This annotated chronology is based on the data sources that follow each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared over time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.

Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking. Moreover, some entries may refer to developments with positive consequences for nonproliferation.

7 July 1970
Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Israel has the means to build an atomic bomb.
—, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 29.

18 July 1970
In a New York Times article by Hedrick Smith, it becomes public knowledge that the U.S. government considers Israel to be in possession of an operational nuclear weapons capability. The story is prompted by comments by Senator Stuart Symington of the Armed Forces and Foreign Relations Committees made in response to briefing by Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms on 7 July, marking the first occasion on which the CIA shares intelligence on Israel's nuclear status with Congress.
—Cohen, Avner, Israel and the Bomb (New York: Colombia University Press, 1998), 277, 337.

1972
Israeli scientists Isaiah Nebenzahl and Menachem Levin develop a quicker, more cost effective uranium enrichment method, which uses a laser beam to separate isotopes. The process is reported to be capable of enriching seven grams of Uranium 235 by sixty percent in a twenty-four hour period.
— Gillette, Robert, "Uranium Enrichment: Rumors of Israeli Progress with Lasers." Science 183, no. 4130 (22 March 1974), 1172-1174.

8 October 1973
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir makes the decision to assemble 13 twenty-kiloton atomic bombs in response to Egyptian and Syrian attacks during the Yom Kippur War. Jericho missiles at Hirbat Zachariah and nuclear strike F-4s at Tel Nof are armed for strikes against Egyptian and Syrian targets. US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is notified of these developments hours later on 9 October.
— "Israel Reported to Have A-Bomb," Facts on File World Digest News, 10 April 1976, Hersh, Seymour, The Sampson Option (New York: Random House, 1991), 217, 222-226, and Weissman, Steve and Krosney, Herbert, The Islamic Bomb: the Nuclear Threat to Israel and the Middle East, (New York, New York: Times Books, 1981), 107, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 31.

18 October 1973
A Soviet ship allegedly carrying nuclear weapons arrives in Alexandria, Egypt. The shipment of nuclear weapons to Egypt is intended to counterbalance Israel's nuclear capability in the context of the Yom Kippur War. This action may indicate a security guarantee between the Soviet Union and Egypt. United States President Richard Nixon puts the military on worldwide nuclear alert, prompting Israel to go on nuclear alert as well. Israel eventually agrees to a ceasefire and the Russian ship remains docked and unloaded until its departure in November.
— "Officials Suspect Russians Sent Arms to Egypt," New York Times, 22 November 1973, "Israel Reported to Have A-Bomb," Facts on File World Digest News, 10 April 1976, O'Balance, Edgar, No Victor, No Vanquished. The Yom Kippur War (San Rafael, California: Presidio Press, 1978), 234-235, and Aronson, Shlomo,  Israel's Nuclear Options, ACIS Working Paper No. 7.  Los Angeles, California: University of California Center for Arms Control and International Security, 1977, 15-18, and Hersh, Seymour, The Sampson Option (New York: Random House, 1991), 231-235.

1974
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency estimates that Israel has between ten and twenty nuclear weapons. This estimate is based on the assumption that has been able to separate enough plutonium for at least six bombs since 1970, in addition to those made with stolen uranium.
—Cordesman, Anthony, Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 15 April 2003.

Mid 1970s
Rumors circulate about nuclear weapons cooperation between Israel and Iran. The reports are never substantiated.
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 35.

July 1975
Former New York Times writer Tad Szulc alleges that "the United States government, or elements of it in the Central Intelligence Agency acting independently, had given assistance to the Israeli nuclear program....in the wake of the 1956 Suez War." He charges that "U.S. aid had been given....as a quid pro quo for Israel's territorial withdrawals after the 1956 victory and its future cooperation."
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 9.

1976
In a secret briefing to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Central Intelligence Agency expresses the opinion that Israel is somehow separating Dimona plutonium to produce bomb-quality material.
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 26.

1977
Perhaps with Israeli complicity, South Africa prepares to conduct a nuclear test in the Kalahari Desert, but is prevented from doing so by U.S. and Soviet intervention.
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 37.

May 1977
At a fringe nuclear conference in Salzburg, Paul Leventhal, a former adviser to an American senate Committee on the spread of nuclear weapons, alleges that in 1968 Israel smuggled 200 tons of uranium from Antwerp to Israel via the high seas disappearance of a West German freighter bound for Genoa.
—"The Mystery of the Missing Uranium," The Economist, 7 May 1977.

June 1977
On 30 May Time Magazine alleges that 200 tons of uranium lost on the high seas were part of an elaborate scheme to smuggle fissile material into Israel for the production of nuclear bombs.
—"Uranium 'Loss' Said Israeli Plot," Facts on File World News Digest, 4 June 1977.

1 June 1978
Iraqi United Nations representative Saadun Amadi denounces the alleged cooperative nuclear arrangement between Israel and South Africa, saying, "The Zionists provide the racists with nuclear technology and receive from them uranium in exchange."
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 36.

1979
The United States Defense Intelligence Agency concludes in a study that a cooperative nuclear relationship between Israel and South Africa exists and that its aim is to manufacture nuclear weapons.
— Pry, Peter, Israel's Nuclear Arsenal (Boulder, Colorado: Westview, 1984), 36.

22 September 1979
American satellites observe a bright flash in the south Indian Ocean that is speculated to be a joint South African-Israeli nuclear test.
— "A Flash of Light," Newsweek, 5 November 1979.

22 February 1980
Israeli Defense Minister Ezer Weizman denies a report that Israel tested a nuclear bomb the previous year in cooperation with South Africa.
—"Israel Denies It Tested Nuclear Bomb," Associated Press, 22 February 1980.

1 March 1980
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union alleges that reported nuclear test of September of the previous year was a joint effort by the Israeli and South African governments. The test is said to be the manifestation of a longstanding cooperative relationship on nuclear weapons matters.
—"South Africa 'Working Hand in Glove' with Israel to Develop Nuclear Weapons," BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 1 March 1980.

7 June 1981
Using US satellite imagery, Israeli forces attack the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osiraq in order to maintain its nuclear monopoly in the Middle East. It is the first military strike in history against a nuclear reactor.
— "Israeli Jets Destroy Iraqi Atomic Reactor; Attack Condemned by U.S. and Arab Nations," New York Times, 9 June 1981; Hersh, Seymour, The Sampson Option (New York: Random House, 1991), 216.

12 December 1984
An unidentified Reagan administration official states that the United States is opposed in principal to French plans to sell a nuclear reactor to Israel. The Administration is concerned with the financial burden such a sale would impose on Israel. American reactor manufacturers also appose the reactor sale, estimated at $1 billion.
—"TV: The United States Opposed to French Reactor Sale to Israel," Associated Press, 12 December 1984.

14 April 1985
French plans for the sale of a 900-megawatt nuclear power reactor to Israel are progressing, according to the Manchester Guardian Weekly. The deal, initiated in 1982 during a visit by French President François Mitterrand to Israel, is reported to be worth between $2 and $3 billion.
—"Risky Nuclear Deal with Israel," Manchester Guardian Weekly, 14 April 1985.

12 July 1985
A BBC report alleges that Israel armed nuclear missiles and that the Soviet Union deployed nuclear weapons to Egypt during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
—"Nuclear Weapons Reported Deployed in 1973 Middle East War," Associated Press, 12 July 1985.

5 October 1986
The story of Mordechai Vanunu, an ex-technician at the Dimona reactor, is printed in the London Sunday Times, in which Vanunu reveals his knowledge of Israel's nuclear weapons program. The exposé alleges that Israel possesses more than 200 nuclear bombs, neutron bombs, F-16 deliverable warheads, and Jericho warheads. After the story's publication, Vanunu is kidnapped by Israeli agents, tried, and imprisoned.
— "Revealed: The Secrets of Israel's Nuclear Arsenal" (London) Sunday Times No. 8,461, 5 October 1986, 1, 4-5.

12 October 1986
In an interview with the Sunday Times, former-head of the French Atomic Energy Commission Francis Perrin acknowledges that during the 1950's France provided Israel with the Dimona reactor, a plutonium extraction plant, and other technology relating to the design and development of nuclear weapons.
— "France Admits It Gave Israel A-Bomb," Sunday Times (London), 12 October 1986.

1 May 1987
Israel denies a request by Norway to inspect the 20 tons of heavy water it sold to Israel in 1959.
—"Israel Balking at Norway Request to Inspect Heavy Water," Associated Press, 1 May 1987.

6 January 1988
Israeli Foreign Minster Shimon Peres testifies under subpoena against accused spy Mordechai Vanunu. Peres has been issued a restraining order limiting the scope of his testimony for the trial so as to avoid damage to Israel's policy of nuclear opacity.
—"Peres Testifies Israeli Security Hurt by Published Report," United Press International, 6 January 1988.

12 February 1988
Egyptian semi-official newspaper Al Ahram alleges that Israel detonated a nuclear device in a test near the South Pole in 1979 and has exploded two more nuclear devices in Antarctica since then. The report also states that Norway, South Africa, and France were involved in the Antarctic nuclear tests.
—"Egyptian Newspaper Says Israel Test Nuclear Device," United Press International, 12 February 1988.

27 March 1988
Former Israeli nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu is sentenced to 18 year in prison by an Israeli court for espionage.
—"Vanunu Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison," United Press International, 27 March 1988.

4 April 1989
Israel and Norway agree to reopen talk on the 20 tons of heavy water Norway sold to Israel in 1959. The Norwegian government is still seeking permission to inspect the heavy water.
—"Israel Agrees to Reopen Talks on Norwegian Heavy Water," The Jerusalem Post, 4 April 1989.

May 1989
The Director of U.S. Central Intelligence indicates that Israel may be seeking to construct a thermonuclear weapon.
—Cordesman, Anthony, Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 15 April 2003.

	Updated September 2005