Qatar has intensified its calls for international oversight of Israel’s nuclear facilities, urging the IAEA to take charge and for Israel to join the NPT. Ambassador Jassim Yacoub al-Hammadi highlights the need for accountability, especially in light of regional conflicts. Despite suspicions about Israel’s nuclear armament, criticism arises regarding the silence of Western nations on this issue.
Qatar has reiterated its demands for the international oversight of Israel’s nuclear facilities. At a session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Jassim Yacoub al-Hammadi, Qatar’s ambassador to Austria, emphasized the necessity for Israel’s nuclear facilities to be monitored by the IAEA and urged the country to become a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear state.
Ambassador al-Hammadi remarked on the importance of global institutions adhering to their responsibilities under various UN resolutions and agreements, particularly the 1995 NPT Review Conference’s directive for Israel to allow IAEA oversight of its nuclear installations. Israel is the sole nation in the Middle East that has not ratified the NPT, which raises concerns, especially given recent conflicts in Gaza.
Furthermore, al-Hammadi called upon Israel to permit international organizations and humanitarian agencies to operate unimpeded within Palestine, stressing the urgency to safeguard UN properties and essential infrastructure including schools, medical facilities, and vital water resources. He advocated for the international community to require Israel’s adherence to international resolutions, recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and initiate measures for regional security and stability.
This renewed appeal by Qatar aligns with previous calls made during the 67th IAEA General Conference in September 2023, where similar sentiments regarding oversight of Israel’s nuclear program were expressed. Although Israel has not acknowledged possessing nuclear weapons, estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in June 2024 suggest that it has approximately 90 plutonium warheads, with sufficient material to create up to 200 nuclear weapons.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the silence of Western nations on Israel’s potential nuclear stockpile, especially in light of their assertive positions on nuclear oversight concerning other nations such as Iran and North Korea.
In conclusion, Qatar’s persistent call for the international supervision of Israel’s nuclear facilities highlights the ongoing tensions in the Middle East regarding nuclear non-proliferation. Through diplomatic forums, Qatar emphasizes the need for Israel’s compliance with international directives and the protection of Palestinian rights, urging global institutions to act in accordance with their commitments. The apparent discrepancies in global attitudes toward nuclear oversight further underscore the complexities of the regional and global security landscape.
Original Source: www.newarab.com
