the F-16s used in the attack on Iraq were originally supplied to Israel solely for defensive purposes.
When Saddam Hussein attacked Israel in 1991, Israel prepared nuclear devices aimed at Iraqi targets. After secret negotiations with Washington, the U.S. offered military support in exchange for Israel standing down from any nuclear response.
Hersh also discusses the whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, a Moroccan-born Jew who worked in a highly sensitive Israeli nuclear facility. He provided the British press with detailed information and photographs of Israel’s nuclear facilities. Unable to abduct him from the U.K., Israeli agents lured Vanunu to Italy, where he was captured and transported to Israel for trial and imprisonment.
The narrative of Israel’s nuclear development began with significant U.S. opposition. President Kennedy firmly opposed Israeli nuclear ambitions, supporting non-proliferation, and he clashed frequently with Israeli Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, as seen in their correspondence. Ben-Gurion disregarded presidential protocol, even addressing Kennedy as “young man.” Kennedy demanded inspections of Israeli nuclear sites as a condition for U.S. aircraft sales. Israel maintained that these sites were merely reactors, though in reality, an extensive underground nuclear weapons facility lay beneath the reactor. France played a crucial role in helping Israel build this infrastructure, with private French companies providing support over the years.
The book details how Israel initially acquired uranium from Germany through a Italian company and suggests that Israelis were behind the disappearance of uranium from a private enriching plant in Pennsylvania.
Hersh also emphasizes that Israel’s nuclear ambitions were not widely endorsed by its parliament. Even the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission opposed the nuclear program. Instead, this push was driven by Mossad, Ben-Gurion, and other high-ranking officials.
After Kennedy’s firm opposition to Israel’s nuclear ambitions, President Lyndon Johnson largely ignored intelligence reports about Israel’s nuclear arms development, while Richard Nixon ultimately endorsed Israel’s nuclear pursuits. Hersh’s portrayal of U.S. policy highlights this progression from firm opposition to denial and, finally, to support.
Disclosure: This review is entirely based on information found in “The Samson Option” by Seymour Hersh.