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The West is concerned about Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs, but turns a blind eye to Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons. Photo/REUTERS
VIENNA – A leading Austrian academic criticized the silence of Western countries regarding Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, the West continues to interfere with North Korea’s (North Korea) nuclear weapons development and Iran’s nuclear program.
“The silence of Western countries regarding Israel’s nuclear weapons, and putting pressure on Iran and North Korea, is a double standard,” said Heinz Gartner, Professor of Communication at the University of Vienna, to Anadolu, which was reported on Friday (8/12/2023).
Amid increasing Israeli attacks on Gaza, Israeli Cultural Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu’s statement that “a nuclear bomb on Gaza is an option” has reignited debate over the Jewish state’s nuclear program.
Although Israel refrains from informing the international community about its possession of nuclear weapons, the fact is that Israel is the only country in the Middle East that has not accepted the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
The agreement allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect all civil and military nuclear facilities and to carry out verification activities on the work carried out.
According to Gartner, Israel is also not a party to the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT), leading to the assessment that Israel has nuclear weapons in its inventory.
The academic said that although the Tel Aviv government disagrees on the question of nuclear issues, Israel signed several agreements with the United States and France in the early 1950s to carry out nuclear activities.
90 Nuclear Warheads
According to unofficial data from the Center for Nuclear Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Israel was capable of producing nuclear weapons in the late 1960s. It is estimated that there are about 90 plutonium-based nuclear warheads in the country and that it has produced enough plutonium for 100-200 nuclear weapons.
It is noteworthy that Western countries, which are exerting pressure on Iran—a party to the NPT—, and North Korea—which is not a party to the agreement—and whose nuclear facilities are being inspected because they have accepted the Security Inspection Agreement, are silent about Israel’s nuclear program.