Vanunu, a former technician at Israel's Negev Nuclear Research Center, revealed to the media in 1986 that the country was developing nuclear weapons — a revelation that the embattled Middle Eastern nation refuted and continues to deny to this day, in spite of irrefutable evidence and widespread global condemnation, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The whistleblower was branded a traitor and sentenced to 18 years in prison for the revelation.
Vanunu was released in 2004 but was barred from traveling outside of the country. He was also required to seek government approval before speaking to non-Israelis.
In a wide-ranging 2015 television interview, Vanunu detailed his motivation for taking up the reins of a whistleblower, stating that he desired to "inform the citizens of the Middle East, the world, and the State of Israel," about the weapons program. He pointed out "the danger" of Israel having nuclear weapons, as well as keeping it a secret from its own allies and the rest of the world.
After a recent meeting with undisclosed foreigners — a violation of his parole — Vanunu was sentenced by the magistrate court in Jerusalem to two additional months of prison time to be served if, over the course of the next three years, he spoke without permission to anyone who was not an Israeli citizen.
Asserting that the whistleblower has more secrets to reveal, the court also sentenced him to 120 days of community service, according to Jpost.com.
Vanunu has repeatedly asserted that he no longers poses a security risk to Israel, and has declared that he wishes to depart from the country.
In official diplomatic channels, Israel will neither confirm nor deny that it is in possession of nuclear weapons.
