MODEL UNITED NATIONS PREPARATORY CONFERENCE

(PREPMUN) 2021
ACADEMICS DEPARTMENT
Name: Gwen Ko Jing Wen Date: 6 / 12 / 2021

Committee: B12 DISEC Country: Israel

PREPMUN 2021- Guided Position Paper for Category A Delegates

Dear Delegate, thank you for choosing to be a part of PREPMUN 2021! Position papers are an
integral component of the preparation for a MUN conference that allows you to better
understand your own country’s positions on a given issue. This document acts as a guided
template for what would constitute a typical position paper. Simply fill in the boxes with the
appropriate responses to the prompts given and submit the document to your committee
chairpersons by the stipulated deadline.

Section 1: Background Information

a) What are the key terms/definitions that are relevant to the issue?

You could potentially end up in a scenario where there are no internationally agreed
definitions for a particular term. If such a case occurs, refer to your country’s own
definition and identify causes for the difference in interpretation between countries.

Nuclear proliferation: the spread of nuclear weapons to other countries or organisations that
did not previously own them.
Nuclear weapons states: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States,
and other widely known countries which are in possession of nuclear weapons
Nuclear ambiguity: the status of whether a country is in possession of nuclear weapons or
material being unclear

b) What are some relevant statistics that highlight the pressing need to address
the issue?
You could, for example, identify numbers of individuals affected, financial damage
caused or area of regions affected.
The adverse consequences that detonated nuclear bombs have on the health of the
numerous affected individuals may be seen through the aftermath of the Hiroshima and
Nagasaki bombings in 1945. The bombing killed an estimated 140,000 people in
Hiroshima and an additional 74,000 in Nagasaki. The effects of such a nuclear bombing
also carry on many years after the bombing. the incidence of leukaemia increased
noticeably among survivors. After about a decade, survivors began suffering from
thyroid, breast, lung and other cancers at higher than normal rates. Pregnant women
exposed to the bombings experienced higher rates of miscarriage and deaths among
their infants; their children were more likely to have intellectual disabilities, impaired
growth and an increased risk of developing cancer.
Another post-effect of nuclear bombs is the great economic loss and devastation. One
study states that the economic cost of a nuclear weapon exploding in New York City will
be placed at $10 trillion or above, roughly the equivalent of the annual gross domestic
product (GDP) of the U.S. economy. The alarming economic loss is attributed to the
radioactive fall-outs, cities, towns industrial areas and agricultural land over a potentially
vast area that may have to be abandoned.

Additionally, nuclear bombs give off large amounts of ionizing radiation. Marine life, when
exposed to such high levels of radioactive contaminants, are susceptible to reductions in
reproductive potential. Furthermore, the eggs and larvae of said marine life are highly
sensitive to radiation, with the potential to alter their DNA, resulting in bizarre and
deformed organisms, with abnormalities like extra limbs.

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/70-years-red-cross-hospitals-still-treat-thousands-atomic-
bomb-survivors

https://article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Economic-impact.pdf

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/110331-japan-radiation-health-
mutations-nuclear-animals-ocean-science-world

https://education.seattlepi.com/nuclear-bombs-affect-environment-6173.html

c) What are some historical and recent developments of the issue? How has the UN
been involved in addressing these developments?

- After the bombing that happened in Japan, the UN assembled on 1/2/1946 to discuss
the usage of these powerful weapons, there was a resolution passed by DISEC,
establishing a commission to deal with issues on the development of atomic energy
and control of new technology.
- After the commission failed to prevent further nuclear proliferation and there was a
need to curb this problem, the UN adopted a resolution which was to be the NPT later
on- non-nuclear countries are prohibited from obtaining them, nuclear countries to
eventually disarm.
- Upon the threats of nuclear weapons in destabilized countries, the UN negotiated for
the TPNW, which prohibits partaking in all forms of nuclear weapon activities including
deployment and provision of assistance to other states.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS PREPARATORY CONFERENCE

(PREPMUN) 2021
ACADEMICS DEPARTMENT

d) What are the most pressing concerns with respect to the issue?

You may want to arrange them by category if it is helpful (i.e. political, social and economic).
One pressing concern lies in the political relations and power difference between nuclear-
weapon states and non-nuclear states. With the back support of nuclear weapons behind
such states, non-nuclear states are pressurised into following the demands and requests of
such powerful countries, leading to a difference in power between the two states, where one
holds more authority than the other. On the other hand, nuclear-weapon states who decide
against signing treaties like the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons may be
disregarded.

Another pressing concern is the worry that such weapons of power may fall into the wrong
hands. As terrorism groups begin to make a rise once again in recent years, there is a
possibility that such a dangerous group may be able to get their hands on such destructive
weapons, which will lead to the safety of many being compromised, and chaos among
citizens.

e) If the issue has persisted for a long while, what are some challenges to solving
the issue? What are some reasons it has not yet been resolved?

Section 2: Country’s Past Involvement

a) How has your country been affected by this issue? If so, what sort of actions
has your country taken in the past with regards to this issue?

If it has not, identify possible reasons as to why.

Israel is possibly a nuclear-armed state, which adopted a policy of nuclear ambiguity or

otherwise known as nuclear opacity by neither confirming nor denying that it has nuclear
weapons, keeping the development and capabilities of its nuclear enterprise secret while
maintaining its nuclear image through the publishing of statements, leaks and rumours. This
policy was to be an integral part of ensuring the nation’s safety against other countries.

https://www.reutgroup.org/Publications/Israel's-'Nuclear-Ambiguity'-Policy

b) Has any high-level government officials/representatives from your country made

any public statements/remarks regarding the issue?

MODEL UNITED NATIONS PREPARATORY CONFERENCE

(PREPMUN) 2021
ACADEMICS DEPARTMENT
In the discussions towards the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Yair Lapid,
Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel, stated that there is “no daylight” between Israelis in
condemning the Iran deal, clearly showing the strong opposition they are taking against the
nuclear proliferation of Iran.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/israel-blasts-iran-deal-as-dark-day-in-history/
2015/07/14/feba23ae-0018-403f-82f3-3cd54e87a23b_story.html

Section 3: Stance
What are your country’s primary interests when it comes to the issue?

Do note that it is not always possible to easily identify your country’s end goals from
cursory research, especially if the problems associated with the topic do not affect your
country directly.

If this happens to be the case, you have to develop these ideas on your own. Consider
the following when doing so:
1) Your country’s history (how it might have dealt with similar issues in the
past) 2) Key interests (such as alliances or pacts)
3) Principles supported by your country (i.e. freedom vs regulation of speech)

One of Israel’s primary interests is the nation’s safety and welfare against external threats.
Israel’s policy of ambiguity is a way to keep them as well as their possible nuclear
programme safe while supporting their nuclear image through indirect evidence of its existing
nuclear capabilities. This may be also due to the political unrest Israel has faced in the past,
with experiences of war with neighbouring countries. Examples include the 1948 Arab-Israeli
War, in which then prime minister, Ben Gurion concluded that Israel could only survive if it
had a massive military deterrent, nuclear weapons. This served as an effective way to deter
non-nuclear countries from attacking Israel, as well as remain as a defence mechanism of
some sort.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel

Section 4: Proposed Solutions

What are some solutions that you believe your country and your committee
could implement to resolve the issue?

Do provide a short explanation as to why you think the solution will be practical.

You are encouraged to refer back to Section 1 of this template to identify the
specific contentions within this topic to be resolved.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could attempt to be more

authoritarian in its approach while monitoring countries that deliberately go against
 the peaceful use of nuclear energy that has been perpetuated by the IAEA.
Sanctions for disobeying the agency could be in the form of fines or warnings.

Alternatively, nuclear weapons can be less accessible through enhanced security

systems, well-trained guards, and a lockdown system to prevent any possible
events of theft.

Congratulations! You have now completed your first ever Position Paper!