Israel Matzav

Ignorance is Blix

In an interview with YNet, former top nuclear inspector and current Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC) Hans Blix (pictured) shows just how little he understands about who is likely to use nuclear weapons and why:

Israel should comply with the same demand being made of Iran, to cease its nuclear fuel-cycle and stop enriching uranium, Hans Blix, Chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (WMDC), told Ynetnews Thursday.

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In a report recently released by the WMDC, seen by Ynetnews, the Committee stated: "While Israel, feeling under threat from Iran and others, is not likely to discard its nuclear-weapon capability except as part f a peace settlement, it could help to reduce tension, as is now asked of Iran, by joining Iran and all other states in the region in a commitment to suspend and renounce any fuel-cycle activities," the report said.

"We assume Israel has 200 nuclear warheads. Stop the work in Dimona," Blix said.

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"In the Middle East, Iran looked at Iraq and decided to go nuclear. Israel looked at the Arab states. And now Jordan, Egypt, and the Gulf states are talking about initiating a nuclear fuel cycle, which would bring them closer to having the capability for nuclear weapons," Blix said.

"What would cause them to feel safe? The guarantee of a non-attack," he added. Blix dismissed military strikes, or the pressure created by the threat of such action, as failed means to end nuclear programs.

"The best way to guarantee security is a WMD free zone," Blix said. He said the Middle East should go down the road of the Korean peninsula, where both North and South Korea committed themselves to ridding the region of WMDs.

"If all countries in the Middle East commit themselves not to have a nuclear fuel cycle, that would create such a zone," Blix said. He added that he was not asking Israel to destroy its alleged nuclear arsenal, but to "end the reprocessing of uranium."

Dear Mr. Blix,

There are twenty-two Arab states but only one Israel. If one Arab state refuses to comply or does not comply with your plan, Israel has no choice but to maintain a nuclear capability.

Unlike the twenty-two Arab states, Israel is a democracy. It is far less likely than Ahmadinadinnerjacket's Iran to decide that it is worth sacrificing half one's population to destroy another state.

If your assumption is correct, that Israel's 'nuclear ambiguity' policy means that it has nuclear weapons, it has likely had those weapons for about 45 years now and has never used them, even though it has fought at least two wars in that time period (1967 and 1973) in which its very existence hung in the balance.

It's not Israel that you need to pressure Mr. Blix. Wake up and smell the coffee.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:41 AM