IAEA nixes Arab states' proposal on Israel's nuclear capabilities

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted Thursday against Arab states' resolution, sponsored by Egypt, which calls for international monitoring of Israel’s nuclear facilities.

The draft resolution, titled "Israel nuclear capabilities" urged Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), voicing concern over its nuclear capabilities.

The proposal was voted down by 61 member nations while forty-three nations supported the resolution and 33 countries abstained from casting a vote.

"Delegates adopted a resolution on the application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East and rejected a resolution on Israeli nuclear capabilities," IAEA said on its website.

During the afternoon plenary session, delegates adopted a cluster of resolutions related to the IAEA’s budget and operations.

"This included resolutions on the Agency’s financial statement for 2014; the Agency’s program and budget for 2016-2017; amendment to Article XIV.A of the Statute; amendment to Article VI of the Statute, scale of assessment of Member State’s contribution to the regular budget; promotion of efficiency and effectiveness of the IAEA decision-making process; and elections to the Agency’s staff pension committee."

Two other adopted resolutions addressed measures to further strengthen IAEA activities on nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety and strengthening the Agency’s technical cooperation activities.