VIENNA: Egypt accused Israel on Wednesday of displaying "chutzpah" — blatant shamelessness — in unusually harsh comments at a 151-nation meeting on the issue of a nuclear-free Mideast.
The remarks at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s general conference reflect the bitterness dividing Arab nations and Israel and its supporters over whether Israel should open up its nuclear program to the UN watchdog’s perusal.
The Egyptians issued the statement Wednesday after Israel accused Egypt of unfairly singling out the Jewish state while ignoring its own commitments to the IAEA.
Egyptian delegate Aly Omar Sirry characterized those comments as "demonstrating the full meaning of the world chutzpah" — a Hebrew world for blatant shamelessness.
Israel is commonly considered to be the only Mideast nation with nuclear weapons.
The conference votes this week on an Arab-sponsored resolution urging Israel to open its nuclear activities to inspection.
