Haaretz:U.S. Says Israel Must Give Up Nukes [View All]

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Sun., April 03, 2005 Adar2 23, 5765
Israel Time:  02:30  (GMT+2)

U.S. says Israel must give up nukes

By Amir Oren

The State Department yesterday called on Israel to forswear nuclear weapons and accept international Atomic Energy Agency safeguards on all nuclear activities.

This is the second time in about two weeks that officials in the Bush administration are putting the nuclear weapons of Israel, India and Pakistan on a par.

The officials called on the three to act like Ukraine and South Africa, which in the last decade renounced their nuclear weapons.

The similar phrasing used by the officials refers to Israel's military nuclear capability, as distinct from "nuclear option," which is to be rolled back, although not necessarily in the "foreseeable future."

The rare use of these terms contradicts the custom of senior administration officials to avoid any possible confirming reference to Israeli nuclear weapons.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/560047.html