Israeli soldiers denied entry to nuclear site due to Arab heritage

Three Israeli soldiers of Druze-Arab heritage were denied access to the Dimona nuclear site when their unit was posted there on guard duty. The officer and two men were “humiliated” in the incident several weeks ago, reported Yedioth Ahronoth.

“When the soldiers arrived to the centre,” claimed the newspaper, “they were asked to surrender their identity cards to the guards.” Upon inspecting their IDs the three Druze soldiers were duly denied entry to the site and when they asked why they were told that it was by order of the site management. “The soldiers tried to speak to the Centre’s chief security officer,” said Yedioth Ahronoth, “but he refused to listen to them.” However, half an hour later, while the soldiers waited outside, they were allowed onto the site.

The newspaper explained that an army investigation into the incident confirmed the validity of the soldiers’ allegations about the incident. An army spokesman justified what happened: “The private company which guards the centre prevented their entry initially because of the instructions its personnel have been given.”