---
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
summary: Special assistant to John Foster Dulles for arms control who quietly investigated
  the French connection to Israel's nuclear program.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Israel
---

Philip J. Farley was an aide to [Christian A. Herter](/people/christian-a-herter/), serving as a special assistant to [John Foster Dulles](/people/john-foster-dulles/) for arms control since 1956. When asked by Herter to approach the French about their involvement with [Israel](/places/israel/)'s nuclear program, Farley knew that a direct approach would be "pointless." He quietly raised the issue with a deputy to the French ambassador and came away convinced that the fears about a French connection were warranted.[^1]

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