Press Israel on Nukes, U.N. Urged

(Excerpts from a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan from organizers of a May 26 rally near Israel’s Dimona nuclear weapons reactor)

The fragile balance of power in our region, the totalitarian nature of many political regimes, and the pervasiveness of conflicts with a national or religious character, increase the threat of a nuclear war breaking out in the region.

We are calling for the cleansing of the entire area of these dangerous weapons. However, this cannot be achieved as long as Israel continues to receive preferential treatment on this issue from the United States and the European Union Alliance. International pressure should be placed upon Israel to join the civilized countries, which have signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

We urge you to press upon the State of Israel:
a) to stop the production of nuclear bombs in Israel;
b) to open the Dimona reactor to international supervision;
c) to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty;
d) to dismantle its existing weapons of mass destruction (atomic, biological, and chemical) in a gradual process;
e) to reveal information regarding nuclear waste-where it is buried and what safeguards are in force;
f) to enable environmental organizations to carry out research concerning the radioactive waste;
g) to call for a regional committee to supervise disarmament;
h) to release Mordechai Vanunu immediately.