>>508713993 (OP)The reason Israel can have nuclear weapons secretly while others in the region are pressured or outright forbidden from doing so comes down to realpolitik, U.S. protection, and a web of double standards baked into international diplomacy.
Here’s the blunt breakdown:
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1. Israel Never Signed the NPT
Israel is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—which is the main international agreement meant to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
By not signing, Israel avoids inspections or legal constraints. It never declared its arsenal and follows a policy of “nuclear ambiguity” (it won’t confirm or deny having nukes).
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2. Backed by the U.S.
The U.S. and other Western powers know Israel has nukes—likely 80 to 200 warheads—but turn a blind eye. Why?
• Strategic ally in the Middle East
• Intelligence sharing
• Mutual defense interests
• Powerful pro-Israel lobbying in the U.S.
In fact, U.S. policy formally avoids acknowledging Israel’s nuclear status, a wink-nod agreement known as the “nuclear opacity doctrine.”
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3. Others in the Region Are Seen as Threats
When countries like Iran or Iraq (under Saddam) pursue nuclear tech, they’re treated as global threats—because:
• They’re adversaries of the U.S. or Israel
• Their regimes are unstable or hostile to Western interests
• Their ambitions challenge the current balance of power
So the rules change. For “friends,” ambiguity is allowed. For “enemies,” even peaceful enrichment gets treated like a provocation.
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4. Geopolitical Leverage
Israel’s undeclared nukes are seen as a deterrent in a hostile neighborhood. It gives them strategic leverage without provoking international backlash—because there’s no official admission.
If Israel ever confirmed its nukes, it could trigger:
• Calls for regional disarmament
• Demands to join the NPT
• Pressure on Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others to “balance the scale”
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