ABU DHABI Ñ The growing missile arsenals of Arab states and Iran can
overcome Israel's nuclear capability, a report says.
The report, presented by a prominent Egyptian strategist, said Arab and
Iranian missiles have reduced the likelihood that Israel will launch a
nuclear first strike. The strategist termed Israel the sixth largest nuclear
power in the world, with a plutonium arsenal far larger than that of India.
Zakaria Hussein, former director of Egypt's Higher Nasser Academy,
presented the report during a two-day seminar on weapons of mass
destruction. The seminar, which ended on Wednesday, was held at the Zayed
Center for Coordination and Follow-Up in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the
United Arab Emirates.
"It is imperative for Arab states to have a deterrent power to face the
existing gap in the military balance with Israel," the report said. "Arab
states possess a sufficient missile power, both conventional and
unconventional, which constitute a confirmed deterrent that will force
Israel not to carry out what it wants."
Hussein said Arab deterrence is based in its missile arsenals and large
geographical area. He said Arab states have the potential to destroy Israel
even after a nuclear strike by the Jewish state.
"The size of the Arab destructive power needed to deter Israel should be
enough to cripple Israel's depth and inflict as much losses as possible,"
the report said. "This does not need a nuclear capability but coordination
among Arab nations and the joint will to use their available conventional
and unconventional power."
The report said Israel possesses between 500 and 800 kilograms of
plutonium. This figure, the report said, far exceeds India's plutonium
stock, estimated at 150 kilograms.
"But it seems that Israel's nuclear policy has four proportions, the
first of which is that it will use the atomic bomb as a deterrent weapon
rather than a means to launch a first strike," the report said. "Israel
could use those weapons as a desperate retaliation at a later stage and will
continue to work forcefully to prevent Arab states from acquiring nuclear
bombs even if it has to launch an attack as it did in 1981, when it
destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor."
Israel has refused to confirm or deny a nuclear weapons capability.
Israeli leaders have pledged not to be the first to use nuclear weapons in
the Middle East.
