JERUSALEM: Israel’s energy minister voiced opposition on Monday to the idea of Saudi Arabia developing a civilian nuclear programme as part of any United States-mediated forging of relations between the countries.
In March, the New York Times reported that such a programme was among Riyadh’s conditions for a normalisation deal with Israel. Saudi and United States officials haven’t confirmed that.
Pointing to precedents like Libya, and Iraq, Israel has long worried that potentially hostile neighbours could use civilian nuclear energy and other projects developed under the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as cover for clandestine bomb-making.
“Naturally, Israel doesn’t encourage such things. I do not think Israel should agree to such things,” Energy Minister Israel Katz told Ynet TV when asked about a prospective Saudi civilian nuclear programme as part of possible bilateral ties.
Israel said last week that it expected to be consulted by Washington on any United States-Saudi deal affecting its national security. Israel, outside the voluntary NPT and without nuclear energy, is widely believed to have atomic weaponry.
