http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=147913UNITED NATIONS –Israel will not attend the United Nations Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Summit next week in New York City.
Mirit Cohen, spokesman at Israel's U.N. mission, explained that since Jerusalem has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it will "not participate" in the review conference to be held at U.N. headquarters.
Earlier this month, Israel downgraded its representation at the nuclear arms summit hosted by President Obama in Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had intended to participate, but in another sign of strained relations with the White House, sent Intelligence and Nuclear Energy Minister Dan Meridor instead.
Jerusalem has resisted pressure from more than five U.S. administrations to sign the treaty curbing the development of nuclear weapons.
While not confirming or denying it possesses nuclear arms, every Israeli prime minister has publicly stated the Jewish state "will never be the first to use nuclear weapons in the Middle East."
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In the past, Israel has unofficially sent observers to "monitor" the U.N. nuclear meetings, but not this time. Israel will join India, Pakistan and North Korea in skipping next week's meeting.
The conclave, designed to review the control of the spread of nuclear weapons meets for a review once every five years.
With so many key nations not in attendance, it is unclear if anything of substance can be achieved.
More than 30 nations will send representatives, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Israel, which has stridently criticized Iran's nuclear activities, refused any comment on Ahmadinejad's upcoming visit to New York.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg reluctantly accepted his city's responsibility to play host to the controversial Iranian leader:
"I disagree with the guy on probably everything he's ever said. … I don't care for him, but the United Nations has to welcome everyone and we want the United Nations here in New York."
Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany will also be sending high-level delegations.
Clinton reportedly will use the meeting to pressure the U.N. Security Council to move ahead on the U.S. demand that a third round of sanctions be imposed on Iran.
Tehran has ignored council demands to suspend atomic activities which the council believes could have military applications.
Iran also has announced that in August it will complete and activate one of the world's largest nuclear power plants, near the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr.
The $6 billion project, being built by Russia, is more than 30 years in the making and was originally started with German assistance under the late Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Once completed, the Bushehr nuclear power complex will be among the 20 largest in the world, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. atomic watchdog.
Ahmadinejad, making his second visit to New York City in less than a year, is expected to lobby certain Russia and China to stall any U.S. sanctions campaign.
While it is possible that Clinton's and the Iranian's paths may cross during the summit, the White House insists no meeting between the two will take place.
The White House and State Department have also refused any comment on the Ahmadinejad visit and Israel's decision not to attend the summit.
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