Michael Piper and Final Judgment

[Magda Hassan]

This is all supposition on your part Mark. All fantasy. No facts. Not reflected by any known reality. Nor based in the reality of the politics of the region of the day.

Just the opposite. Those around Ben-Gurion said he was driven to such stress by his nuclear negotiations with Kennedy that they were worried about his mental stability and he was forced out of office. Pretty strong influence for what you call a fantasy. Piper says Kennedy's letters to Ben-Gurion are still classified and unavailable to the public.

I don't see how people could try to minimize what was going on here. Kennedy had the power to control Israel's weapons. Israel lied, built false walls in their facilities, and even constructed an entirely new complex just to get around Kennedy's inspectors. Me thinks some people have no idea what was written in Piper's book.

As part of the detente Kennedy was illustrated as practicing in The Unspeakable he tried to keep Israel from developing nuclear weapons and upping the ante in the Middle East. He knew that the current disproportionate imbalance would occur and Israel would become more bold in its actions against the arabs, forcing them to the Soviets and creating a more polarized and heightened conflict.

I'm sorry Magda, but what you write is entirely untrue. Ask Vanunu if it is fantasy.

Yes, Ben Gurion was determined to have his bomb. Stressful indeed. For all concerned. I would have been extremely stressed if I was in the same position determined to get the bomb. It is existential. Détente was with powerful countries like the Soviet Union and China. Israel was a pissant country with a rag tag military surrounded by angry disorganised Arabs. Kennedy's concern was to limit the influence of the Soviets in the region and keep Israel there for western interests. Ultimately he was on Israel's side regardless. No need to kill friends and make un-necessary difficulties for yourself.

As for Vanunu I'm pleased you bring him up. He converted at the Anglican church St John's down the road from me next door to my usual coffee shop. My dear, now departed, friend Roland and his friend the Colombian were on some Work for the Dole job repairing the roof of the church. They were fascinated by this Israeli guy who was there a lot and who had these really interesting photos that some body really ought to do some thing about. Being a junkie and a bit of a scammer Roland was probably looking for a cut of any commissions paid for the story but he also genuinely liked the guy. Together with some others it was arranged that he take the photos to the Fairfax press here who seemed to do fuck all with them. Then the decision to take them to the UK where he might have a better chance of finding some one to take it seriously. I think some contact was made with a British journalist from Sydney. Even if the Herald didn't take him seriously some one did. There were a lot of strange people lurking around in cars and around corners then. So, they were on to him well before he even set foot in the UK. JFK and Mordechai were on the same page morally, spiritually. But Mordechai was a man who was in a position to do much more damage to the military state of Israel than JFK could hope to do. He was an eyewitness to the truth and he was a man of conscience. His expose of the weapons programme could have and should have, according to US law, put an end to all US military aid. Very very serious money in the mid 1980's as it is today. Not as it was in 1963. But they didn't kill Mordechai either. And they could have so much more easily. No one would have even known and no blow back. Cindy could have ditched him over board on that boat they holidayed on. Just like Robert Maxwell. Just another poor swimmer.