---
born: 1896-07-21
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
died: 1971-09-04
location: Blockton, Iowa
summary: Conservative Republican Senator who accused Israel of lying about its secret
  nuclear reactor at Dimona during a closed 1961 Senate session.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Israel
---

Bourke B. Hickenlooper was a conservative Republican Senator from Iowa. He was also chairman of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. In a closed session of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 6, 1961, he testily interrupted [Christian A. Herter](/people/christian-a-herter/), then Secretary of State, stating, "I think the Israelis have just lied to us like horse thieves on this thing." He accused [Israel](/places/israel/) of consistently distorting, misrepresenting, and falsifying facts regarding their secret nuclear reactor facility at [Dimona](/places/dimona/).[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 6.