The UN Calls for Israel to Rid Itself of Nuclear Weapons

The United Nations has decided that Israel needs to get rid of its nuclear weapons — if indeed it has any. But the organization has nothing to say about Iran.

In a 152-5 vote on Friday, the UN’s General Assembly voted to have Israel dispose of its nuclear weapons and place any nuclear sites within its borders under the watchful eye of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The dissenting votes were from the United States, Canada, Israel, Micronesia, and Palau. Twenty-three nations and the European Union abstained.

Fox News reports that it has never been confirmed that Israel has any nuclear weapons, although the country is widely believed to possess them. Meanwhile, Iran has been steadily developing its nuclear program and is not far from achieving uranium that can be used in weapons.

The Jerusalem Post gave its article the sub-headline “Israel never admitted to possess nuclear weapons, but nevertheless, the UNGA resolution was aimed at Israel, not Iran.” The article stated, “The annual resolution submitted by Egypt to the UNGA in New York was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority and 19 countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.”

The resolution also recalled the fact that Israel has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and said that the country should:

…accede to the Treaty without further delay, not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons, to renounce possession of nuclear weapons and to place all its unsafe guarded nuclear facilities under the full scope of Agency safeguards as an important confidence-building measure among all States of the region and as a step toward enhancing peace and security.

The paper also reports that the First Committee approved a resolution to create a so-called “nuclear-free zone” in the Middle East. Again, no one outside of Israeli deputy ambassador to the UN Michal Maayan seemed to show any real interest in what is being done in Iran.

Because this is a recurring resolution, one may be tempted to think of it as nothing out of the ordinary, and it seems like that might be the case. The UN says, “No nukes in Israel.” Israel says it doesn’t have any. Iran is ignored; see you next year.

But let us also consider that in October, the 47 members of the UN human rights council met in Geneva. The Guardian reported that the group voted 19-17 to reject a move by the U.S. to have a debate about a report penned by the organization’s human rights commissioner accusing China of massive abuses and even “crimes against humanity.” Multiple Muslim states refused to back the idea, and Mexico was on board but demurred after it was pressed by China. Even Indonesia, which ostensibly supports the Uyghurs, ultimately rejected the call for debate.

It not only shows the amount of clout China wields but also the lack of backbone of the UN. And perhaps it shows where the UN’s priorities truly lie. If it is willing to ignore China’s abuses of the Uyghurs and other citizens, why should anyone trust its desire for a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, particularly when it ignores the nuclear program of a nation with its own record of abuses?