Israel's Nuclear Dilemma (Routledge Revivals) - Softcover

Evron, Yair

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415609054 ISBN 13: 9780415609050

Publisher: Routledge, 2012

Synopsis

Originally published in 1994, Yair Evron opens the book with an account of the development of Israel's nuclear doctrine and the internal disagreements within the Israeli political and strategic elite over how nuclear policy should be conducted. There follows an analysis of the reactions from Arab states and of how, with the exception of Iraq, they have so far refrained from developing their own nuclear weapons.

About this title

About the Author

Yair Evron

From the Back Cover

This book deals with Middle Eastern proliferation in general and with some of the dimensions of Israel's nuclear policy in particular.

From the Inside Flap

For over thirty years the Israeli nuclear doctrine has amounted to an ambiguous pledge that Israel will not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons into the Middle East. Yair Evron assesses the more general danger of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, focusing on the question of Israel's nuclear capability. He illuminates both the history of Israel's nuclear posture and the responses of Arab states. Paying particular attention to the Gulf War, he considers the range of probable nuclear scenarios and outlines the implications of Israeli policy for the region. The consensus among unofficial observers is that Israel, despite official denials, has in fact assembled an extensive nuclear arsenal. Evron reconstructs from a variety of sources the probable history of Israel's nuclear weapons program. As he summarizes domestic debates among defense elites and civilians, the author explains why Israeli leaders across the political spectrum have not chosen an explicit nuclear policy. Surveying diverse reactions in Egypt, Libya, Iran, and Iraq, Evron analyzes the decision of major Arab countries other than Iraq to refrain from developing their own nuclear weapons. After examining the failures and successes of Israel's conventional deterrence strategies, Evron considers the potential impact of nuclear proliferation on regional stability. He then turns to the strategic relationship between Iraq and Israel between 1989 and 1991, addressing the threat of nuclear and chemical warfare during the Gulf crisis. In conclusion, Evron evaluates Israel's security concerns and defense options for the future.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415609054
• ISBN 13: 9780415609050
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 344