Kuwait boycotts Bahrain conference

Kuwait City skyline. Photo: Maryam/Wikimedia Commons

The following report is republished from Middle East Monitor of June 25, 2019:

The Kuwaiti parliament announced yesterday that it will boycott the Manama conference and has stressed its support for Palestinian rights.

In a statement read during an open meeting, Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said: “Kuwait is a supporter of occupied Palestine and rejects normalising ties with Israel.”

He added: “As all Kuwaitis are against normalisation, we call for the government to adopt a strict and decisive stance to boycott the meeting in Bahrain.”

Al-Ghanim hailed the stance of the Kuwaiti foreign ministry, which keeps up with the policy of the Kuwait Emir, regarding support for international legitimacy and Palestinian rights.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Subah Al-Khalid said: “The government has listened to the statement and stresses it is sticking to its principles in support of the Palestinian cause… we accept what our Palestinian brothers accept.”

MP Abdel-Karim Al-Kandary said: “The parliament has commissioned the committee of legislation affairs to make sure there would be no normalisation.”

He added: “We stand against any direct or indirect normalisation attempt.”