Israel Atomic Energy Commission

On 13 June 1952, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion established the Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) as Israel’s primary nuclear regulatory authority. The IAEC remained hidden from the Israeli public until 1954. The IAEC operates two research centers, the Negev Nuclear Research Center and the Soreq Nuclear Research Center. ¹ The Commission advises the Israeli government on nuclear policy and sets nuclear research and development priorities. ² The IAEC also “implements national policies, represents Israel in nuclear-related international organizations, and maintains relations with relevant national authorities of other states.” ³

The key units of the IAEC are the Department for Nuclear Engineering, the Licensing and Safety Department, and the Unit for Diplomatic Relations. The primary tasks of the IAEC’s Department for Nuclear Engineering are to promote “the topic of reactors domestically and of the infrastructure needed for nuclear power (nuclear fuel and clearing nuclear waste), long-term planning (including testing new technologies) and researching desalinization of seawater using nuclear energy.” ⁴ The purpose of the Licensing and Safety Department is to “formulate safety policies, build and operate nuclear power stations, and test safety aspects of those plants.” The department also manages the treatment of radioactive waste, coordinates and advises with regard to nuclear standardization and participates in overseeing the dangers of radiation in Israel.” The Unit for Diplomatic Relations of the IAEC develops international contacts and the director of the unit serves as the spokesman for the IAEC. ⁵

Since 1966, the Chairman of the IAEC has been the Prime Minister of Israel. As of March 2023, the current Director General of the IAEC is Moshe Edri, who is selected by and reports directly to the Prime Minister. ^{6 7} The Prime Minister consults with the Minister of Defense for the appointment of the Director General.