A new nuclear alliance in West Asia 

'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting'

Perhaps Israel has taken a leaf out of the book 'The Art of War', written between 475 and 221 BCE by Chinese general & philosopher Sun Tzu, as it vows to share nuclear technology with its friendly nations who are part of the Abraham Accords.

The full details of the technology transfer are not known yet, but surely it would be about sharing the know-how of efficiently using the immense energy stored in the nucleus or core of an atom. Ah! that's such a relief, a clean source of energy is the best thing for a planet in peril due to global warming.

But there is a flip side. The same power of an atom can be harnessed to produce an atomic bomb which if unleashed can lead to an Armageddon.

With an eye on Iran, the West has always feared the prospect of an atomic bomb hidden under the shifting sands of West Asia. But in the neighbourhood, Israel has, over the years, built a repertoire of nuclear arsenal. Analysts say that Israel possesses about 80-400 nuclear warheads, at par with India and Pakistan. All three nations are incidentally, not members of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

But worries are that the move by the Jewish state could be aimed at its bête noire Iran. While talking about the nuclear tech transfer, Israel's Atomic Energy Commission Director-General Moshe Edri on Wednesday (September 28) said 'Israel would not tolerate Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon.'

The Islamic nation has been crippled as it reels under stringent sanctions imposed by the West for enriching uranium which can be converted into weapons. Tehran insists that its Uranium enrichment program is exclusively for peaceful purposes. 

When it comes to Iran, the western powers demonstrate vim and vigour in clamping down. From the UN, EU to the US, all have imposed sanctions to deter Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons. But there isn't much scrutiny or discussion about Israel's bid to transfer nuclear know-how in the arcane corridors of western diplomacy. 

Israel is also vehemently opposing the move by the Europeans & Americans to return to the nuclear agreement or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran. The JCPOA refers to the nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers in July 2015, in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions.

But Israel wants to keep other options on the table, perhaps adhering to the principle of 

'Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.' –Howard W. Newton.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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