Mordechai Vanunu quotes

Mordechai Vanunu is an Israeli former nuclear technician, best known for revealing details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the international press. His disclosures in 1986 brought worldwide attention to Israel's secret nuclear capabilities. He spent many years in prison and remains a controversial figure in debates over nuclear transparency and security. Here are 16 of his quotes:

Five million Jews are regarding me as a traitor, but six billion people around the world think me as a hero and a good man who bring the message to all the human beings that we should survive and prevent the use of nuclear weapons and to prevent the nuclear preparations and to prevent nuclear war in the future.

Mordechai Vanunu

We can just assume they have much more and powerful, more advanced technology, all the new computers, everything could be much more easier and help them to build much more and many more nuclear weapons.

Mordechai Vanunu

I said the kidnapping is a crime. I have the right to speak about the crime done against me. They didn't like me to speak about this crime. So I decided to reveal it to the public.

Mordechai Vanunu

But on the other side I am very glad that I can at least enjoy some freedom.

Mordechai Vanunu

Second point is no one here could predict or know that Israel was involved or started producing the hydrogen bomb - the most advanced and powerful atomic bomb that can kill millions of people.

Mordechai Vanunu

My job was to produce plutonium that was used for atomic bomb.

Mordechai Vanunu

From the sea came a boat with some Israeli commando soldiers who took me by the commando boat to the yacht and put me on the yacht. In the yacht I asked people, who are you. And they said we are Israelis, French and British.

Mordechai Vanunu

I couldn't sleep for two years, they tried to break my nerves. They used a lot of psychology to brainwash.

Mordechai Vanunu

And I also take photos of hydrogen bomb, from another part of the building. It was not part of my job, but I succeeded to go and take photos of the hydrogen bomb.

Mordechai Vanunu

But I am not allowed to speak to foreigners and I am not allowed to leave the country. So I'm not so happy.

Mordechai Vanunu

The main points were: one, the amount of Israel's nuclear weapons, how many Israel had, that no one could predict or know, including the CIA. They were thinking about a number like 10 or 15. But I came out with a number between 150 to 200.

Mordechai Vanunu

I also was producing, working on other materials for the hydrogen bomb. They call it lithium-6 and tritium. I was working on these and the only use for lithium-6 is the hydrogen bomb.

Mordechai Vanunu

So I decided the only place I can speak to the world is from outside Israel.

Mordechai Vanunu

That was my way, and I also use the music after five years, I started hearing opera, opera, it was very good instrument to keep the spirit very strong because you feel like you are yourself singing opera, and I used to hear a lot of opera, they send me tapes.

Mordechai Vanunu