Arab member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, have decided to shelve an annual bid to pressure Israel into accepting international scrutiny of its nuclear activities pending a change of their tactics. Their diplomatic strategy is shifting after previous resolutions at meetings of IAEA failed to secure more transparency from Israel, believed to have the only nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
According to a diplomat familiar with the decision: “increasingly frustrated, Arab states will not submit a resolution against Israel at the UN’ nuclear watchdog’s General Conference next week,” for the first time in three years.
Arab nations have been unable to push through such resolutions at the annual meeting of IAEA member states since 2013. The last time they succeeded to pass a resolution was in 2009, but the Agency’s resolution did nothing to enhance UN monitoring of Israel’s nuclear installations.