UN nuclear chief asks Israel to join nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
New IAEA report reveals agency chief Yukiya Amano, during his visit to the region last month, asked Israel to place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguard.
By The Associated PressThe head of the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Israel to consider joining the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, a report said Friday.
Israel refuses to confirm it possesses a nuclear arsenal but is widely considered to be the Middle East's only nuclear power.
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President Shimon Peres and IAEA Director Yukiya Amano, Jerusalem, August 25, 2010 |
| Photo by: Mark Naiman |
Agency chief Yukiya Amano invited Israel to consider to accede to the treaty during a low-key visit to the country last month, said the IAEA report that was made public before a meeting of the Vienna-based watchdog's board of governors.
In his talks with officials, Amano also asked Israel to place all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and conveyed the General Conference's concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities, the report said.
Islamic nations have long called for Israel to open its nuclear program and join the treaty. They saw their efforts rewarded a year ago when IAEA member states, at their annual Vienna conference, narrowly passed a resolution directly criticizing Israel and its atomic program, with 49 of the 110 nations present in support, 45 against and 16 abstaining.
The resolution expressed concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities, and links it to concern about the threat posed by the proliferation of nuclear weapons for the security and stability of the Middle East.
The result was a setback not only for Israel but also for Washington and other backers of Israel, which had lobbied for 18 years of past practice - debate on the issue without a vote.
A July 26 letter from Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, included in Friday's report, points the finger at Iran and Syria as the Middle East's real proliferation challenges and called the resolution a politically motivated attempt to divert attention from them.
Attempts to single out Israel seriously detracts from the international community's attempts to address the actual and ongoing violations of international obligations in the nuclear sphere, Liberman wrote.
The U.S. and its allies consider Iran the region's greatest proliferation threat, fearing that Tehran is trying to achieve the capacity to make nuclear weapons despite its assertion that it is only building a civilian program to generate power.
They also say Syria - which, like Iran is under International Atomic Energy Agency investigation - ran a clandestine nuclear program, at least until Israeli warplanes destroyed what they describe as a nearly finished plutonium-producing reactor two years ago. Syria denies that.
Friday's report also included more than 40 letters from IAEA member states in response to an April request by Amano for proposals on how to persuade Israel to sign the Nonproliferation Treaty.
The letters reflect a deep rift among the international community on the matter.
Iran, for example, called Israel an atrocious regime and alleged that nuclear weapons in its hands were a source of serious danger to regional and international peace and security.
The U.S., in contrast, said it encourages all states that have not yet done so to join the Nonproliferation Treaty, but added it opposed the resolution adopted last September because it singles out Israel and mentions neither
Iran's noncompliance with its IAEA safeguards obligations, nor Syria's refusal to cooperate with the agency.
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Israel made a very fateful decision in the 1950s to become the first nation to introduce nuclear arms to the Middle East. Nixon and Kissinger (Zionist jew) made and equally fateful decision to lend U.S. support to Israeli weapons of mass destruction. Now, the chickens are coming home to roostIsrael made a very fateful decision in the 1950s to become the first nation to introduce nuclear arms to the Middle East. Nixon and Kissinger (Zionist jew) made and equally fateful decision to lend U.S. support to Israeli weapons of mass destruction. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
nukes in the hands of isreal is far worse than in the hands of any arab state or iran...............it has been proven since they do not follow any international laws and that what worries me as an american
And has no credibility when crying about Iran which IS a member of the NPT ... Talk about calling the kettle black. By the way, where do they put all that nuclear waste in such a tiny country??? Right in their own back yard...
"Iran, for example, called Israel an atrocious regime and alleged that nuclear weapons in its hands were a source of serious danger to regional and international peace and security. " What Yossi Sarid says in the today article :"The fascism is already here"?Could a normal person says that lieberman and his party,likud,ovadia yosef,shas,dov liors and ygal shapiras and many,many others don't represent a danger for peace?
The way the US handled Iran's nuclear case on behalf of her "allies" has open a whole can of worms that will make it hard for other states to take them , the UNSC and IAEA serious anymore.It's obvious that it was nothing but political game played by Washington and her "international community" partners.Washington's knee jerk diplomacy will come back to bite.More and more nations will be going nuclear in the near future and with this trend set by the US and her "international community" partners,will make it difficult for any nation to be open about their nuclear intentions.Talk about scoring own goals...Man!!
israel must sign the npt, its the only nation among its neighbours that havent signed. It is also the only nation that have said it would use the nuclear weapons if attacked. israel must be sanctioned for this!
regardless of what obama and brzezinski want, israel will not sign.
israel will not sigh?
Dimona is French made heavy water reactor designed to run 20yrs but has been in operation for 50yrs. Israel would likely get a light water reactor since they are far safer but would they keep control over fuel rods. Israel would likely keep its nukes but it would be tricky to make more if its signs NPT.
And they have no problem to use them as we saw in the past. Are Arab states signatories to banning those weapons,CJ?
Israel doesn't even have a bomb, then it would lose the benefit of it's enemies thinking it does..
we win because we get to see whats in israels play pen win if they disagree cause they can't talk about iran's anymore
ambiguos borders---ambiguos intentions--ambiguos peace intentions---all around an ambiguos entity.
"Iran, for example, called Israel an atrocious regime and alleged that nuclear weapons in its hands were a source of serious danger to regional and international peace and security." Here, here. Leave it to Iran to be the only one to tell it like it is.
why others can't? It is only fair to say the least. After all it was Israel who started most of the wars in Middle East many of them on spurious excuses. One thing for certain, any Arab country that would have a functioning nuclear weapon system will be secure from Israel attack. The opinion that Arabs are crazy and ready to commit suicide just to "get" Jews is superstition not based on facts. It's sole purpose is to place another obstacle on the road of any Arab country desire for security so Israel is free to act any way it chooses.
As long as the US continues turn a blind eye on us, we couldn't care what the rest of the world thinks.
If such a ridiculous request was the sole purpose of his trip, he's wasting his time. As long as Israel's neighbors are planning her destruction, whether through nuclear, chemical, biological or other means, Israel must retain all tools of deterrence. But as long as you made the trip, just take a few days to tour the country and forget how foolish your request is.
Israel should destroy its nukes before settlers control the bomb. Once that happens, the ME will become nothing but a glowing field of glass. Israel is the only country that has illegally nuclear weapons, so Iran has also right to have nuclear arms to stop Israel. Israeli leaders are Obsessive-neurotic-paranoid with delusions of grandeur
Do your homework before talking. Israel did not sign the NPT, promised nothing and is therefore under no legal obligation regarding anything nuclear. It receives no nuclear related aid from the IAEA. Iran, on the other hand, signed the NPT, including promising NOT to develop nuclear weapons. By promising this, Iran got aid from the IAEA. It has cheated the IAEA and the world community. Israel has not.
Dimona is now producing and has kicked out about 60 kilograms of fissile plutonium a year since its capacity was doubled in 1982. From 1967 to 1982, production was about half that level. Ergo, total cumulative production aggregates to about 2130 kilograms. Even if you account for reactor time devoted to tritium and lithium-6 production for the secondary, they still would have about 1800 kilograms. Using modern beryllium-reflected sphere, levitated pit technology, they would need about six kilograms per weapon. (Plutonium has a half-life of 45,000 years, meaning that once it’s produced, it effectively lasts forever. Tritium has a half-life of 12.5 years and thus needs constant replenishment.) Ergo, Israel has accumulated enough fissile plutonium for 300 fusion weapons. That is similar to the number Great Britain and China each have in their inventory (350). And Israel is adding ten new weapons a year. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Russia have cut their stockpiles to one-tenth their high points. Israel is today the world’s fastest growing nuclear arsenal.
Israel should destroy its nukes before settlers control the bomb. Once that happens, the ME will become nothing but a glowing field of glass. Israel is the only country that has illegally nuclear weapons, so Iran has also right to have nuclear arms to stop Israel.
The self-righteousness and arrogance of these characters never ever ceases to amaze me. Still, they wonder why the rest of the world doesn't trust them playing with nukes.
Until there is peace in the world and all the Muslim countries Israel should never join because the second Israel shows weakness the Muslims will have no problem obliterating Israel and the rest of the world will sit back because it is one less problem to deal with
Muslims will have no problem obliterating Israel ?
The USA, Great Britain, France, Russia, and China have shown 'weakness' by signing the NPT? Israel is a founding member of the IAEA. Something most on the rabid right do not know, or understand. The IAEA is not an enemy of Israel, and the NPT would no more require Israel to disarm than it does China which joined after it had become a nuclear power. Israel would be bound to not sell certain dual use technology to non-signatory nations. It would be bound to not transfer certain technology to non-signatory nations. It would be prevented from selling certain nuclear materials to non-signatory nations. If this constitutes any 'threat' to Israel, then Israel would have to be engaged in violations of the NPT which it has not done since it's close cooperation with South Africa in the last century.
... remember the "Symington Amendment" of the US Arms Export Control Act.
thank you BUT, NO. Israel will be ok with it's own internal safeguards. And please remind mr. amano that when el-baradei was with IAEA his LACK integrity and LACK of TRUST is an issue Israel cant be concerned with.
All Israeli nukes and military superiority comnplex will not save them Radicals are the reason why israel is immoral, corrupt, brutal and frankly as revolting as it is today.Palestinians keep up the good work. All israei nukes and superiority complex will not save them from themselves
its time to opt out of IAEA. Why should we have any obligation regarding nukes if a tiny nation, 1/10th of our size does not;even though they have the nukes...
thank you BUT, NO. Israel will be ok with it's own internal safeguards. And please remind mr. amano that when el-baradei was with IAEA his LACK integrity and LACK of TRUST is an issue Israel cant be concerned with.
that's all i can conclude, anyway. they went into a horrible recession--most of the world barely even blinked, especially the bric countries. the world no longer feels compelled to send their soldiers on america's suicide missions in the middle east. china's economy is going to pass america within two decades; more than ten european countries have passed america on the HDI index (life quality). america can no longer act as the world's dictator and it can no longer protect its dear mideast colony from what is, at the end of the day, legitimate criticism. and it is terrifying the right-wingers.
Singles out the only country in the region with nuclear weapons? And the one that will be entirely responsible for all future proliferation? An AIPAC inspired joke that amuses none.
Look, to keep the status quo, to keep the oppression, we need our hundred ogives and remain the other countries in in the 19 century. Did you understand?
The main problem with Israel is that they are not held accountable for any actions (or inactions) that they may or may not take. Since they are not held accountable, why take on additional responsibilites and oversight when there is no penalty for declining? Breaking UN resoluctions is no problem for Israel. Refusing cooperation for UN investigations is a breeze. Making a mockery of the IAEA is easy. Killing thousands of civilians is simple to do and simple to get away with (if you are Israel). Piracy on the high seas is a cinch. Why in the world would Israel agree to join any group or organization or whatever that will hinder or otherwise spoil this fantastic situation?
israel is also a u.s. ally. get over it.