Name: Mordechai Vanunu Age: 49 Nationality: Israeli Claim to fame: The one who blew the whistle on Israel’s nuclear desires
Raising his hands and flashing the victory sign, waving to both his supporters and protesters, a smartly dressed Mordechai Vanunu showed that 18 years behind the bars, with more than 11 of them in solitary confinement, have not broken his spirit or changed his convictions.
The world’s most famous whistleblower, Vanunu hit the headlines when he revealed Israel’s nuclear ambitions following an interview with England’s Sunday Times. He gave information and photographs of Israel’s Dimona nuclear plant where he claimed that the Jewish state was busy developing nuclear weapons. His evidence suggested that Israel had at least up to 200 highly advanced nuclear weapons, thus suggesting that it was the world’s sixth-largest nuclear power.
Even before his interview, it was widely assumed that Israel had nuclear arms. But to this day, it refuses to confirm or deny any part of its nuclear programme, under its policy of “nuclear ambiguity.”
For his efforts, he was kidnapped by Mossad agents and returned to Israel where he was convicted of treason and espionage.
Outside the prison, there were dozens of supporters, mostly American and British and several hundred Israelis who booed him and consider him a spy and a traitor. Following his release, Vanunu held an impromptu news conference in the prison’s courtyard.
“To all those calling me a traitor, I’m proud and happy for what I did,” he said. “Israel doesn’t need nuclear arms. My message today to the world is: Open Dimona reactor for inspections.”
Though he is a free man, Vanunu is still not allowed to have a passport. He is also forbidden to approach ports and airports, and has been told not to talk to foreigners without permission.
Considered as a traitor by most Israelis and disowned by his own parents after converting to Christianity, Vanunu became a symbol for international peace movement and has been nominated for a Noble peace prize several times.
Moroccan by birth, he was ‘honourably discharged’ from a three-year military service in 1974 and became a technician at the Dimona nuclear plant in 1976. However, he became more and more disillusioned with Israel’s military posture and even opposed the country’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Finally, he was made redundant in a mass lay-off of workers at Dimona in 1985. Ten months later he talked to the Sunday Times.
A word of advice to world leaders. Once the restrictions placed on Vanunu are lifted, perhaps Mr Bush and Mr Blair should speak to him and find out where they can find ‘real’ weapons of mass destruction.
Raising his hands and flashing the victory sign, waving to both his supporters and protesters, a smartly dressed Mordechai Vanunu showed that 18 years behind the bars, with more than 11 of them in solitary confinement, have not broken his spirit or changed his convictions.
