UAE | General
Israeli nukes pose threat to Mideast
Although Israel's nuclear ambitions and apparatus has been vague, it is widely accepted as one of the most powerful nuclear states in the world and that poses an imminent threat to the Gulf and the broader Middle East, an expert said at a conference on Nuclear Energy in the Gulf.
- By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:02 November 27, 2008
- John Steinbach (left), Ansar Parvez, member of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Ahmad M. Al Astad of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research and R. Chidambaram, principal scientific adviser to the Government of India at the conference on Wednesday.
- Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: Although Israel's nuclear ambitions and apparatus has been vague, it is widely accepted as one of the most powerful nuclear states in the world and that poses an imminent threat to the Gulf and the broader Middle East, an expert said at a conference on Nuclear Energy in the Gulf.
"We need to be clear, Israel is a major nuclear power. It has a policy of nuclear ambiguity...Aspects of Israel's nuclear programme are not understood or talked about," John Steinbach, a nuclear specialist on Israel said Wednesday on the closing day of the conference.
Steinbach addressed the French-Israeli relations during the 1960 Nuclear Test in Algeria.
"Israel did not have to test the bomb as they were working with the French plus the technical assistance that France gave in terms of providing the reactor at Dimona [an Israeli city in the Negev desert believed to be one of its largest nuclear plants] and providing the plutonium that went with the reactors," Steinbach said.
French-Israeli relations deteriorated during President Charles de Gaulle in the process of granting independence to Algeria. De Gaulle's opposition to Israel's preemptive strike on Egypt created a greater gap in Franco-Israel nuclear cooperation. Today, France is one of the key players in developing the UAE's nuclear programme with three French companies - Total, Suez and Areva. Steinbach highlighted Israel's nuclear capabilities, from fighter jets to submarines.
On the threat of Iran, Steinbach added, "Let's say Israel only has one hundred [nuclear] weapons. The number is irrelevant. But they have sophisticated ballistic missiles. What does Iran have? A few missiles. Are they very accurate? Absolutely not. They can reach Israel but not very accurately."
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Have your say
Living in untidy homes
Do you think that people who live in untidy homes have bad character?
Latest news
- UAE-Pakistan Friendship Festival in Abu Dhabi
- Khalifa congratulates Karzai on re-election
- Khalifa receives congratulatory call from Talabani
- Camel in RAK gives birth to twins
- Saif is appointed Emiratisation chief
- Pavement parking irks pedestrians
- Man jailed 3 years in fatal assault of colleague
- Murder: Mother gets stiffer sentence
- Traffic Prosecution adopts humanitarian step
- UAE starts administering H1N1 vaccines
- 'All-green' project to ease traffic flow
- Complaints against cab drivers decline
- Thalassaemia website 'will help educate youth'
- Dubai Police open centre to combat marine pollution
- Readers: Less water usage means less desalination
Community Reports
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
-
Community report: Doing their bit for poor children
A group of students takes concrete action to raise funds for Dubai Cares
