On 5 October 1986, the British newspaper, the Sunday Times, published details baout Israel's secret nuclear programme, based on testimony and photos provided by fromer Dimona technician, Mordechai Vanunu. In explanatory memoranda and the plenary meetings where the draft resolution was discussed, some Arab states made reference to the revelations by the former Dimona technician to support their draft proposal. The explanatory memorandum submitted by Iraq stated that “several reports based on information and photos presented by a technician formerly employed at Israel's secret Dimona reactor, issued in October 1986, confirm that Israel possesses more than 100 nuclear weapons”, while the memorandum by Syria stated that “the British newspaper "The Sunday Times" revealed, in its issue No. 8461, very exciting and surprising information given by Mr. Mordechai Vanunu, a nuclear technician in Machom 2 at Israel's Dimona nuclear research establishment.”
IAEA resolution on the “Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat” is adopted for the first time
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The resolution – co-sponsored by Algeria, Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates – was first introduced under the title “Israeli nuclear threat” in 1986 but was defeated by a vote at the IAEA General Conference. The amended 1987 draft made a direct reference to “recent information regarding the possession of nuclear weapons by Israel.” The resolution demanded that “Israel place all its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards in compliance with Security Council resolution 487 of 1981.”