The two faces of the Israeli nuclear policy

Abstract

In Israel, there is a struggle between those who support a policy of confrontation or nuclear balance and those who support a policy of reconciliation and regional integration. The former are struggling for agreements based on the traditional principles of deterrence while the latter seek peace agreements intended to create a Middle East free of unconventional weapons.
For both policies, Iran’s nuclear program is a key issue. this confrontation transgresses the classical distinctions between political parties and ideologies of the right and the left. Theere are operative accords between supporters of opposite ideologies and disputes between supporters of the same ideology. though I will refer exclusively to Israeli policy, it is almost obvious that in this context each faction has its operative “allies” across the national borders, actually even inside Iran. I will confine myself to the analysis of the struggle around the idea of deterrence and the analysis of the argumentative principles leading the two factions, formulating my own interpretive strategy.
The goal of this essay is to provide a better understanding of the undercurrents that determine Israeli politics.