VIENNA
A resolution calling for nuclear inspections in Israel has been defeated by 13 votes at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thursday’s vote saw 45 member states, including Turkey, Russia, China and Iran, back the proposal from 18 Arab countries.
The U.S., Britain, France and Germany were among the 58 members to vote against the measure at the agency’s General Assembly in Vienna while 27 countries abstained.
The proposal called for the opening of Israel's nuclear facilities to IAEA inspection and Israel signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Kuwaiti ambassador to Vienna, Sadiq M. Marafi, claimed those countries backing Israel had violated international law.
He said: "Arab states will decide to continue efforts on nuclear inspection over Israel."
The same proposal has been previously rejected three times in the past five years.
Israel refuses to sign the non-proliferation treaty despite calls from the UN and the IAEA for it to do so. It has never confirmed or denied owning nuclear weapons but is widely believed to possess them.
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