Israel's delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) criticized agency head Mohammed ElBaradei on Thursday, accusing him of bias in a probe into alleged Syrian nuclear activity. Israeli officials have previously hinted that ElBaradei is biased in favor of Iran and Syria, but the remarks made by delegate Yisrael Michaeli were unusually direct.
Michaeli said the IAEA's repeated demands that Israel provide more evidence proved its bias, as Israel has already provided all relevant information. “Had the director-general wished for further information from Israel, he would not have refused to meet with Israeli officials,” Michaeli added.
Another sign of bias is ElBaradei's public criticism of Israel for bombing a Syrian nuclear reactor without informing his agency beforehand, he said.
The IAEA began investigating a site in Syria after Israel bombed the location, saying the site had housed a nuclear facility. Israel later revealed pictures and videos of the facility to prove its claims.
Several months after the attack, IAEA researchers found traces of depleted uranium at the site. Syria has accused Israel of using depleted-uranium missiles in its strike. Israel's denial is largely accepted by agency investigators.
ElBaradei has criticized Israel for the strike, saying the strike made it difficult to prove that Syria had indeed built a nuclear facility.
ElBaradei: Israel should Stop Preaching
ElBaradei rejected accusations of bias, calling the suggestion “totally distorted.” He again criticized Israel's strike on the Syrian site.
He compared the strike to Israel's strike on Iraq's Osiraq nuclear reactor in 1981, calling both strikes “a clear violation of international law.”
"You, sir, did not allow us to do what we are supposed to do under international law,” ElBaradei said, addressing Michaeli. Israel is not a part of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, he said.
"We would appreciate that you stop preaching to us,” he concluded.