MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. Recent statements by Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu definitively confirm that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"Against the background of Israel's historical policy of uncertainty regarding its possession of nuclear weapons, these statements not only clearly confirm the presence of such weapons in this country, but also demonstrate the readiness to seriously consider the possibility to use them in completely inappropriate scenarios," the diplomat said.

"This is a serious reason to think about where the extremist-minded representatives of Israel may end up as they realize they can do anything in the conditions of virtually unlimited patronage from the West," she continued.

According to Zakharova, Russia regards the minister's remarks about the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the residents of the Gaza Strip as "provocative and absolutely unacceptable."

"Such statements mean that the entire civilian population of the Gaza Strip is being threatened with nuclear weapons. Is this a threat of genocide? There is and can be no justification for such statements, especially since they come from the official of a state that positions itself and is proclaimed by the collective West as ‘the only democracy in the Middle East,’ which, apparently, should imply its complete and unconditional righteousness in any situation," she added.

The diplomat said the issue of establishing an area that’s free of weapons of mass destruction and means of their delivery in the Middle East is becoming ever more relevant and urgent.

"As a reminder, any progress in this area is systematically 'torpedoed' by Israel with the active support and connivance of the US," the spokeswoman said.

Remarks by the Israeli minister

Israel’s Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu was asked in an interview with Kol Berama Radio on November 5 whether a nuclear bomb should be dropped on Gaza and responded that it was one of the possibilities. The official later said that the nuclear bomb statement was metaphorical, but Israel definitely needs a powerful and disproportionate response to terrorism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended Eliyahu from government meetings and criticized his remarks about the possibility of using nuclear weapons in Gaza.

Eliyahu's remarks were condemned by several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria. A statement released by the Saudi foreign ministry said that "the failure to immediately dismiss the minister or suspend him from office reflects the height of the Israeli government's contempt for all human, moral, religious and legal norms and values.".