‘Prevent falling in claws of foes’
We support ‘Abu Mazen’ decision
“IT LOOKS like the weakest state or entity in the Arab world is the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which fully depends on others for everything,” columnist, professor at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) College of Technological Studies and the Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Heritage Revival Society (IHRS) Dr Wael Al-Hassawi wrote for Al-Rai daily.
“For his part, the Palestinian President Abu Mazen is fed up with the US behavior and has finally decided to turn down the guardianship of Washington after discovering the US government is not impartial to the Palestinian cause.
“Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) during the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Support Conference that was hosted by the Al-Azhar Al-Shareif in Cairo, counted more than one hundred resolutions and recommendations which were issued by the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular since 1947 in support of the Palestinian cause, but none of these were realized over the past years.
“However, the United States response to demands came in a threat to withdraw from UNESCO and suspend its assistance to UNRWA (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency). Not just that, Washington, also decided to suspend its assistance to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in addition to many other decisions which are seemingly in the process of being implemented.
“In this context, we say even the UN General Assembly resolution which was approved by more than two-thirds majority to reject the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Zionist entity, had no impact because the world pays attention to decisions issued by big powers who at the moment rule the world — the powers topped by the United States and this is one of the ironies of today to see the fate of the entire world in the hands of five nations without paying attention to the opinions of the remaining states.
“Hence, the issue is not related to the blind allegiance of the (US President) Donald Trump to the Zionist entity, it is rather related to the states which have offered their necks to the states which currently control the fate of the world and sanction whatever they want.
“It is unfortunate many Arab and Muslim countries implement anything that is requested of them without reaction or protest. To the contrary these countries are always ready to fight wars among themselves without thinking.
“In this connection, we say we have witnessed drastic differences and wars of words among these countries. We have witnessed how some of these countries (the Arab and Islamic) are currently in a race to normalize ties with the Zionists.
“This happens, while ‘Netanyahu’ (the Israeli Prime Minister) boasts before the whole world that all Arab countries are in a race to establish diplomatic relations with the Jews.
“However, just a few days ago, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad Movement (IJM) boycotted the meeting of the Palestinian Central Council that was held in Ramallah where it was decided to suspend the recognition of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) with the Zionist entity — the recognition was based on the Oslo agreement (between the PLO and Israel in 1993).
“Although we don’t recognize the importance of this suspicious council, we believe that the reason behind Hamas and IJM boycott can be attributed to their close link to Iran and their attempts to strengthen Tehran’s influence in the region.
“Anyway, today the need of the house is to cement the Palestinian-Palestinian mutual understanding and weave joint coalitions to unify the Palestinians and reject any domination that may be imposed on their decisions.
“Therefore, we support the decision of ‘Abu Mazen’ and request the Arab and Muslim rulers to stop running after the Zionist entity. In the meantime, we request our country to hold itself above all and prevent falling in the claws of our foes, who show no mercy for us.”
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“About one hundred years ago, the Balfour Declaration (Pledge) was issued by (Arthur James Balfour the then British foreign secretary), because Britain seemingly needed financial assistance from the Rothschild Bank which was owned by the Jewish Rothschild family in order to satisfy the Zionist organization in America and persuade the latter’s participation in the war (World War I) to support the British troops,” columnist and former ambassador Ahmad Ghaith wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
“But what is strange is to see the US President Donald Trump after one hundred years since the issuance of the Balfour Declaration offering Jerusalem as a gift to become Israel’s capital, ignoring the fact this decision violates the UN Security Council and international community resolutions.
“However, it seems the behavior of Trump is to win the support of the Zionist lobby and favor of the pro-Zionists and Israel and the Christian Anglican rightist organizations, given the fact this decision is in line with a pledge that was given by Trump during election campaigning to win the votes of these organizations.
“In this context, we say anyone who follows up President Trump will observe his many strange and contradictory behaviors even how he reached the White House through a policy that was unfamiliar during the election of presidents who preceded him.
“In other words, the Republican Party did not nominate him but Trump imposed himself on this party by polarizing the white workers and farmers and people of interests and the Zionist lobby. Hence, due to plenty of criticisms that were leveled against him, we saw him fleeing and toying with the emotions of his supporters.
“However, following the signing of his decision to shift the US embassy to Jerusalem, I am quite sure he is president where no importance will be attached to his political method and pledges.
“In this context, we say the Palestinians had put their trust in the United States and Yasser Arafat had signed the Oslo Agreement with Israel at the White House in 1993, but due to the robustness of the American-Israeli coalition, Israel had decided not to abide by the items of this agreement.
“Moreover, the consecutive US presidents in turn had not dared put pressure on Israel, but Trump had daringly emphasized that his political interest shall remain at the forefront and as such he had dared to surmount the Oslo Agreement as well as the United Nations and Security Council resolutions over Jerusalem.
“Consequently, the Palestinians and the Palestine National Authority will have no choice, but to resort to revolution through appropriate means that may be decided by them to prove their existence and nobility of their legitimate rights.”
“The announcement made by the President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte about his intention to stop sending Filipino nationals, most of who are female domestic workers, to Kuwait resulted in exceptional reactions throughout the country.” Hassan Al-Essa wrote for Aljarida daily.
“President Duterte believes Filipino domestic workers are molested and many of them commit suicide because of disappointment and loss of hopes of attaining their rights.
“Ministry of Foreign Affairs rushed to play the role of curious attorney by defending the reputation of Kuwait, or more precisely the reputation of Kuwaiti employers.
“Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the number of Filipino expatriates in Kuwait exceeds 170,000 due to which just four cases cannot be regarded as a precise indicator of their conditions in Kuwait.
“I do not know if this argument is an admission of the allegations or an attempt to dodge the responsibility. The undersecretary ignored that fact that large number of the domestic workers who committed suicide are either of Filipino nationality or other nationalities.
“The headlines in the daily newspapers indicate that Kuwait has been exposed to a horrible attack that touches its sovereignty.
“What President Duterte said is nothing new. It was not the first time the Philippines threatened to stop sending domestic workers to Kuwait. Some years ago, India also had threatened to stop sending Indian domestic workers to Kuwait.
“The issue is not a small matter, as it touches each Kuwaiti house. Can we imagine any house that runs without domestic workers? This is the fruit of the post-oil customs that made Kuwaitis dependant on expatriates for doing almost everything. And these are the expatriates who are currently victims of the aggressive campaign led by MP Safa Al-Hashem.
“It was better for Ministry of Foreign Affairs to refer the threatening message to the government and the National Assembly in order for passing a new and effective law instead of Law No. 68/2015 which does not really guarantee protection for expatriate workers.
“We in Kuwait and other similar countries with concrete civilization that is built upon the expatriates’ shoulders have to admit that we abuse expatriates particularly domestic workers.
“I want you to close your eyes and imagine the conditions of Kuwaiti houses if many countries decided to stop sending domestic workers to Kuwait. I want to see what the people who act like lions in front of expatriates will do in such a situation. Will they decide to import domestic workers from Germany or Demark for not “dirtying our country”?”
“President of Tanzania John Pombe Magufuli is a true leader and an honorable president. He was a chemistry teacher before he joined politics and became elected as the president.” Ali Al-Raees wrote for Al-Kuwaitiah daily.
“He took upon himself the anti-graft war starting with sacking and imprisoning chairman of the antigraft agency, senior officials of the railway corporation and chairman of the ports authority. He terminated the services of thousands of workers due to their involvement in forgery cases. He announced austerity measures and cancelled the annual celebration of Independence Day, instead spending the budget of the event for fighting cholera epidemic.
“He reduced the number of Cabinet ministers from 30 to 19. He stopped foreign missions for officials without his direct approval and stopped senior government officials from traveling first class. He demanded all ministers to declare their assets and bank deposits with the threat of sacking any minister who did not declare assets or refused to sign credibility undertaking. Needless to say, let bygones be bygones. Such a “Bulldozer” is badly required in Arab countries.”
“We are living in a new week of interpellations against Minister of Social, Labor and Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh, as well as State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Adel Al-Kharafi. This new round between the Government and Parliament comes a few weeks after formation of the new government,” columnist Abdul-Muhsin Jumuah wrote for Al-Jarida daily.
“This is a clear indication that there is ongoing tension and instability between the executive and legislative authorities. The tensed political situation in the country prolongs wastage of time and effort in the Parliament. Both sides defy the approach made by the other in their respective turfs. This means that development is the main victim.
“The Parliament should stop focusing on ministers as individuals. It should focus on laws which prevent ministers from committing violations, in the sense that they build on points where they share opinions and wash off points which lead to corruption of the Cabinet.
“For instance, when it comes to the law on people with special needs, it is will definitely suffice to make some amendments on issues that bring the two authorities head on, instead of grilling someone in a bid to remove them, only for another to come who will not be much different from the previous one, and then the story continues.”