As with all types of power, these weapons are most useful when not used. Their presence guarantees Israel will exist. That's their only use. Detonation is not a good use for them.

If Israel ever used one, I'm afraid it would be over for her in the long run. As time goes on, it will become harder and harder to keep the nuclear genie in the bottle. For example, who knows what Pakistan will look like in 10 years, and Pakistan has nukes. In a future conflict there would be nothing to prevent nukes from being used against her.

But in an act of genius, though it seems incredible, Israel's religious right-wing has hijacked American foreign policy, including the "war on terrorism" with their settlements. (The recent "peace" offer that Arafat rejected left the settlements in place, by the way.)

They can also be dumber than I thought. I doubt if they thought about the loss of respect in some areas of the world, hate in others, they have created by their treatment of Palestinians. If they could completely take over Palestine and treat it the way Japan and Germany were treated after WWII it would be one thing. To do what they've done is bound to be counter-productive in the longer run.

I'm hoping the US isn't still tangled up with them if they decide to use nukes. In some circles, Israel is very close to being regarded as a "rogue" nation with WMDs.

Arf