Flux in the Middle East and Nuclear Israel

The article discusses the impact of policy and practice of Israel's nuclear opacity on the already volatile security environment of the region. Besides geographical rivalry that led to several Arab-Israel wars, the Israel nuclear opacity is a key cause of insecurity for other regional actors such as Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. On contrary, there is a possibility that a nuclear Israel may increase the flux in an already unstable Middle East, along with a number of regional wars fought with the Arab states. It is important to note that Israel is considered as the main hurdle in establishing the Middle Eastern Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (MENWFZ) that could ensure security for the entire region. Moreover, important developments such as recognition of Israel by several Arab states have in recent past to normalise Arab-Israel relations raise a question – how the normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states may affect Israel's opacity regarding its possession of nuclear weapons. To explore this question, the article studies Israel's nuclear behaviour keeping in view the international nonproliferation initiatives and its stance towards nuclear weapons acquisition. The article draws empirical claim that if Israel chose to declare its nuclear status then this behaviuor may indulge other states of the region to develop their nuclear weapon programme and thus multiplying the regional security challenges.