Israel's Request to Join the NPT Rejected at Agency Meeting

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday rejected the request of 19 Arab countries and the Non-Aligned Movement for Israel to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) during its annual meeting. According to a report by the Associated Press, out of 165 member countries of the agency, 61 voted against the request, while 43 supported it, and 33 abstained. The voting took place on September 26 during the 59th annual meeting of the agency. The request for Israel's accession to the NPT was presented to the United Nations by 19 countries, including Arab states and members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Egypt was the leading country behind the request, supported by Iran, Libya, and Syria, despite Egypt having diplomatic relations with Israel at the ambassadorial level. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, responded by stating that the number of countries opposing the request has increased compared to the past, indicating the 'legitimacy' and 'success of Israel's diplomacy.' Netanyahu also mentioned that prior to the vote, he had contacted thirty presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers of Western countries, informing them that the request for Israel to join the NPT was a diversion from efforts that should primarily focus on pressuring Iran. He stated, 'The main issue should be preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, especially since Iran continues to call for the destruction of Israel.' Netanyahu expressed gratitude for the cooperation of the United States, Canada, and Australia in rejecting the request. Recently, he has referenced statements by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, who claimed that 'the Zionist regime will not see the next 25 years,' interpreting it as further evidence of Iran's ongoing policy of 'seeking the destruction of Israel.' However, according to the state-run Press TV, Reza Najafi, Iran's representative at the agency, stated on Thursday that 'due to Israel's non-accession to the NPT and the rejection of placing its secret nuclear facilities under the agency's verification system, the realization of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region, as an important and deeply rooted aspiration of the countries in the region, has not yet been achieved.' Despite acknowledging its nuclear program, Israel has deliberately kept its military nuclear capabilities ambiguous for decades. Although Israel is a member of the IAEA, it is not a member of the NPT but claims it has not threatened any country with destruction. Following Israel, some countries that have achieved military nuclear capabilities, such as Pakistan, have followed Israel's policy and have not accepted the NPT.