UN calls for Israeli nuclear disarming

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Friday December 12, 2003 14:16 by Ali H.

After ignoring Israeli weapons programmes for decades
and pressurising Israels neighbours the UN is finally turning its
attention to the nuclear pariah state.

The head of International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed
El Baradei told an Israeli newspaper weapons like ICBMs and
submarine-lkaunched cruise missiles were not "an incentive
for security".

He also said Israel should sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT). Israel is believed to have 200-400 nukes and
the weapons systems to deliver them including missiles with
a 10000km range.

He warned that the belief Israel was safer because it
possessed such weapons was false, as other Middle Eastern
countries felt threatened by their presence.

"Frankly, I am not happy with the status quo, because I see a
lot of frustration in the Middle East due to Israel's sitting on
nuclear weapons or [its] nuclear weapons capability, while
other parties in the Middle East are committed to the
Non-Proliferation Treaty," he said.

Mr ElBaradei added that Israel and its neighbours should
enter dialogue to halt the spread of nuclear weapons in the
Middle East.

"My fear is that, without such a dialogue, there will be
continued incentive for the region's countries to develop
weapons of mass destruction to match the Israeli arsenal,"
he said.