“I assumed from the very beginning that the submarines were supposed to be nuclear-capable”
There has been a media storm in Israel over the past weeks, after publications about an ostensibly inappropriate connection that Prime Minister Netayahu’s private attorney, David Shimron, had with the gigantic deal between Israel and Germany for the construction of submarines for the Israeli Navy.
Why does Israel have to invest such vast sums to buy three more submarines, in addition to the six it has already purchased? What is the big secret behind this huge military expenditure?
An investigative report in Der Spiegel, in which I had the honor of participating, in 2012 bared what went on behind the scenes in Israel’s relation with Germany and led to the submarine deal that enabled Israel to position a nuclear arsenal far out at sea.
The report, in which officials, officers and politicians from both countries spoke for the first time on the matter elicited many responses at the time and was one of the final short list of three candidates for the Henry Nanen Prize, Germany’s Pulitzer (Picture above is Holger Stark, head of investigative team at Der Spiegel and myself aboard one of the subs).
Here’s the English version:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/israel-deploys-nuclear-weapons-on-german-built-submarines-a-836784.html
Image Credits: Der Spiegel