Israel’s Secret Suicidal Nuclear Policy
The Samson Option
Israel has long maintained a position of nuclear ambiguity. While most experts agree that Israel does indeed possess nuclear weapons, that fact has never officially been made public. Estimates say that Israel likely maintains anywhere from 50 to 500 nuclear warheads. Part of Israel’s strategy has been to keep their enemies confused about the actual number of warheads in their possession. This calculus is imperative when deciding on a comprehensive nuclear policy. For example, if Iran ever gets a nuclear weapon, it will have to account for the number of Israeli nukes before crafting a strategy. It would do little good to launch two nukes at Israel if they are capable of firing 400 back.
Another interesting component of Israel’s nuclear policy is rumored to be the Samson Option. The policy, named for the biblical judge Samson, calls for a self-inflicted nuclear holocaust in order to deny any enemy access to their territory.
The Samson Option calls for an all out nuclear strike on Israel itself in the chance that the country becomes completely overrun by enemy armies. The policy was likely crafted during the Cold War when the idea of hundreds of Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian tanks pouring into the country and overrunning the hinterlands was a constant fear. In the event that hundreds of tanks…
