Yemen has criticized international silence over Israel's nuclear program, saying it encouraged the country to continue to refuse joining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The announcement was made when Yemen's Permanent Representative to the UN Abdullah al-Saadi delivered a speech at the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) being held in New York.Al-Saadi affirmed Yemen's firm stance towards the issues related to control and elimination of weapons of mass destruction, saying the country believes in international peace and security. He said that the continuation of possessing and developing nuclear weapons pose major threats to humanity and regional and international peace, and violate the goals of achieving nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.He urged to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons as a main step to internationalize the treaty.However, he affirmed that Yemen is for having nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.