ISRAEL – The Israel nuclear research center – Weizmann Institute of Science – which spearheads Israeli nuclear development as well as key Israeli military projects was damaged after an Iranian attack, destroying the labs. Israel’s official stance is to deny possessing nuclear weapons capabilities.
Founded in 1934, the Weizmann Institute of Science is named after Chaim Weizmann, one of the leading figures of the Zionist movement, who was also the founder of the institute and Israel’s first president.
Described by the Israeli press as the country’s “technological backbone” and “strategic base,” the institute is known for its research in fundamental sciences such as physics, chemistry, and biology.
In the work of many organizations, such as the US-based Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control and the Institute for Middle East Policy Studies, the Weizmann Institute is associated with the nuclear research center located near Dimona in the Negev Desert.
Israeli scientist Ernst David Bergmann is recognized as the “father of Israel’s nuclear program.”
In a 2014 joint study by the University of Cincinnati in the US and Tel Aviv University in Israel, Bergmann’s influence on Israel’s policies was evaluated as a mentor to the institute’s fundamental research.
According to the study, Bergmann, who was the first chairman of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission in 1952, emphasized the importance of training Israeli scientists with a background in nuclear physics as the foundation for Israel’s steps toward developing nuclear weapons.
Bergmann, who was also one of the founders of the nuclear research center in Dimona, utilized the research infrastructure and human resources at the Weizmann Institute to launch and develop the country’s nuclear program.
Bergmann became interested in this issue after the US government of the time published the Smyth Report on atomic bombs, and in this context, he reached an agreement with former President Weizmann to send institute personnel to France and Sweden to receive training in nuclear chemistry.
Thanks to the intensive efforts of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), in 1994 the US administration approved the sale of a total of nine supercomputers to industries related to nuclear and missile programs, including the Technion University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, as well as the Weizmann Institute.
According to information on the Weizmann Institute’s official website, the institution is Israel’s most important scientific research facility.
The institute plays an important role in advanced weapons and military technology research and development.
The institute’s strategic value lies in its cutting-edge military research and development work.
The Weizmann Institute of Science collaborates with leading companies such as the Israeli army and the Israel-based defense company Elbit Systems on advanced technology development.
The institute also contributes to the development of Israel’s drone technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.