Kennedy's Stance on Israel's Nuclear Reactor

The other problem Kennedy faced with Israel was

the construction of the atomic reactor at Dimona.

JFK was strongly against any proliferation of nuclear weaponry.

He had been assured by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion that

Dimona was designed for peaceful uses of atomic energy.

In the spring of 1963,

Kennedy demanded full inspections by the U.S. of the Dimona reactor

and threatened to place American aid for Israel in limbo

if no agreement were reached.

And at the time of his assassination,

negotiations were in process for biannual inspections.