Sharon Says Preventive War Necessary if Egypt Develops Atomic Weapons

A Yom Kippur War hero said last night that Israel would have to launch war against Egypt if that country began to develop nuclear weapons, Gen. (Ret.) Ariel Sharon, whose division in Sinai smashed through Egyptian lines to establish an Israeli bridgehead on the west bank of the Suez Canal last Oct., told the graduating class at the Haifa Technion that Israel would have no choice but to wage preventive war if Egypt, within a few years, is on the verge of producing atomic weapons. This would not be necessary had the Americans not agreed to provide Egypt with a nuclear reactor, said Sharon, a Likud MK.

He said that to the best of his knowledge, no other nation had offered Egypt a nuclear reactor. He conceded that in the long run it was not possible to keep Egypt from acquiring nuclear know how, but any delay would be to the benefit of Israel.