Rubio dodges Israel nuclear question, pushes for ‘classified’ setting

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to give a direct answer Wednesday about whether Israel possesses nuclear weapons, telling lawmakers the topic demands careful handling and is better suited for a “classified” discussion.

"Before speaking frankly, I think most of the world assesses that they do, but they've never acknowledged that publicly,” Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rubio acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue, saying "these things require delicate balancing action between different equities," stopping short of confirming or denying Israel's nuclear capabilities.

He suggested lawmakers would get a "more fulsome answer" in a setting that was "both classified and sensitive."

"It's a serious question," said Rubio, noting that Israel's non-acknowledgment of a nuclear program has long been "a feature of our foreign policy."