(IsraelNN.com) Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has publicly acknowledged that Israel has nuclear weapons. In an appearance at a British literary festival Sunday, Carter was asked about Western efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program.

"The U.S. has more than 12,000 nuclear weapons, the Soviet Union has about the same, Great Britain and France have several hundred, and Israel has 150 or more," he told the audience.

The comments caused consternation in Israel, which traditionally believes the best deterrence is achieved by a policy of deliberate fuzziness on the claims regarding a nuclear arsenal.

Zeevi-Farkash: Carter "offended."
According to JTA, Jerusalem officials, who largely shunned Carter during his recent visit to Israel, declined comment on his new statements.

Aharon Zeevi-Farkash, former chief of Israel's military intelligence, suggested Carter may have spoken in response to feeling "offended" at being snubbed by the Olmert government.

"The problem is that there are those who can use these statements when it comes to discussing the international effort to prevent Iran getting nuclear weapons," Zeevi-Farkash told Voice of Israel Radio.