New Israeli submarines can’t be ‘solely for defensive purposes’

The delivery of a fifth Dolphin-class submarine to Israel from Germany is a worrying “ratcheting up” of tensions in the Middle East, according to two leading anti-nuclear campaigners.

The deployment of INS Rahav, allegedly capable of launching cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, to the Israeli navy has set off a number of worrying alarm bells, Jeremy Corbyn, the British MP and deputy head of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament tells RT.

“It’s very hard to see how these submarines that Germany is supplying to Israel can be solely for defensive purposes, because there is no sea-based threat to Israel and Israel needs to get on board with the rest of the region and talk peace and talk about the signature they’ve already given to the Mediterranean weapons of Mass Destruction free zone. The delivery of these submarines is yet one more ratcheting up of the danger.”

He explained that Israel already has the ability to launch nuclear weapons whether on missiles or from bombs on airplanes and these submarines could also be used – if converted – to deliver nuclear weapons.

Corbyn questioned why Germany is paying a very large amount of money to Israel’s defense costs by subsidizing the development and delivery of these submarines.

“One just wonders if this isn’t part of a wider European military involvement in North Africa and the Middle East region. It is a very bad day for the development of a peace process across the Middle East,” said Corbyn.

His thoughts were echoed by Bruce Gagnon, an anti-nuclear campaigner based in Maine in the US. He told RT that he fails to see how the fleet of new German submarines can be only for defensive purposes and believes they are for projecting power across the region and may be part of a larger global strategy to expand NATO.

He also believes that it will be impossible to make any advances on nuclear disarmament when Israel and the US refuse to admit that Israel has nuclear weapons.

“The international community must continue to shine a light on Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons, something they don’t want to talk about, something the US doesn’t want to talk about,” said Gagnon.

As well as Israel flouting international opinion by developing 200 nuclear warheads, responsibility also lies with the officials who run and oversee the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, explained Corbyn.

“The NPT have been very dilatory in their behavior in setting up a nuclear weapons conference for the Middle East,” he said.