The Apollo Affair,

There are few individuals who continue to be as widely discussed as John F. Kennedy. He received both support and criticism during his tenure as president. He was undoubtedly a controversial figure during his era, as he assumed the presidency during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.

Although there is considerable public discourse regarding his assassination and the potential involvement of the CIA in it, there are additional details that are virtually never addressed in the mainstream. These specifics suggest that there were more powerful, and motivated forces that are actively working to remove him from power, regardless of the cost.

The assassination is primarily attributed to either the Soviet Union or the United States in the majority of contemporary conclusions. Although these hypotheses are not entirely implausible, they obscure a number of facts. Kennedy was primarily at conflict with one nation prior to his assassination: Israel.

And it is Israel that now stands out as the proverbial sore thumb in the recently released JFK files. The undercurrents of subversion and espionage run deep in what is arguably one of the most significant assassinations of the 20th Century along with the shooting of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.

DIVIDED ON ISRAEL

Kennedy had caused a commotion both domestically and internationally since assuming office. His supporters were divided on both extremes of the political aisle. He received equal criticism and support from both sides. He was despised by a significant number of individuals on the political left for his continued advocacy of American traditionalism. Those on the right who despised him were displeased with his softer posture on the Soviet Union and his refusal to renounce social justice movements at the time.

However, it is evident that Kennedy's primary concern was to prevent what he believed could result in global tragedy, rather than party politics or ideological disagreements, despite any imperfections. Once the crisis had been averted, any ideological subtleties could be resolved. These objectives, the majority of which were contingent upon a second term in office, included the de-escalation and normalisation of relations with China and the Russians, with the intention of ending the Cold War. It included the dissolution of the CIA, the proper oversight of black projects, and the proper tracking of dark money when it flows from the state into intelligence affairs. It also involved the opting for peace in regions such as Vietnam and the avoidance of direct conflict.

Consequently, he would create three primary adversaries: the intelligence community, which he declared would be absolved of all power, the military industrial complex, which was dependent on conflict in Asia and Cuba, and the Israel lobby.

Four significant issues would result in disunity between the pro-Zionist lobby and JFK prior to his death. The first was funding to Nasser in Egypt, with the apparent objective of resolving the conflict in the region by achieving a balance of power among all regional powers in the Middle East. The second issue was the Palestinians; Kennedy endorsed UN Resolution 194, which aimed to provide the right of return to Palestinians who were exiled from Israel and forced to leave their homes between 1946 and 1948. The subsequent two concerns were more urgent.

Thirdly, Kennedy became aware of the Israeli nuclear program's progress. Kennedy was opposed to Israel's development of nuclear weapons in order to prevent nuclear proliferation. He would frequently urge for fact-finding teams to visit the Dimona nuclear facility in the Negev desert of Israel. This would lead to failure and deception. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, was the final, and potentially the most contentious, issue. Kennedy had advocated for AIPAC's formal recognition as a foreign entity from the outset, registering the organisation with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to restrict its lobbying powers.

The manner in which these issues were resolved may have been the catalyst for Kennedy's assassination, and the evidence suggests that this is the case. Thus, it is worthwhile to examine each of these four issues in greater detail, as well as the peculiar circumstances that preceded Kennedy's visit to Dallas.

FIRST REASON: PALESTINIAN RIGHT OF RETURN

The rights of Palestinians in the state of Israel were the initial significant issue that would separate JFK from the Zionist lobby. This debate, which remains a contentious issue to this day, embracing historical and territorial claims.

The aspiration for a Palestinian right of return was underscored by UN Resolution 194. This was a response to the exile of Palestinian civilians who were residing on the territory between 1946 and 1948. Thousands of Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes, and a significant number of them were murdered. Subsequently, they were evicted from the newly established state of Israel. This event is known as the Nakba in Arabic. In the years preceding the formal establishment of Israel, militia groups such as Irgun were also involved in the execution of such events.

Thus, the right of return was seen by many as a responsible action, allowing those who had been forced off the land to return and integrate into the new nation. Historical discrepancies are frequently the basis for opposition to this plan, which persists to this day. For instance, while some claim that Palestinians are descended from the Aegian Philistines and have therefore always been a part of the land, the more realistic reality is that the majority are Arabs. Consequently, opponents of integration contend that ethnic Jews have a significantly older claim to the region, as Arabs did not appear in the Levant until the 7th century during the Rashidan and Umayyad Caliphate.

Strong opposition therefor exists on both sides, and the concept of a right of return has been vehemently opposed by the more nationalistically or ethnically inclined in Israel since Kennedy's time.

SECOND REASON: NUCLEAR PROGRAM

The next issue was in regard to nuclear weapons. It was widely recognised that the Israeli establishment intended to develop nuclear weapons by the time Kennedy took the presidency. David Ben Gurion, the former Israeli leader, had stated that Israel had to acquire nuclear capabilities, thus establishing a foundation for future events.

The United States had become aware of unusual activities in Israel during the early 1960s. Intelligence agencies had begun tracking activity to and from the Negev desert to a highly classified - and extremely well defended - nuclear plant known as Dimona.

The development of the Dimona plant dates back to the late 1950s. Although there is much history preceding this, in 1956, the Israelis (driven by Ben Gurion’s earlier desire to acquire nuclear weapons for self-defense) approached the French. The Suez crisis was taking place at this point; both the British and French desired the Suez Canal, which the Egyptians had seized and nationalized. They cut a deal of sorts; Israel would go to war with Egypt, in exchange for France building a nuclear reactor. The deal was agreed to, and soon after the French began construction of the Dimona nuclear plant in the Negev desert. The specifics are unclear; however, American intelligence had been aware of this and had alerted outgoing president Eisenhower. But the intel agencies (at least on lower levels) did not know if this nuclear reactor facility was being used for weapons production or not.

Kennedy would learn of the facility in January (late) 1960, just before assuming office. In conversation with Christian Herter of the outgoing administration, he had asked if any nations were pursuing nuclear proliferation; he was told that India and Israel both were. Herter stressed the point to Kennedy, suggesting that he should immediately investigate Israel’s Dimona plant. This news was very troubling to Kennedy, due to his concerns over nuclear weapon proliferation.

However, it had reached critical mass by the time of Kennedy.

Kennedy relentlessly advocated for neutral scientists to visit Israel in order to observe the nuclear reactor, as he was acutely aware of the potential consequences of the development of nuclear weapons. This would be done to confirm what the Israeli nuclear program was up to.

After repeatedly pressing for this, it was finally approved. Nuclear scientists would be permitted to visit the Dimona nuclear facility, which is classified as highly sensitive. However, they would be accompanied by a guide.

Nevertheless, the excursion would be rendered unsuccessful by a series of unusual occurrences. An agreement had been reached prior to the scientists' arrival; none of the scientists would be permitted to observe the reactor in its entirety. Upon their arrival, the scientists discovered that the control room they were being guided through was wholly fabricated. It had been constructed in the weeks preceding their arrival. Although everything appeared to be genuine, it was not. The neutrality of the individuals who were dispatched on this fact-finding mission limited their ability to do more than relay their observations.

The revelations of what was occurring eventually reached Kennedy himself, who was reported to have said “those sons of bitches lie to me constantly about their nuclear capabilities”.

The region would be completely destabilised by the addition of nuclear weapons, which would either be met with competing nuclear programs in neighbouring Arab states or would result in one nation wielding significant power over others. Kennedy's concerns regarding nuclear proliferation were evident.

THIRD REASON: AID TO EGYPT

Aid to Egypt, the third significant issue, was also controversial for similar reasons.

Kennedy's reasoning behind a loan to Nasser in Egypt remains a bit unclear. Some have speculated that this was done to exert geopolitical pressure on Israel in response to the nuclear disagreements, while others believe that it was done to restore a power balance in the Middle East. This theory assumes that the probability of conflict will decrease by balancing the power of rival nations, as neither nation can guarantee victory. This theory is somewhat more credible.

FOURTH REASON: AIPAC

The consequences of the fourth reason are likely to surpass those of the others. JFK was deeply committed to the registration of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as a foreign entity during his presidency, likely as a consequence of the previous three disputes. This would be accomplished by mandating that AIPAC register with FARA (The Foreign Agents Registration Act).

This would not be inconsequential. As a foreign registered entity, AIPAC would be unable to donate to political parties or candidates, thus limiting their ability to lobby in American politics.

The reason this was so controversial was simple; if American aid was jeopardised, then Israels existence in the Middle East would be under threat. To the Israeli public, such concern may have included surprise attacks from neighbouring Arab states. However, as Kennedy himself had hoped, peace may have been viable in the Middle East, if only negotiations were mediated, and territorial claims were settled diplomatically.

Part of the Zionist opposition to this may have included fears about limitations on expansionism. Such regional goals would later be explicitly outlined in the 1982 Yinon plan, in the rhetoric of Ariel Sharon, and most infamously in the 1996 Clean Break report, commissioned by the Likud party. The doctrine that arose from this was founded on the premise, which was systematically fed to the Israeli public, that the only way to ensure global peace was to eliminate all nearby adversaries, particularly those who might develop nuclear weapons. This report would call for the destabilisation of Syria through proxy warfare with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the forming of alliances with Turkey and Jordan, and the deposing of Hussein in Iraq.

Much of the report was written in marketable language, focussing on alleged Western ideals, mutually beneficial collaboration with the United States, and so on, and so appeared to be designed to appeal to the civilian populace. In truth, the report drew criticism from the American public as well as many Israelis who opposed the Likud party's alleged expansionist policies.

OTHER DETAILS

JFKs fateful trip to Dallas Texas was partially a result of an invitation given him by the Dallas Citizens Council, which at the time was directed by Julius Schepps. Schepps happened to be a member of the B’nai B’rith - somewhat of a precursor to the ADL - and associated with AIPAC. Interestingly, Abraham Zapruder - the man responsible for the infamous footage of JFKs final moments - which also happens to be some of the only footage released to the public, was also a member of the local B’nai B’rith. Perhaps this is coincidence.

The building some forensics studies have identified as the most likely location for a shooter was the Dallas Textiles building. Zapruder supposedly worked here. This building was owned by David Weisblat - who was considered a major financial backer of the ADL - and Douglas Jaffe - who was considered one of the biggest individual donors of Lyndon B Johnson. Again, perhaps mere coincidences.

A man by the name of Sam Bloom chaired the host committee that invited JFK to the city. Bloom was an influential individual, and according to the Dallas police it was he who pushed for them to transfer accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald from the Dallas police station where he was being held, to the County Jail. As we know, it was during this fateful trip that Oswald was assassinated point blank by gangster Jack Ruby.

Jack Rubenstein’s involvement in this was also troubling. For almost an entire year leading up to the event, Rubenstein had frequently attended Synagogue at the Congregation Shearith Israel, located in Dallas. Heading the congregation was Rabbi Hillel Silverman, who developed a close friendship with Rubenstein during this time. Notably, Silverman was also head of the Southwest divines of the Zionist Organisation of America, a group not too dissimilar to AIPAC, and indeed one interested in continued American funding to Israel.

Interestingly, Ruby’s defence lawyer William Kunstler claimed that he had been given a note by Ruby saying that he did it to “protect American Jews from a pogrom that could occur because of anger over the assassination”. He also claimed that on multiple occasions Ruby had told him that he had done this “for the Jews of America”, similar rhetoric used by AIPAC. Did Ruby actually say this, or was the defence lawyer sensationalising? According to his sister, whilst in prison Ruby had supposedly told Silverman that he “did it for the Jewish people”.

Interestingly, Hillel Silverman, Jack Ruby’s rabbi in Dallas, would later be granted the Israeli Medal of Honour for his ‘distinguished service to Israel’. This award was granted by then-prime minister Menachem Begin, who decades earlier had helped run the highly controversial Irgun, a Zionist terrorist militia responsible for such acts as the King David Hotel bombings - in which dozens of British soldiers were killed - as well as a variety of other poorly documented attacks on Palestinians.

Even if all these details were coincidental, there were powerful individuals who wanted Kennedy gone, and Lyndon B Johnson in power. However, it is unlikely the CIA are going to be completely transparent about the details of Kennedy’s assassination, even in light of the recent JFK documents released to the public.

What seems to be obvious is that Lee Harvey Oswald made for the perfect patsy. Unlike many others involved in the events of the day, Oswald had no direct tie to Israel. He did however have an affinity for Russia and communism, as well as having ties to the US intelligence community, and it is these connections which often result in conspiracy theories implicating the US government or Soviet Union as the masterminds and reasons behind the assassination. In hindsight, there can be no doubt that elements in the CIA were deeply involved in the plot to eliminate Kennedy, but it is now obvious that other more powerful players with their own agendas were prime movers in this scenario. But what if that was the entire reason Oswald was chosen? Oswald said it himself, “I’m just a patsy”. A distraction, a redirect of suspicions towards Russia and away from the Israel lobby, non-government intelligence community, and military industrial complex.

Such forces had attempted to sway Kennedy from the start, beginning even before he officially ran for office. Powerful mobsters such as Sam Giancana - an associate of Lucky Luciano - attempted to aid Kennedy in his ascension to office, as did Abraham Feinberg - an early funder of AIPAC - who offered to back Kennedy financially if he and his associates were allowed to oversee Kennedy’s Middle East policy, which they would write themselves. Kennedy was reportedly angered over this, complaining to his family the following day that he had no idea this was allowed in politics. It is worth noting that Feinberg would act as a mediator between Kennedy and Ben Gurion during Kennedy’s attempts to send investigators to the Dimona site, with Ben Gurion and Feinberg meeting in New York on May 31^st, 1961.

APOLLO AFFAIR

Two years after the assassination of JFK, the Apollo affair would take place. This strange incident - rarely discussed today - was initially reported to the FBI after 195 pounds of weapons grade enriched uranium went missing from the Apollo nuclear plant in Pittsburgh. The FBI believed that the president of NUMEC (Nuclear Materials and Equipment Construction) Zalman Shapiro may have been behind it.

NUMEC had an important job working with weapons-grade Uranium-235. The company was established in the mid 50s by Shapiro and his associate David Lowenthal who provided funding for the project. Shapiro was a hardcore Zionist. He also had business dealings with powerful high-ranking officials in Israel, including a deal to produce nuclear reactors in the country.

By December 1965, the total of missing uranium had reached 382 pounds and by 1967 it had reached 570 pounds, an incredible amount, far more than any other leak in US history at a nuclear plant, and enough to make many nuclear weapons. Despite being by far the biggest nuclear materials discrepancy, it received little attention internationally.

To account for the missing material the Atomic Energy Commission offered absurd explanations to the FBI. In one case, they claimed that most of the unaccounted material was simply lost to entropic processes, such as normal plant operations, and other standard processes. These ridiculous explanations were highlighted by George Murphy Jr - executive director and investigator for the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy - who said this was impossible.

Investigations would be rather ineffective for almost ten years. During this time, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission also began investigating NUMEC, noting how the unaccounted uranium would have cost the company $2.2 million. A fact that made no sense whatsoever – this was more than the start-up capital for the company, four times the company’s research and development budget, and ten times the company’s net income in 1965. The loss was inexplicable both technically and financially.

A significant piece of the puzzle came from former CIA officer John Hadden, who was a former station chief in Tel Aviv during the 1960s. He said that the agency believed Israel was behind it, but they couldn’t follow the money trail. They did - according to Hadden - come to the unofficial conclusion that the project was in some part being bankrolled by NUMEC co-founder David Lowenthal (who was also known to the FBI for suspicious activities). Despite being American, he had travelled to Israel to fight in a militia in 1956, and from then onward would travel to Israel at least once a month, maintaining contact with several prominent officials. He was photographed shaking hands with Israeli prime minister Ben Gurion and defence minister Moshe Dayan during one trip.

In 1976 the CIA briefed the White House that they believed uranium was being sent to Israel by Shapiro. However, once again investigations were stalled, this time by Attorney General Edward H Levi, who claimed that federal agents had not properly reported a felony and were thus committing a crime by investigating Shapiro. Levi was, rather interestingly, also a member of the B’nai B’rith and the ADL, both associated with AIPAC. Nevertheless, the CIA had confirmed what everyone had secretly been thinking - that Israel was building nuclear weapons using material from NUMEC.

The CIA had access to far more information than any FBI investigators and were likely many steps ahead. Documents from the 1976 meetings reveal that CIA director Helms had been shown CIA documents confirming Israeli nuclear capabilities, and that Helms had personally taken these to Johnson. Helms recalls that Johnson seemed concerned, and told Helms not to tell anyone else, even secretary of state Dean Rusk and secretary of Defence McNamara. Johnson never told anyone. Strange, given that he was successor to Kennedy, and that Kennedy had highlighted the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

That same year, Carl Duckett - the CIA’s nuclear expert who had compiled the original report given to Helms and later Johnson - let it slip to the press that Israel could have 20 nuclear weapons ready for immediate deployment if need be. Clearly, Duckett was motivated by the strange political silence on such a dangerous geopolitical situation.

On September 22^nd, 1979, a US Vela satellite (designed to monitor for the distinct double-flash of nuclear detonations to help enforce Nuclear Non-proliferation agreements) picked up one such double-flash in the Indian ocean. This suggested what some in the intel agencies had believed for some time - that Israel was working with South Africa to develop and test new nuclear weapons. Interestingly, rather than report on this incident and confront those responsible, the Carter administration - who was trying to negotiate peace deals in the Middle East - came up with absurd explanations, claiming that two particles had flown in front of the Velas sensor, exactly mimicking the double-flash of a nuclear weapon. Few believed this fabrication, but many understood why such an explanation was given, because it hid an inconvenient truth.

On March 21^st, 1980, in Pittsburgh, FBI agents interviewed a former employee of the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corporation. The still unnamed individual had worked at the Apollo facility during the same period as Zalman Shapiro, shortly after the Kennedy assassination.

While he was being interviewed, he recounted some disturbing details. He recalled that - while working overtime one evening in the summer of 1965 - he had gone out to the loading dock of the Apollo facility. Here, he saw a strange truck backed into the dock, with strange equipment on board. Pacing around the truck was Zalman Shapiro, along with other individuals who the interviewee knew (whose names have been redacted). They were loading what he called ‘stove pipes’ into the truck, a term used to refer to the special cannisters designed to carry highly enriched uranium. He recalled one other unnamed individual read off a clipboard, detailing that the cans contained material to be transported by ship to Israel, before another individual jumped in and said that this was a confidential order.

The interviewee recalls that an armed guard saw him and escorted him off the premises, and the next day he was questioned and threatened by his superiors about what he had seen. He told the FBI that for years he was unable to share this information, given he had a family to support, and that after the debrief by his superiors, he received a similar threat from the personal manager to his union steward, and later had men claiming to be from his union show up at his house and harass him. This strange sequence of events confirmed FBI suspicions.

ZALMAN SHAPIRO

Zalman Shapiro was not an insignificant individual. In fact, since stepping into his position at the Apollo facility, he would be the subject of over 50 FBI reports, the majority of which were classified. This ramped up in 1968, when the FBI noted that he was most likely connected with the Israeli Government, and that his position overseeing enriched Uranium-235 made him a valuable asset. After direct wiretapping and monitoring beginning in November 1968, the FBI noted that he was in contact with an individual named Avraham Hermoni, who was the Israeli Embassy’s Scientific Counsellor. He was also noted as being in contact with multiple redacted individuals in Israel Internal Security, and Israeli military intelligence.

To add to this troubling information, they also found that Shapiro was far from an American patriot. In fact, they reported that he was considering moving permanently to Israel and was even considering fighting for them. They noted his connection - along with others who remained unnamed working alongside him - as being tied to the Israel lobby.

Ironically in 1984 he would himself admit this in an oral history recording, in which he explicitly said “I am working for the ZOA, I work for the Federation, I’m also an officer of the American Technion Society, I’m a director of Hillel, I work for the ADL and I work for…”

In fact, Shapiro was deemed such a threat that he was placed on the FBIs ‘Security Index’, a list of individuals who would be arrested without warrant in the case of war.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Then, in 1985, there were further revelations; a US Navy intelligence employee by the name of Jonathan Pollard was exposed as an Israeli spy. Working in the Naval Antiterrorist Alert Center in Washington, Pollard had been stealing countless state secrets and handing them to an organisation known as Lekem, or the Bureau of Scientific Relations. A second agent was also exposed - US aerospace engineer Richard Kelly Smyth - who had been caught smuggling over 800 kryton switches to Lekem. These switches were used in the production of nuclear weapons.

In 1986, as investigations continued, several things were revealed; namely that the Bureau of Scientific Relations (or Lekem), was a Zionist front organisation for an intelligence operation aimed at collecting scientific and technical data from abroad. One of their primary goals was to gather information for the Israeli nuclear program.

This stirred up further interest in the Apollo affair, since the head of Lekem had been Rafi Eitan. Eitan was initially thought to be a politician, and had in the past visited the Apollo plant. Now exposed as a spy it became obvious that his visits to the Apollo plant were part of an espionage operation.

In an interesting twist, the Israeli company to which the kryton switches were sent - known as Heli-Trading Ltd. - was owned by movie producer and former Lekem operative Arnon Milchan, who produced Oliver Stone’s 1991 film JFK.

JAMES ANGLETON

A private hearing during the infamous 1975 Church Committee would reveal damning evidence against certain elements in the CIA. Of all details noted thus far, this particular Church Committee hearing has only recently been disclosed as of March 2025, and was kept highly classified for fifty years, with only some details emerging in 2022.

The closed door hearing concerned James Angleton, a powerful member of the intelligence community. Angleton had been a member of the OSS during World War 2, and returned to Washington after the war, acting as one of the founding members of the Central Intelligence Agency.

During the closed-door hearing, Angleton revealed that he had two separate responsibilities at the CIA. According to the semi-redacted 2022 documents of the hearing, Angleton noted that he was first and foremost Counterintelligence Chief, but also had a second role. That role was redacted, yet later in the same document a redaction was missed. It revealed that his second role involved working closely with Israeli intelligence, which he calls the 'Israeli account'.

In the very recent March 2025 release of documents relating to the JFK assassination, further information has been cleared for declassification. It reveals that Angleton’s job on the so called 'Israeli account' included the transfer of data and knowledge between the US and Israeli intelligence community. Angleton would admit that he provided technical assistance, and when pressed as to whether he helped provide fissile material to the Israeli's, he asks to go 'off the record'.

The documents reveal several important details, with many more likely hidden in the tens of thousands of recently released pages. Firstly, this relationship between the CIA and Israeli intelligence had been established under Angleton in 1951. Secondly, on July 27, 1962, CIA agent James McCord - who would later be implicated in the 1972 Watergate burglary - was granted 'Q' clearance with the Department of Energy, giving him complete access to classified or top-secret data relating to nuclear weapon design and operation. Thirdly, under Angleton, McCord had worked lengthy overseas jobs that required - according to Angleton himself - the guarantee of 'no leakage' regarding details. Fourth, that the 'Israeli Account' was momentarily handed over to William King Harvey, the CIA agent responsible for formulating of Operation Mongoose, an infamous false flag plan involving domestic terrorism in the US, which Kennedy vehemently opposed, as well as a lesser-known plot referred to as ZR/RIFLE. This Israeli account was used to assist with the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Finally, it was revealed that Angleton most likely transferred technologies and data through intermediaries, including journalists, one possibly being New York Times correspondent Tad Szulc. He had met with Israeli official Ben Wells to discuss Plutonium, and later documents reveal that plutonium was the fissile material believed to be used by the Israelis in their nuclear program.

In 1987, an Israeli memorial would be unveiled in Jerusalem, in honour of James Angleton. According to a Washington Post Article dated December 4, 1987, "The most powerful members of the Israeli intelligence establishment past and present came together in clandestine conclave on a barren hillside last week - to plant a tree."

"The head of the pathologically secretive spy agency, the Mossad, was there, as was his counterpart with Shin Bet, the Israeli internal security service. Five former heads of those agencies and three former military intelligence chiefs were also present. Their mission: to pay final tribute to a beloved member of their covert fraternity - the late CIA chief of counterintelligence, James Jesus Angleton."

"Following the planting, the group gathered again in Jerusalem behind the King David Hotel at a scenic spot not far from the walls of the Old City that Angleton often visited on his trips here. There they dedicated a memorial stone that read, in English, Hebrew and Arabic: "In memory of a dear friend, James (Jim) Angleton" but that gave no indication of who Angleton was or what he did."

Angleton did publicly help relations between the CIA, Mossad, and Shin Bet, and likely had many friends on both sides. Thus, it is possible that this was merely an event to pay respects, however given what is coming to light, it is possible that this friendship went far deeper than anyone had assumed.

KENNEDY WAS RIGHT

Kennedy’s fears about the nuclear program were not unfounded. In 1986, Mordechai Vanunu - a technician at Dimona - escaped to the UK, bringing many details with him. He revealed that at the time of him leaving, the Israeli government had possession of 20 hydrogen bombs, and 200 fission bombs. He also detailed what each building in the facility did. Some thought he may have been lying, but in 2004, he was lured to Italy by Cheryl Ben Tov - a supposed American real estate agent - who turned out to be a spy. Several Mossad agents captured him, placed him in a freighter, and sent him back to Israel, where he faced trial and was subsequently sent to prison on espionage charges.

To substantiate Kennedy’s fears, the Israeli nuclear weapons program had indeed bought the world to the brink of nuclear war at one point. On the night of October 9^th, 1973, as Arab forces pushed forward during the Yom Kippur War, Moshe Dayan solemnly said to prime minister Golda Meir that “this is the end of the third temple”. Meir then gave the order to activate nuclear weapons. They were assembled and quickly rushed to air bases where they would be fitted to jets and dropped across the Middle East. The Arab forces were repelled, and the nukes were stood down for the time being.

This was not rhetoric or fear mongering. It was such a critical situation that President Nixon and Henry Kissinger had received word from Moscow that the Soviets were planning to take unilateral military action with the US to stop Israel.

There can be little doubt today that Kennedy did his best to stand in the way of Israel’s nuclear weapons program. In 2015, the Jerusalem Post wrote openly that the role of Rafi Eitan had been to divert nuclear materials from the Apollo facility.

CONCLUSION

Kennedy may not have been the perfect president, but he was highly motivated to bring about a better America, and a better world. After a series of blunders in Cuba and South America which failed to stop communism, it seems that his focus moved to end any tensions between East and West.

If he had lived, he had planned to build better relations with the Soviets and China, in a bid to put aside ideological differences and end the Cold War. Was this possible? Perhaps, although - as Nixon would find out a decade later - attempts to better relations with Eastern Bloc countries would result in serious backlash from certain powerful Washington elite.

As for Kennedy’s assassination we will likely never know the full story. Perhaps the details we have just explored are all coincidences. It does seem clear, however, that three major groups - the CIA, the lobbyists, and select military contractors – wanted JFK out of their way.