Israel’s Nuclear Hypocrisy

Israel’s posturing and hypocrisy over Iran’s alleged nuclear capacity is mind-boggling. Essentially Israel is saying: “How dare you want what we have, and how dare you flaunt UN requirements like we do.” The subtext is clear: we are the good guys and loyal allies of the USA, and you are part of the evil Empire.

Consider this comment from Ali Kazak, a former Palestinian ambassador:

“All Arab countries actively support the Middle East to be a nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction free zone, and all the Middle Eastern countries signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT) except one, Israel, which headed in the opposite direction secretly developing and producing over 200 nuclear and neutron warheads according to US intelligence agents reported in the Washington Post on December 8, 1980, later confirmed by the Israeli technician working at Dimona nuclear plant, Mordechai Vanunu, in 1985, a figure believed to be doubled by now, and continues its refusal to comply with tens of UN resolutions calling on it to open its nuclear facilities to international inspection.

Israel says that its support for a nuclear-free Middle East is conditional on all countries in the region, including Iran, signing a peace treaty with it. But all Arab and Muslim countries have, in fact, agreed to recognise Israel and sign a peace treaty with Israel, if it recognises the inalienable and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, withdraws from the occupied Arab territories and complies with relevant UN resolutions. Israel refuses to recognise these rights, refuses the Arab peace initiative, refuses to withdraw and builds more Jewish colonies.” (‘A missing peace option,’ Kaleej Times online, 10 February 2012)

Christians find the conversation in this region to be very difficult. This is biblical land, and in amidst modern politics are claims about land and chosen people and the promises of God. Add to this the guilt around the holocaust, the narrow and anti-Palestinian media coverage, and significant racism about people and nations in the Middle East, and Christian responses are often distorted by ignorance and myth.

There is a need for a new Christian narrative for this area: there is no room for nuclear weapons in any parts of the world, and that includes Israel. The requirements of the UN need to be complied with by all countries, and not just those that the US is opposed to – the double standards that exist at present lead to hostility and suspicion and war. Israel does have a right to exist, but so do the Palestinians, and it is time for Israel’s illegal occupation to end.