Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Israel cautions anew against a nuclear-armed Iran
16 Feb 2009 20:57:07 GMT
 Source: Reuters
JERUSALEM, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told a forum of military chiefs on Monday that Israel would regard a nuclear-armed Iran as an "existential threat" that would speed up a regional arms race.

Israel's military spokesman released Barak's comments after the United Nation's nuclear watchdog chief said global nuclear disarmament work was being hampered by Arab perceptions Israel wasn't abiding by a non-proliferation treaty.

Barak told a closed forum of military chiefs at a strategy session that if Iran obtained atomic weapons it would pose a "central threat to world order," the statement said.

He added it would "dramatically accelerate nuclear proliferation in the region."

Israel is believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, though it has never acknowledged such a programme or ever testing atomic weapons.

The Jewish state has long denounced Iran's nuclear programme as a threat to its existence and also cites remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying Israel should be wiped off the map.

U.S. President Barack Obama has warned Tehran of tougher sanctions if it does not halt its disputed nuclear work, but in a departure from his predecessor George W. Bush, said last week he also saw the possibility of diplomatic openings with Iran.

Iran says it seeks nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, in order to generate electricity.

Writing in the International Herald Tribune, Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, referred on Monday to Arab perceptions of Israel in the context of global nuclear disarmament efforts.

"The nuclear non-proliferation regime has lost its legitimacy in the eyes of Arab public opinion because of the perceived double-standards concerning Israel."

ElBaradei said further that Israel was "the only state in the region outside the NPT and known to possess nuclear weapons," referring to a global nuclear non-proliferation treaty never signed by the Jewish state.


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  UMCOR Hotline for February 10, 2009

•  A job less ordinary - clearing explosives from Gaza

•  Gaza Strip: Civilian population in urgent need of relief measures

•  Church leaders take a virtual hike to the Holy Land

•  Emergency response in Gaza: update

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Israel cautions anew against a nuclear-armed Iran

•  Canada wants "frank" talks on NATO in Afghanistan

•  Hezbollah says has right to air defence system

•  Israeli govt to consider Hamas prisoner swap, truce

•  Hague tribunal accepts new Karadzic indictment

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Background information

Facts & figures
Israel Palestinian territories United States of America

Related articles

Breaking stories
 Israel cautions anew against a nuclear-armed Iran (1 minute ago)

Canada wants "frank" talks on NATO in Afghanistan (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
 MEDIAWATCH: U.S. role in Uganda rebel operation under fire (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
 UMCOR Hotline for February 10, 2009 (1 minute ago)

Blogs
 Europe's half-hearted plan to finance climate action (1 minute ago)

Maps
 MAP: GAZA humanitarian aid channeled through Egypt (27 Dec. 08 - 31 Jan. 2009) (1 minute ago)


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-02-16T201559Z_01_CAI101_RTRIDSP_2_EGYPT_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/CAI101.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-02-16T103123Z_01_JAK01_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK01.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-02-16T103054Z_01_JAK03_RTRIDSP_2_INDONESIA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JAK03.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-02-16T085247Z_01_JER02_RTRIDSP_2_PALESTINIANS-ISRAEL-BARGHOUTHI_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JER02.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2009-02-15T200123Z_01_JER24_RTRIDSP_2_PALESTINIANS-ISRAEL-BARGHOUTHI_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/JER24.htm

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit (R) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov greet each other after signing an agreement in Cairo February 16, 2009. Lavrov, who was previously on a ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Mon Feb 16 20:58:46 2009