Israel wants civilian reactor
Photo: AFP
Israel wants nuclear power plant
Officials in Jerusalem seek American assistance in building civilian reactor in south
Israel recently asked the United States to assist in the establishment of a nuclear power plant in the southern Negev desert, Yedioth Aharonoth reported Friday.
For the time being, no response was received from Washington.
The government needs America's approval so it can build an internationally monitored civilian reactor while avoiding monitoring of Israel's other nuclear capabilities.
A report prepared for the Infrastructure Ministry by one of the world's largest energy companies indicated that a nuclear plant would best address Israel's needs at this time.
In recent months, the Netanyahu-led government has renewed efforts to secure US approval for building a nuke plant without having to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel is interested in adopting the "Indian model," which only allows monitoring of civilian reactors.
Plans for building a nuclear reactor in Israel have been in place since the 1960s. The government has already reserved a plot of land for the venture in the south of the country. The plans were shelved in the wake of nuclear mishaps at various sites around the globe, but officials have not given up on the idea.
In technological terms, building a nuclear power plant is not considered a complicated mission. The need for such plant stems from forecasts predicting growing demand for electricity in Israel in the coming decade.
