Israel, Iran, nuclear weapons and a Shakespearean invitation

Amid all the talk of Iran is aiming to equip itself with nuclear weapons (Report, 14 April), it seems too often ignored that the one Middle East country that indisputably has nuclear weapons is Israel.

The person who, in 1986, produced the conclusive evidence for Israel having these weapons was Mordechai Vanunu. For this "crime" he has suffered 26 years loss of freedom: 18 years in prison – 12 of these in solitary confinement – followed by eight years of being forced to live in Israel against his wishes, under stringent limitations on his freedom of movement, speech and association.

If an Iranian scientist came forward with firm evidence that Iran was secretly equipping itself with nuclear weapons this would be regarded as a brave act worthy of praise not punishment; surely Mordechai's identical action in relation to Israel's nuclear weapons should be regarded in a similar light?

Today, 21 April, is the eighth anniversary of Mordechai's release from prison, when the annual restrictions on his freedom come up for renewal. We call for these restrictions to be lifted and for him to be allowed to leave Israel. We also call for negotiations to be initiated towards achieving a nuclear free Middle East, negotiations which must include Israel's nuclear weapons.

Ben Birnberg, Julie Christie, Bruce Kent 
Campaign for a Nuclear Free Middle East 
Lord Eric Avebury
Steve Bell
Jim Boumelha President, International Federation of Journalists 
Victoria Brittain
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Maggie Hambling
Mike Hancock MP
Jeremy Hardy
Roger Lloyd-Pack
Caroline Lucas MP
Michael Mansfield
Miriam Margolyes
Kika Markham
Michael Randle
Venessa Redgrave
Michael Rosen
Michelle Stanistreet General secretary, NUJ
Alexie Sayle
Mark Swerotka General secretary, PCS union
Benjamin Zephaniah