Russia’s foreign ministry has expressed serious concerns over a comment made by an Israeli junior minister, suggesting openness to the idea of Israel conducting a nuclear strike on Gaza. The remark by Heritage Minister Amihay Eliyahu, a member of a far-right party in the coalition government, has prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend him from cabinet meetings until further notice.
During a radio interview, Eliyahu was asked about the possibility of a nuclear option, to which he replied, “That’s one way.” This statement has raised numerous questions, according to Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman. She emphasized that the main issue is that Israel seems to have acknowledged possessing nuclear weapons.
Israel has never publicly admitted to having nuclear weapons, although the Federation of American Scientists estimates that the country possesses around 90 nuclear warheads. Zakharova questioned the significance of this revelation and wondered why the International Atomic Energy Agency and international nuclear inspectors have not addressed this matter.
Eliyahu’s comment has sparked condemnation from Arab nations, shocked Israeli broadcasters, and been deemed “objectionable” by a U.S. official. Iran has called for an immediate international response, with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stating that the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency must promptly disarm what he called a “barbaric and apartheid regime.”
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen what actions will be taken by international bodies in response to these revelations.
