No change to Israel nuke ambiguity: Leaders

14 Apr 2010, 6:00 pm   -   Source: AFP, SBS Staff
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Netanyahu didn't visit the summit. (Getty)

Netanyahu didn't visit the summit. (Getty)

With a focus on Iran and securing weapons, Israel says it is pleased it wasn't mentioned at this week's nuclear summit, despite the ambiguity surrounding its programme.

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The Israeli delegation has said it is pleased it was not mentioned by any of the speakers at this week's nuclear summit, despite the ambiguity surrounding its nuclear programme.

Instead, much of the focus has been on gaining momentum for sanctions on Iran, while world leaders also Tuesday pledged to secure all vulnerable nuclear material within four years.

Ambiguity is foundation of our security: Israel

"The policy of ambiguity is the foundation of Israel's security, it has always been and will continue to be. President Obama did not ask to change it in the current period," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told public radio.
  
At the summit, US President Barack Obama put no pressure on Israel to shift away from its policy of deliberate ambiguity on its atomic programme, a minister said Wednesday.
  
Ayalon said the summit saw "no changes in policies towards Israel and no new demands from Israel."
  
Asked about Obama's statements that Israel should sign the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Ayalon said the request was not pressing.
  
"When all threats, from near or far, against Israel will be definitely removed, then we can consider this question in a positive manner," he said.
  
Netanyahu stays home

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced at the last minute he would not take part in the conference, sending instead one of his deputies.
  
The Maariv newspaper said Netanyahu was pleased with his decision not to attend. "His satisfaction stems from the fact that the attention of the summit's participants was diverted from his presence and from Israel's nuclear policy," it said.
  
"Israel did not stand at the centre of the events," Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, who headed the Israeli delegation, was quoted as saying.
  
"We weren't mentioned by any of the speakers, even those who we feared would talk about us."

Israel 'has 700 nuclear warheads': Experts
  
Foreign military experts believe Israel has an arsenal of several hundred nuclear warheads, but Israel has never publicly acknowledged having atomic weapons, maintaining a policy of deliberate ambiguity since it inaugurated its Dimona nuclear reactor in 1965.
  
In 1969, Israeli leaders undertook not to make any statement on their country's nuclear potential or carry out any nuclear test, while Washington agreed to refrain from exerting pressure on the issue.
  
Like nuclear-armed countries India, Pakistan and North Korea, Israel is not party to the NPT in order to avoid international inspections.
  


 

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Your Comments

USA - Hypocrite? Never...

Paul - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

If the United States of America is really after a world free from nuclear weapons and since they are trying to lead the world in doing so, shouldn't they act as role models and begin dismantling their 5000 or so weapons of mass destruction? Having already dropped two themselves, the only two ever used in warfare, shouldn't the rest of the world be more scared of the USA than Iran, who doesn't even have the technology to build them.

Israel 58th state of USA

Cynical sceptic - from QLD, 2 years ago

Is Israel 58th state of USA, or is the USA the 2nd state of Israel? It's absurd, Israel has 700, Iran, might make 1 or 2 nukes! How can the big nuclear players see a threat from Iran! The Iranians know, if they launch their one piddley little nuke, the retaliation from the US and Israel would be extreme. What's happening is the world stage is being set for an escalation of the war in the Middle East. An attack is going to happen, Iran, Syria, N Korea will take the blame, paving the way for WW3.

Well it's obvious

Yousif - from Sydney, 2 years ago

It's obvious that Isreal will be spared just as it has been since it's declaration as a country 60 years ago. Come on now, it's just like if the Congress was mostly made up of Imam's and Mulla's wouldn't the whole world then spare Iran!!!

Get real

Not ambiguous - from Australia, 2 years ago

C'mon really Israel! There is tremendous pressure from nuclear countries that newly joining nuclear nations should be both visible, and sign up to obligations. Why on the other hand, is Israel allowed to pretend it has no nuclear weapons when there are suggestions that it may have up to 700 nuclear warheads? The Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister then makes the most absurd statement which effectively means they will CONSIDER dislosure when all foreign threats are gone! ie NEVER.

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