On Tuesday, Russia’s foreign ministry expressed concerns about a comment made by an Israeli junior minister regarding the possibility of Israel using nuclear force against Gaza. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended Heritage Minister Amihay Eliyahu, a member of a far-right party in the coalition government.
In a radio interview, Eliyahu was asked about a hypothetical nuclear option, to which he replied, “That’s one way.” This statement raised significant questions and led to international reactions.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, pointed out the implication that Israel had nuclear weapons, which the country has never publicly acknowledged. While Israel’s nuclear arsenal is estimated at 90 warheads by organizations like the Federation of American Scientists, an official admission is rare.
Zakharova raised concerns about the oversight of nuclear weapons, asking where the International Atomic Energy Agency and international nuclear inspectors were in this context.
Eliyahu’s comment sparked condemnation from many Arab nations, shocked Israeli media, and was considered “objectionable” by a U.S. official. Iran called for a swift international response, with its Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian urging the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency to take immediate action to disarm Israel if it indeed possesses nuclear weapons.
