‘Night of evil nears end’

‘Foes must learn lesson’

“THE United States used its veto No. 43 to block any resolution that was aimed at condemning Israel — the pampered child of the Americans,” columnist

wrote for daily. “Thus, we wonder, if the Palestinians have any rights at all — the rights that have been lost the moment the Middle East collapsed under the weight of what they call ‘The New Middle East’ which at the moment represents an entity of looted will.

“They have actually planted differences among the brothers to unite one country after the other, destroying armies that were considered to be the strongest armies. In spite of all this, some Arab countries behind the scenes are still taking steps to normalize ties with the Zionist entity which is currently usurping the Palestinians and their land.

“Veto number 43 that was cast by the United States violates all human values, treaties and international covenants established by the United Nations to protect the entity and independence of the nations.

“However, when we hear reports about the enthusiasm of the United States to hold a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss and condemn the homemade Palestinian rockets that have bombed Israelis who are terrified because they are cowards and traitors although they have weapons of destruction and missiles.

“In other words, the US is always in a hurry to defend this regime (Israel) although this regime is murderous – murderer of children and responsible for the complete displacement of the Arabs (the Palestinians).

“In this context we would like say, all thanks to Russia and Kuwait for thwarting the proposed American resolution of accusing the Palestinians only but did not accuse those who are behind the torment and cold-blooded murder of hundreds of people during the peaceful protests on Land Day.

“As a matter of fact, how many decisions were issued in favor of the Palestinians but they were ignored and trampled under the feet as if to say, ‘You are a Palestinian people who do not deserve to live!’

“The Palestinians have lost faith in the Arabs who have failed them many times but now we are hearing from some Western and Latin American countries are condemning the heinous Zionist acts against the defenseless Palestinian people who are demanding their rights because they have the right to use all means as long as they are a people fighting without any support or assistance.

“Speaking of Russia in the words of Winston Churchill: ‘If the Russians died, peace will die’. Indeed, Russia has a big role in terms of creating a balance among world powers and prevent the United States from controlling the UN resolutions and the use of force against countries according to its desire and thirst to destabilize the security of any country of its choice through baseless arguments and unconvincing reasons even if they fall outside the framework of the United Nations in its capacity as the sole superpower in the world.

“Meanwhile, Russia by virtue of its political experience and style depends on political solutions away from the use of force and destruction of countries.

“In this connection, we say that it is Russia which was like a thorn to prevent any decisions that were directed against the Arab Syrian Republic to be a lesson for the United States and impose a strong peace rather than wars as happened to the ‘chemical lie’ in Iraq as well as in Libya.

“Russia has responded tenfold to America, which exploits all that it possesses to destroy Syria and divide it as planned.

“It is the United States which deprived the Palestinians of the most basic rights. It is the US which prevented any investigation of the Israeli crimes through its unjust veto No. 43.

“It is America, which at the moment wants to protect the Zionist army with all kinds of lethal American weapons including weapons of mass destruction against the Molotov cocktails, burning kites and stones.

“This is baffling indeed to see an army which is armed to the teeth with all sophisticated weapons fearing ‘paper tigers’. However, let America, which has burned the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian mothers learn a lesson that will not be forgotten. ‘If people ever wanted life ... then fate must respond, the night and the obstacles must eventually be broken.”

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Rajab

“From the White House platform and standing next to the French President, President Donald Trump launched implicit threats at some of the GCC countries, saying that the GCC countries are obliged to pay to the United States, because without US military support it will not withstand the challenges of the region and will disappear from the map,” columnist wrote for daily.

“This is not the first speech of President Trump in this direction, he has repeatedly announced, especially in the campaign that brought him to the White House.

“But the last speech was the toughest and particularly since we know this speech was given when the President of France was standing next to him, and that gave a greater political dimension and was deemed more humiliating.

“In spite of the above, the GCC countries are still on the same political path, and the boycotting of the State of Qatar continues by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE.

“I think that confronting the challenges needs greater cohesion by the GCC countries. If there are mistakes — and they are — overcoming those needs to be better than wounds until we face the latent threats of Trump. In the meantime, these states must stop all the exaggerated arms race that is aimed at attracting the great powers by purchasing weapons from them.

“In other words, the money of these purchases was supposed to be paid for scientific research, building universities and human development in general rather than go to major arms companies to provide jobs that re-elect presidents.

“We know that the wounds are too big, but holding ourselves above everything and opening a new page would be better particularly since we know that HH Sheikh Sabah said what is coming is bigger and greater, a message from a man who has experienced all disasters of the region for six decades.

“But the question here is, will the people concerned understand the purport of this message? Unfortunately, all indications so far are to the contrary. In this connection, we say the GCC countries are called for greater wisdom because the upcoming stage is greater. Has the message reached our ears? I hope so!”

“The so-called Arab Spring in 2011 encouraged the Zaidis or Houthis to establish their own state in Saada, north of Yemen, with executive authorities, schools and private police,” columnist and former Kuwaiti Ambassador wrote for

daily. “They demanded change in the Yemeni government while they did not care about the human and material losses resulting from their dangerous behavior.

“In 2015, there was a proposal to establish a federal system for Yemen, but the Houthis rejected it on the grounds that the Constitution would give them a small resource area, they would lack access to the sea port and deprive them of government posts.

“They took control of three cities in the west of Yemen, Saada in the north, Sana’a in the center and Taiz in the south. Their control extended to the Red Sea coast. They seized the port of Hodeidah and used it to smuggle weapons from Iran, without any plan to rule Yemen or a political agenda.

“The Yemeni government sought assistance from neighboring countries. Saudi Arabia formed an alliance in March 2015, which included Arab forces that participated in the battles against the Houthis.

“The war which lasted for three years resulted in the coalition forces liberating two thirds of Yemen’s territory and moved to liberate the last third of the West. The Houthis then appeared exhausted and their morale weakened.

“It is known that the Bab al-Mandeeb Strait is a strategic waterway through which Europe and Asia trade annually, which is worth 700 billion dollars. About 25,000 ships and almost 2 billion barrels of oil pass through.

“The strait also includes pirates, rebels, fishermen and migrants crossing Africa towards Yemen to enter the countries of Asia. Iran has tried to control the strait using the Houthis as tools or to carry out terrorist acts such as placing explosives in a boat and detonating them.

“We said that the coalition forces are now 12 kilometers from the city and the port of Hodeidah, and perhaps the battle against the Houthis has begun as I write these lines.

“When the fighting between the coalition forces and the Houthis erupts, the Houthis are expected to flee to the nearby mountains, and expected to blow up the area before they flee.

“The aid organizations have warned of the danger of a food crisis and perhaps starvation of thousands of Yemenis in the event of destruction or disruption of the port, but we believe that Saudi Arabia has the military skill to provide food to the people even in the case of war.

“The restoration of Hodeidah may open the way for the restoration of the capital Sana’a from the control of the Houthis. Hodeidah will achieve the objectives of the coalition by restoring the entire coastal plain from the siege of the Houthis, giving the alliance greater influence in the peace talks.

“The United Nations envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths is quoted as saying that that ‘Houthis have promised to leave the port if administered by the United Nations’.

“The liberation of the port is the beginning of the fall of the Houthi militia, a turning point for the restoration of the entire territory of Yemen, the guarantee of freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandeeb Straits, the cutting off of Iran’s hand that has brought destruction and bloodshed to Yemen.”

“In recent times, as a result of the Minister of Education’s decision to prevent cheating, there have been heated views, objections and anger from students and parents, and many administrators and others who are a party to all this ‘mess’,” columnist

wrote for daily.

“We have continued to respond to complaints raised by the parents of students who have been denied examinations as a result of fraud, and have filed complaints in the courts.

“Let us look at these cases in the courts. We followed the urgent court’s opinion, which was set up to look into these cases, where the plaintiffs say they were deprived of sitting for examinations. We saw the ruling that was issued rejecting such cases.

“In the context of this just judgment, we will come with evidence that the Minister of Education has a right to take action against students who cheated in examinations and that the court has the right to dismiss such cases.

“The evidence is that the success rate in this year’s high school compared to previous years is very large. It is almost unbelievable, since in some of those years the highest in science was 90.66%, religious studies 90.99%, and art 79.77%. The highest percentage from 2013 to 2017 was 91.2% in science, 88.2% in the religious studies and 86.9% in art.

“The success rate for this year’s 2017/2018 high school is scientific 69.84%, literary 63.89% and religious 68.75%. Did you notice, that this year’s success rate has dropped dramatically, of course it is not a coincidence, or a good luck for our students.

“Yes, it was not a coincidence, and there was no chance for luck either, but the appropriate decision of the Minister of Education, which stopped the fraud that had developed into corruption in the examination halls.

“Those who did not deserve success succeeded just because he/she was good at cheating, while others who studied hard and exerted all efforts could not compete with those who cheated.

“Let us know the reason why there are so many angry people out there just because the Minister of Education has stood firm and taken the right decision. The decision has come to put the children on the right track and show them the right way to success.”

— Compiled by Zaki Taleb