Kuwait: Israel Blocks a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Middle East
Kuwait’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Talal Al-Fassam, stated that all middle Eastern countries adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and implement comprehensive safeguards agreements-except Israel, which continues to evade international monitoring of its nuclear sites.
He added that Israel opposes any serious efforts or steps toward establishing a region free of nuclear and weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.
Al-Fassam emphasized that Israel’s nuclear capabilities must remain on the agenda of the IAEA and relevant bodies untill a serious resolution is reached on this issue.
He stressed that addressing this matter is key to creating a Middle East free from nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, thereby enhancing security and peace both regionally and internationally.
Notably,Israel remains the only country in West Asia that is not party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty,meaning it has no obligation to disclose information about its nuclear program or accept IAEA inspections.
Despite maintaining secrecy over its program, independent assessments offer a fairly clear picture. In 2023, the Union of Concerned Scientists estimated that Israel possesses approximately 90 nuclear warheads and has fissile material sufficient for producing 100 to 200 such weapons.
Israel’s nuclear program began in the 1950s with construction of its Negev Nuclear Research Center near Dimona.France was an early key supporter; it supplied a research reactor and plutonium reprocessing facility by decade’s end.
The program has since operated with tacit support or silence from certain Western countries-the same nations applying intense pressure on Iran and North korea regarding their nuclear activities.
