USA reached understandings with Israel, Syria and the IAEA on neutralizing a secret nuclear site
American officials say that at a facility from the Assad regime era, known as "Site 99", nuclear materials were stored from which a "dirty bomb" could be prepared. Israel threatened to bomb the facility if the nuclear material was not removed. The IAEA will soon begin removing the material from the country.
The Trump administration has reached secret understandings with Israel and Syria under which the IAEA is expected to soon remove nuclear material stored at a secret site in Syria, American and Israeli officials said.
Why it matters
The Trump administration and the IAEA rushed to formulate a diplomatic agreement that would ensure the security of the nuclear material and prevent escalation between Israel, Syria and perhaps even Turkey around the sensitive site. American officials claim that the affair proves the effectiveness of President Trump's approach toward Syria, and illustrates how the United States utilized its close relations with the new Syrian government to neutralize a potential crisis. The exchange of threats and the diplomatic efforts that took place behind the scenes around the secret site — and continued for months until they led to an agreement a few weeks ago — were kept secret and have not been published until now.
Reminder
The Assad regime developed a secret nuclear program centered on the secret reactor in Al-Kibar. After Israel bombed the reactor in 2007, most of the Syrian nuclear program was destroyed. However, several research, development and storage sites remained, most of which were inactive. After the fall of the Assad regime, the IAEA signed an agreement with the new Syrian government, which allowed it to visit the reactor in Al-Kibar and several other sites related to Syria's past nuclear activity. Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said that the new Syrian government is interested in resolving sensitive issues inherited from the Assad regime — including nuclear and chemical weapons files — that could harm its efforts to rehabilitate the country's international status.
Behind the scenes
One of the secret facilities that Israel has been monitoring closely for the past two years is known as Site 99. According to two Israeli sources, the Assad regime stored nuclear material there that was part of the Al-Kibar reactor project. An American official said that among other things, it involves Yellowcake — a powder produced from uranium ore, which can be used at a later stage in the uranium enrichment process as part of the nuclear fuel cycle. According to that source, the Assad regime also stored at the site remnants and other nuclear materials left over from the Al-Kibar project.
Although the material found at the site cannot be used to produce standard nuclear weapons, it can be used to produce a dirty bomb — a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material to contaminate an area, rather than to create a nuclear explosion. The Israeli sources said that shortly after the fall of the Assad regime, the IDF bombed the entrances to the site to prevent access to it.
Focus
An American official said that for more than a year, Israel and the United States discussed the best ways to handle Site 99. Officials from the National Security Council at the White House and their counterpart in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office worked in close cooperation on the issue. According to an Israeli source, Israel made it clear to the Trump administration that it would not agree to leave the nuclear material at the site. Israeli sources said that Israel even threatened to bomb the site again if the material was not removed from it, or if signs appeared that Syria was trying to reach it. An American official claimed that despite the Israeli concerns, Israel was never on the verge of an immediate attack on the site. Ultimately, said that American official, the United States and Israel concluded that the best way is to obtain the Syrian government's consent to remove the material.
When the Trump administration raised the issue with the Syrian government, Syrian officials said they did not know at all that nuclear material was stored at the site. Very few people in the United States, in Israel and in Syria knew about this, said an American official. That source added that the United States built a good relationship with the new Syrian regime. "When we work with the Syrians on such issues — they are good partners," said the American official.
Behind the scenes
A few weeks ago, Israel, which was monitoring the site, identified movement in the area that aroused its suspicion that the new Syrian government was backtracking on the understandings and trying to reach the nuclear material, said Israeli and American sources. In Israel, there was even a concern that Turkey was assisting the Syrian government to gain access to the nuclear material. "The Israelis are always 'kicking the tires' and making sure everything is okay. It's good that they do that," said an American official. The Trump administration asked Israel not to take any military action and brought the IAEA into the picture. The result was an agreement, signed three weeks ago between the IAEA and the Syrian government, to remove the nuclear material from the site. The White House, the IAEA and the Prime Minister's Office refused to comment.
What to watch for
American officials say that the work around Site 99 is still ongoing. The nuclear material has not yet been removed from the facility, but the process is expected to begin soon. "We think everyone is happy with the result. We hope we can start the removal process soon and complete it before the end of the year," said the American official.
