MAPW condemns Israel’s illegal and provocative attacks on Iran.
Far from reducing any nuclear weapons risks in the Middle East, the attacks have increased them. Iran is threatening to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, under which it must remain nuclear weapons free. Israel’s actions, as the only Middle East nation that has nuclear weapons, reek of hypocrisy.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has “stressed its support for a diplomatic solution to the problems posed by the Iranian nuclear programme” and warns that “nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment.”
The Israeli attacks, and Iran’s response, once again expose the fallacy of “nuclear deterrence” — and deterrence more broadly. This concept has long been promoted to legitimise the world’s most dangerous and provocative weapons and policies. Yet history repeatedly shows that nuclear weapons, which Israel possesses, do not guarantee security. Nations without nuclear arms, such as Iran, are clearly willing to retaliate against nuclear-armed states; they are not inevitably “deterred.” The true difference nuclear weapons make is that, when armed conflict erupts, the potential catastrophic consequences far exceed even the horrors of conventional warfare.
Israel’s attacks also highlight the urgent need for all governments, including our own, to rightfully uphold international laws and norms – impartially and not selectively. Israel’s claim of “preventive self-defence” has no legitimacy in international law, and has been widely condemned as a violation of the United Nations Charter. Any targeting of civilians – who bear the greatest burden of conflict – by any actor, is also a crime.
Escalating conflicts in the Middle East underscore the imperative for the international community to work towards the irreversible abolition of nuclear weapons. We again call on the Australian government to fulfil its commitment to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and break nuclear armed states’ stranglehold over global security.
All efforts for peace must be redoubled. This means prioritising diplomacy and fostering cooperative action to secure a safer future for all. Such efforts deserve funding and commitment on a scale currently reserved for military preparations. If we truly desire peace, we must prepare for peace – with as much resolve as we do for war.