In 1976, as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin hosted South Africa’s Prime Minister John Vorster at Jerusalem’s Holocaust memorial, a far more significant partnership was taking shape behind closed doors. The two nations had already begun a clandestine nuclear collaboration that would reshape the military landscape of the twentieth century.

Recently declassified documents reveal the extent of this secret nuclear alliance between Israel and apartheid South Africa. At its core was a simple exchange: Israeli technical expertise for South African uranium and testing grounds. A 1975 security agreement, whose terms remained classified for two decades, formalized their nuclear partnership.

“They assisted us to develop all kinds of technology because they had a lot of money,” revealed Alon Liel, a former Israeli official. “When we were developing things together, we usually gave the know-how, and they gave the money.” This collaboration intensified as both nations sought to advance their nuclear capabilities while evading international oversight.

The partnership was built on what journalist Sasha Polakow-Suransky termed an “ideology of minority survivalism.” Both nations viewed themselves as outposts of European civilization under threat, a perspective that justified their controversial alliance. The South African government explicitly declared that “Israel and South Africa have one thing above all else in common: they are both situated in a predominantly hostile world inhabited by dark peoples.”

Reports indicate that Israel conducted nuclear tests in the Indian Ocean in 1979 with South African assistance. In 1975, Israel allegedly attempted to sell nuclear warheads to South Africa, though the deal ultimately fell through. These activities remained hidden from the United States, despite its close relationship with Israel.

The collaboration openly defied international sanctions. When the United Nations imposed an arms embargo on South Africa, Israel maintained its support while publicly claiming compliance. By the 1980s, Israel had become South Africa’s primary arms supplier.

Today, Israel maintains its policy of nuclear ambiguity, refusing International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of its Dimona facility and declining to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. President Biden recently assured Israeli leadership that the United States would not pressure Israel to join the NPT.

This historical partnership exemplifies how strategic interests and ideological alignment can override international norms and human rights considerations. As nations continue to grapple with nuclear proliferation and oversight, the lessons of this clandestine alliance remain relevant to contemporary discussions about global security and the moral dimensions of international partnerships.