Israeli relations with apartheid South Africa

Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi wrote in 1988 that the alliance between South Africa and Israel has been one of the most underreported news stories of the past four decades and that Israel played a crucial role in the survival of the apartheid regime.[14] Israel's collaboration with Apartheid South Africa has been mentioned and condemned by various international organizations like the UN General assembly (several times since 1974).

U.S. Intelligence believed that Israel participated in South African nuclear research projects and supplied advanced non-nuclear weapons technology to South Africa during the 1970s, while South Africa was developing its own atomic bombs.[16][17] According to David Albright, "Faced with sanctions, South Africa began to organize clandestine procurement networks in Europe and the United States, and it began a long, secret collaboration with Israel." He goes on to say "A common question is whether Israel provided South Africa with weapons design assistance, although available evidence argues against significant cooperation."

Chris McGreal has written that "Israel provided expertise and technology that was central to South Africa's development of its nuclear bombs".[6] In 2000, Dieter Gerhardt, Soviet spy and former commander in the South African Navy, stated that Israel agreed in 1974 to arm eight Jericho II missiles with "special warheads" for South Africa.

In 2010, The Guardian released South African government documents that it alleged revealed an Israeli offer to sell Apartheid South Africa nuclear weapons.[20][21] Israel categorically denied these allegations and said that the documents were minutes from a meeting which did not indicate any offer for a sale of nuclear weapons.