JERUSALEM, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Israel wants to build a nuclear power plant without signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which needs assistance from the United States, local news service Ynet reported Friday.

    Israel has recently sent the requirement to the U.S. government for getting its approval, but receiving no response so far, the report said.

    A U.S. diplomat said at a UN meeting in May that the Obama administration expects Israel to join the NPT.

    Israel has never formally admitted it has nuclear weapons, although there is a widespread international belief that the country does have such a military capability.

    Israel is interested in adopting the "Indian model," which could allow it to build an internationally monitored civilian reactor while avoiding monitoring of Israel's other nuclear capabilities, the report said.

    Israel wants to build the nuclear power plant in southern Negevdesert in order to deal with the predicted growing domestic demand for electricity in the coming decade, according to the report.

Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts