Israel must dispose of any nuclear weapons, UN resolution declares

Israeli Air Force armorers load a Joint Direct Attack Munition on an F-16 fighter jet. (Israeli Air Force)
By Dénes Albert
1 Min Read

Israel must dispose of all its nuclear weapons and place its nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. General Assembly ordered by a vote of 152 to 5.

The five nations opposing Friday’s resolution on “the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” were Canada, Israel, Micronesia, Palau, and the United States. Another 24 countries abstained, including European Union member states.

The resolution submitted by Egypt to the U.N. General Assembly in New York was supported by the Palestinian Authority and 19 countries, including Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.

Resolution only mentions Israel, not Iran

The resolution largely targeted Israel, believed to be one of nine nations that possess nuclear weapons. However, Israel has never admitted to possessing such weapons.

The resolution notes that Israel is the only country in the Middle East and one of the few out of 193 U.N. member states not to have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran, which has signed the treaty, is however believed to be developing nuclear weapons. Despite this, Iran is not mentioned in the resolution.

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