Kuwait has called on the international community to pressure Israel into joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Member of the Kuwaiti permanent delegation to the UN in New York diplomatic attache Abdulaziz Al-Saeedi told a General Assembly meeting that the international community should hold countries in the Middle East responsible for their actions, stressing respect for international laws concerning nuclear security matters.

The General Assembly was discussing on Wednesday a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Al-Saeedi said that Kuwait was surprised by the IAEA’s lack of response to an Israeli minister’s statements on using nuclear weapons as an “option” against the Gaza Strip.

The diplomat told the General Assembly that the statement reflected the occupation’s “bloodthirsty” attitude, “ethnic cleansing” tendencies, and lack of respect to international laws and norms.