Backing up the argument: Israel has stated many times that it will not be the first state to introduce nuclear weapons into the region. Simultaneously, numerous Middle Eastern countries have been trying to build their own non-conventional capabilities. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is incompatible with the Middle East, a region that remains far from peaceful and secure. Algeria, Syria, Egypt and Iran all reportedly have ongoing covert programs to develop an atomic weapon. It is a regional problem, not an Israeli problem. In spite of all this, Israel has supported from the outset the principles of nuclear non-proliferation. Although it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), due to the demonstrated limitations of this treaty, Israel has refrained from disseminating nuclear knowledge and technology. Israel has been a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since the Agency's foundation in 1957, and it takes part in the Agency's annual meetings. Over the years Israel has participated in a number of agreements in the nuclear sphere, under the auspices of the IAEA, assisting some in the process. In July 2004, new strict regulations on the export of materials that could be used in the development of nuclear weapons came into effect in Israel. Israel signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, though it has yet to ratify it. It was an active partner in formulating it, and it continues to actively participate in the establishment of the treaty's verification regime. Many alarming proliferation developments in the Middle East and in other regions have occurred during the late 1990's and early 2000. None of these developments involved Israel, though many directly challenge Israel's core security interests. In contrast to these developments, Israel has neither threatened any of its neighbors, nor has it acted in defiance of any of its international commitments. ( See background )