More IAEA nations back non-nuclear Mideast in vote

[bemildred]

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution urging all Middle East nations to foreswear atomic bombs in a symbolic vote showing increasing consensus for the measure.

Unlike last year when the vote was boycotted by most Arabs over amendments they felt took pressure off Israel, Thursday's ballot followed negotiations that prevented marathon wrangling.

Israel is one of only three countries worldwide along with India and Pakistan outside the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is widely assumed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, though it has never confirmed or denied it.

The non-binding ballot at the annual International Atomic Energy Agency assembly was 100-1 with four abstentions, compared with 82-0 with 13 abstentions in 2008.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE58G6CH2...

[kayecy]

1. So why did the US abstain?.................

"The United States, Israel's closest ally, abstained from the vote but Ambassador Glyn Davies said Washington was committed to the goal of Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction"

So why did the US abstain?

[subsuelo]

3. because, like most US policy regarding Israel, it is founded on hypocrisy

[Scurrilous]

2. Nuclear conference criticizes Israeli nukes

<snip>

"Overriding Western objections, a 150-nation nuclear conference on Friday passed a resolution directly criticizing Israel and its atomic program for the first time in 18 years. Iran hailed the vote as a "glorious moment."

The result was a setback not only for Israel but also for the U.S. and other backers of the Jewish state, which had lobbied for 18 years of past practice — debate on the issue without a vote. It also reflected building tensions between Israel and its backers and Islamic nations, backed by developing countries.

Of delegations present at the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting Friday, 49 voted for the resolution. Forty-five were against and 16 abstained from endorsing or rejecting he document, which "expresses 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."

more

[ArabInIsrael]

4. Israel and nukes

Rather odd. Israel has kept its nuke under the basement and never once has it ever openly threatened another nation with it.

Though during the Yum Kippur war, Israel was pretty close to nuking its neighbors.

I find it kind of funny that the report suggests Israel's possession of nuclear weapons poses a threat for security, when its evolution was rooted solely as a deterrent against future wars by the Arab states, which at the time had a strong policy of rejectionism.

Of all the countries that haven't signed the NPT, Israel is the least proliferated. Pakistan arguably created this mess. Sold secrets to North Korea, Iran, Libya, Egypt, and Iraq. Oh, and Syria...but Israel bombed their reactors.

Israel did sell some technology to Taiwan but that makes sense considering Taiwan is basically in the same boat as Israel, only it is denied representation in the UN.

This can't possibly be politically motivated.

[azurnoir]

5. The US's abstention cuts both ways

because while Israel may try to claim it as a "carte blanc" of sorts it can also be pointed to in any future negotiations with Iran.

[LeftishBrit]

6. How about a non-nuclear WORLD?

Though all we can hope for these days is reductions and nonproliferation, and even that is hard to achieve.

[azurnoir]

7. +1 agreed n/t