Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Monday signaled that Israel has no plans to change its policy around its undeclared nuclear arsenal while a conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was taking place in New York.
Speaking at the Israel Atomic Energy Commission in Tel Aviv, Lapid made a veiled reference to Israel’s secret nuclear weapons program. He spoke of Israel’s “defensive capabilities and offensive capabilities, and what the foreign media tends to call ‘other capabilities.'”
“These other capabilities keep us alive and will keep us alive as long as we and our children are here,” Lapid said.
Israel refuses to sign the NPT because of its undeclared arsenal, which is estimated to be somewhere between 90 and 300 warheads. Over in New York, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was committed to non-proliferation even though Washington doesn’t pressure Israel to sign the NPT.
Going back to the Nixon Administration, every US president has agreed not to pressure Israel to sign the NPT. In exchange, Israel agrees not to declare its nuclear arsenal and operates the program covertly. President Biden and former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett renewed the decades-old understanding last September.
“These other capabilities keep us alive and will keep us alive as long as we and our children are here,” Lapid said.
While adding that Iran doesn’t have children and has no right to keep alive.
Exactly!
Correctomundo……………
Iran used its little boys to clear minefield during its war with Iraq.It is starving its own little boys and girls to pursue nuclear armageddon.
So, no they don’t have children? And your reasoning is based on actions by the Iranian government in 1980-88? Solid. And then throw another bald face lie out there as reason number two. That one, even if remotely true, also is proof positive that Iranians don’t love their children. Imagine how much the countries WITH nukes love theirs in comparison. Gad, you’re such a tool.
Learn to read what others actually write.
Enlighten me. You’re so damn smart everything just goes over my head.
I wonder what benefit it provides Israel to have an ambiguous policy like this. In a possibly tangential point, they certainly benefit from having an ambiguous policy of undeclared borders.
Iran HAS signed the NPT. Signed in 1968. Ratified in 1970.
Iran has repeatedly breached NPT. They have no problem signing something and then lying about it if they believe it to be in their interest. Taqiya.
And whether true or not, it still means since 1970, Iran hasn’t been able to make a nuke. Along comes the JCPOA, the NPT on steroids, and they still have no nukes. Meaning despite those alleged allegations, the NPT worked.
I’m not sure that “understandings” are substantially sufficient when dealing with any countries nuclear capabilities… You need to have the old John Hancock on an agreement to give your position any weight. Doing things covertly does not make me feel more comfortable with the situation.
Would we accept this type of arrangement from any other country or would we pressure them to sign on the dotted line?…
Israel operates outside of the guidelines that we would place on any other country and that hardly seems fair or even reasonable… Or rational…
bs they have nukes so they do what they do and that is attack,kill,bomb,terrorize neibors on a daily basis and inflict military occupation on palestine while keeping gaza a horrible open air prison while they slowly constrict, to take what they want,where they want and if you complain about their ACTIONS, they will say its not that,its about them….argghhh