Amidst the scrutiny on Iran, the Israeli government has reiterated its refusal to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty. On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded to President Obama’s call for “all countries” to ratify the NPT.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak: “To our friends and our allies, we say there is no room to pressure Israel into signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel has never threatened to destroy other countries or nations, whereas Iran today, and in the past also Syria, Libya and Iraq, that have signed the treaty, have broken it systematically with explicit threats on Israel’s existence.”