UNGA: 153 countries called on Israel to ‘renounce’ nuclear weapons

In a vote held on Monday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) called on Israel to “renounce possession of nuclear weapons,” news agencies reported.

A resolution entitled “The Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East” had 153 supporting votes against only six who did not support it, with 25 abstentions. The US, Israel’s ally, was among the six countries that did not vote for the resolution.

The resolution was part of a large package of resolutions approved by the UNGA related to nuclear disarmament, globally and in the Middle East.

Based on the resolution, the UNGA asked Israel: “Not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons.”

In addition, the UNGA called the Israeli occupation state: “To renounce possession of nuclear weapons and to place all its unsafeguarded nuclear facilities under full-scope agency safeguards as an important confidence-building measure among all states of the region and as a step towards enhancing peace and security.”

Of the 193 members of the UN, 191 countries are parties of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Israel has never signed the treaty.

This resolution passed 152-6, with 24 abstentions last year.

On Monday, the UNGA also voted 174-2, with one abstention, on a resolution that called for a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East. Only Israel and the US opposed it, with Cameroon abstaining.

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