The dangers of nukes must not be forgotten

The event was convened in the run-up to scheduled talks in Helsinki later this year which aim to bring key players from the Middle East together to try to move towards a future without nuclear or biological weapons.

Unsurprisingly one of the main issues for discussion was the continuing ratcheting up of tensions over Iran's nuclear programme with increasingly hawkish comments emanating from the US and Israel in particular, as well as Britain.

The other, the diplomatic elephant in the UN, is Israel's possession of a nuclear arsenal, making it the only nuclear power in the region.

Israel continues to officially deny its possession of nuclear weapons, but current estimates put its arsenal at over 100 warheads including inter-continental ballistic missiles.

The evidence of Israel's weapons programme first emerged in the mid-1980s when Mordechai Vanunu, a former nuclear technician at the Negev Nuclear Research Centre, leaked the information to the British press in 1986.

Vanunu was lured to Italy in a honeytrap operation by a female Mossad agent. He was drugged, kidnapped and taken back to Israel. He was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment on charges of treason and espionage after a secret trial.

Eleven years of his sentence were spent in solitary confinement.

Vanunu became a cause celebre around the world and a global campaign sprang up demanding his release.

To many in Israel however he was seen as a traitor and remains so to this day.

On his eventual release in 2004 he was placed under draconian restrictions and suffered a number of further arrests for allegedly breaching the conditions of his release.

Now a new and burgeoning anti-nuclear campaign group has emerged in Israel.

One of those spearheading the movement is Sharon Dolev of the Israeli Disarmament Campaign.

She spoke to the Star about the challenges, and opportunities, of campaigning for nuclear decommissioning in the only Middle Eastern country to possess a nuclear arsenal.

Dolev also discussed the importance of bringing Israel to the negotiating table in Helsinki and why she feels the talks should be deferred to allow this the fullest chance of happening.

"I am never going to be Israel's darling," she smiles. "All disarmament campaigners face the same problems in that people forget to be afraid of nuclear weapons. This is added to [in Israel] where people talk a lot about security but not about the dangers of nuclear weapons.

"But I have a great opportunity to work on virgin land. The campaign is fresh and has an impact. It is like painting a wall - it is very satisfying to paint on the first layer and see the difference.

"In Israel the response to the campaign has been across the board. We see the whole range of people, young and old.

"People say Israel won't use nuclear weapons unless other nations threaten to use WMD. But sometimes this threat can be exaggerated not just for political reasons but because of fear. Israel sees itself as a very small country surrounded by countries which want to annihilate it. This fear is emphasised by looking at the Holocaust and saying 'never again.'

"People in Israel say we will never use nuclear weapons but argue that if it did not have them then Israel would not exist. They talk about the security of Israel but not the dangers of radioactive waste."

Dolev has suggested that the Helsinki conference could be postponed until after the Israeli elections in January. Does she think there will be a significant difference?

"There won't be a major shift but to have the conference one month before the elections means it will be a problem for the government to make promises or do anything. Israel is a key player, a reluctant player and everything needs to be done to ensure Israel is involved."

Visible signs of change are already emerging, she believes, but this takes time to take root.

"We are now seeing results from the campaign. The Israeli media it beginning to discuss the issue. As a campaigner I would like to see the talks suspended for a year."