‘Reprisal against Kuwait begins’

‘We’re firm on Palestinian stance’

“THE American newspaper ‘The New York Post’ in its editorial on June 29, 2018 said ‘Kuwait better get ready with the program — or be prepared to face Trump’s wrath,’” columnist, professor at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training’s (PAAET) College of Technological Studies, the deputy chairman of the Islamic Heritage Revival Society (IHRS) and the chairman of Ibn Khaldoun Center for Political Studies wrote for

daily. “However, what the newspaper means by the term ‘program’ what the US incumbent administration plan is for the formation of an alliance of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states and the Zionist entity against Iran.

“Meanwhile, ‘The New York Post’ newspaper referred to the Kuwaiti envoy to the United Nations who criticized Israel this month and accused it of equipping and using sophisticated and diverse weapons against an unarmed people (the Palestinian people).

“The newspaper said that one of the clerics in Kuwait denied the authenticity of the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazi forces during World War II (the Holocaust), and asked about the number of kilns needed by Hitler to burn six million Jews.

“The newspaper has blessed the steps of several Gulf countries to come closer to Israel and normalize relations with it, while Kuwait has been stubborn to this normalization and criticizes Israel on every occasion!

“The newspaper pointed out that Kuwait, unlike the Gulf countries that have shown a firm stance on Iran, has placed itself on the neutral path of the issue of relations with Iran and it does not need a partner to challenge the Iranian aggression that threatens the region.

“Furthermore, they also referred to the position of Parliament Speaker Marzouq AlGhanim towards the Israeli delegation (to the International Parliament Union (IPU) conference), calling them occupiers and killing the children.

“Not just that, he asked them to carry their bags and leave the meeting room, which led the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to give Al-Ghanim the title ‘The Personality of the Year 2018’ award.

“Likewise, the newspaper recalled the position of Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei (member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly) who attacked ‘the Zionist dogs’ after the bombarding of an Iranian location by Israel in Syria.

“In the meantime, the newspaper recalled the attitude of the Salafis in Kuwait and their constant criticism of Israel, and indicated that they were the bumper to stop the opposition’s attack during the Arab Spring in 2011 and beyond where Kuwait had benefited from them as well as from the Muslim Brotherhood Group for encountering the local opposition.

“Anyway, since Kuwait took firm positions against the Zionist aggressors and addressed their repeated attempts to humiliate Muslims, including Kuwait’s position through its non-permanent membership in the Security Council and its persistent criticism of Israeli positions since the adoption by the State of Kuwait such an honorable attitude, we were realizing that the Zionist malicious machinery will not keep silent towards the honorable attitudes of the State of Kuwait.

“The series of retaliations against Kuwait has begun, including the New York Post’s review of Trump’s possible response to Kuwait over its honorable positions on Arab issues. If we recognize that what the newspaper reported about the positions of some Gulf states from Israel is true, Kuwait will face a diplomatic and political war that does not stop, and will witness incitement from the Zionist circles against it to subdue it and break its resolve!

“But there is no doubt that the position of His Highness the Amir on these issues of principle is clear and frank, which gives the Kuwaiti people confidence and adherence to the principles and willingness to challenge the world no matter what is conspired against it.”

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Al-Hassawi

“In its Friday issue, corresponding to June 29, 2018, the US newspaper ‘The New York Post’ published two articles by two writers Jonathan Schanzer and Varasha Koduvayur which revolve around US President Donald Trump’s plan to build an axis to contain Iran which will include Israel and some Arab states,” columnist wrote for

daily. “Meanwhile, the articles referred to the State of Kuwait as an obstacle in the formation of such a front where writers cited the attitudes of dignity and firmness that was adopted by Kuwait at international forums against the Israeli entity including the speech that was delivered by Speaker of Kuwait’s Parliament Marzouq Al-Ghanim at the 137th conference of the International Parliament Union where he adamantly addressed the Israeli delegation to the conference, and told it to pack your bags and leave.

“Meanwhile, the two writers described the meeting that was held between the son-in-law of Trump, Jared Kushner and the ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Washington Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah as ‘concise and stormy’, adding that this is applicable to the attitudes of the State of Kuwait’s envoy to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi in dealing with the Arab/Israeli struggle.

“Apart from the above, the two writers in question had attempted to belittle the State of Kuwait by referring to the attitudes of some Kuwaiti MPs, hinting the Salafist method which prevails in the country shows the three Kuwaitis are currently subjected to US sanctions for financing al-Qaeda network, and singled them out as teaching staff members of the state financed Kuwait University.

“On the other hand, the two writers referred to some flexibility shown by some Gulf and Arab states towards Israel and the extent of these states acceptance to join the dialogue with Israel. They also added Kuwait shall face the wrath of the US president if it rejects to join this dialogue.

“Anyway, as long these articles shall take big dimension in terms of forming the US public opinion due to the cultural shortage and because they are not conversant with the backgrounds of the Arab- Israeli struggle or understating the Kuwaiti policy towards the Arab and regional issues, I call on the Kuwaiti official authorities and the academicians in the country to publish articles in the US newspapers to intensify campaigns in favor of the State of Kuwait and project the Kuwaiti role which is seeking a fair peace that is capable of protecting the dignity of our Palestinians brothers.

“This is in addition to keeping abreast with the universal resolutions and ultimately projecting the role of the State of Kuwait in terms of its acceptance to the Arab Peace Initiative that was endorsed by the Arab summit which was held in the Lebanese capital Beirut in 2002.”

“Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali compared to many of the ministers of information is a difference between thought, vision and personality,” columnist and former Deputy Director-General of Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)

wrote for daily. “The Ministry of Information is the mother of all ministries, the spirit of the ministries, the facade of society and its interior. The Ministry of Information is a reflection and mirror of the society itself.

“When a minister assumes the responsibility of the Ministry of Information, his cultural depth reflects on the aspects of the ministry’s work and its results on all levels of journalism, media, art, culture and literature.

“Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali — we pray to Almighty God to bless him and grant him peace — has all these qualities for varieties of arts and culture. This radiated Kuwait into prominence to an extent whereby the entire world talked about it at that period.

“The culture today, the arts of all kinds, and literature in their ramifications, do not deserve to follow a ministry headed by a minister who will oversee it according to his desires and scope of his prerogatives, whatever the personality of this minister and his affiliations.

“Regardless of who is the minister of information today or yesterday, the mere curtailment of culture, arts and literature, as a small branch in the responsibility of the media in all its forms, is an underestimation of this important aspect of life.

“Two huge edifices, the first of their kind, not at the Arab level, but perhaps globally, could be important and essential tributaries of Kuwait’s non-oil sources of income when oil loses its luster.

“The cultural and artistic tourism in the Gulf region can be controlled by Kuwait through the cultural centers of Jaber Al-Ahmad and Abdullah Al-Salem, as well as the cultural and artistic movement that has been rooted in Kuwait since the 1950s and 1960s.

“This important aspect must not be at the mercy of the mood or thought of any minister, with all due respect for them.

“The journey of success and achievement of the culture, arts and literature can be erased through moody decisions, because of pressures or commitments from the minister of that era, and here I do not mean a minister in itself. As far as the trends continue their ups and downs, we must be aware of the seriousness about who the decision-maker is.

“The independence of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters from the Ministry of Information in its budget and responsibility through an independent body, headed by a high cultural official, and a council of conscious culture that sets plans and a strategy that promotes culture, arts and literature is the wise decision so that this edifice does not threaten intellect or cultural isolation.

“Our nation today, once again, must be in the forefront of the promotion of culture, the arts and literature, and the independence of its apparatus and its officials.”

“I am convinced that the standard leadership models and theories cannot be applied on our government officials because of their politicized nature, although some experts describe them as wet blankets (when I say some, I am being kind),” wrote for daily.

“There are some basic aspects that determine the character of a good or a bad official. Some of these aspects are a must for an official to possess, such as good knowledge in his field of work, wisdom, relatively smart, go-getter, trustworthy and a high moral sense, especially after the 2008 financial crisis.

“Former minister of Justice and state minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Faleh Al-Azeb was once asked — ‘Why don’t you open a legal consultancy office?’ and he said in response, ‘Considering that I am a former minister, I believe such a venture will conflict with my principles and values. It will also be considered like I am taking advantage of the position and relations I gained during my service in the Cabinet. I believe this is a conflict of interest and use of influence, which, in some sense, is hidden corruption.”’

“I believe the former minister briefly and transparently reflects the framework of moral responsibility in an official which I mentioned earlier. An effective official needs to be able to differentiate between selfemployment that is pristine and self-employment that is based on contaminants which are regarded by many as ‘normal,’ choosing to ignore the repercussions of ineffective and bad leadership.”

“In the previous article, we discussed the need to control the prices of consumables either at the level of supermarkets or cooperative societies, and in both cases, Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s presence in collaboration with Kuwait Union of Cooperative Societies and other relevant authorities will determine the level of seriousness in the monitoring activities,” wrote for

daily. “We registered our criticism over the lack of serious and real action from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in applying the right enshrined in the Constitution. The activities of its inspection teams should not be limited to a particular period, as witnessed during the last Ramadan. They should be up and doing with monitoring throughout the year and try to use the rule of law in favor of all consumers.

“Today, we were taken aback while reading in a local daily that some merchants have protested against what they called ‘Inadequate response from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to their requests for price raise’.

“The surprise here is in two ways; the first is about lack of basic justifications to hike the prices amid reports indicating a crazy hike in prices of various goods up to a difference of 100 percent. The other one is about the exposure of Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s laxity in performing its expected role toward such a request, because it should have responded with a clear objection while stating its reasons in line with the Constitution.”