Refusal of Israel ties follows deal to normalize relations with United Arab Emirates, comes amid rumors of imminent diplomatic breakthrough with Bahrain
UAE-Israel deal is a “Zionist occupation”, must be rejected: Kuwait lawmakers
Kuwaiti officials rejected the possibility of normalizing ties with Israel on Sunday, telling a local newspaper that despite warming ties between the Gulf states and Jerusalem, it had no interest in changing its longstanding regional policies.
Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah said on Friday that the country will continue to uphold its firm stance against normalizing relations with Israel, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
Referring to a group picture that was taken at the Warsaw conference in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also present, Al-Jarallah said: “Anybody would be mistaken if they imagined that the group picture… signal[s] a change in Kuwait’s firm stand.”
He added that Kuwait would be the last to normalize relations with Israel, after a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue is realized, with the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al-Jarallah noted that Kuwait’s participation in the conference was a result of the country’s eagerness to discuss solutions on Palestinian affairs, as well as due to its close ties to the conference’s hosts.
“Kuwait took part in Warsaw peace and security conference under joint invitation from the United States and the Republic of Poland with which Kuwait has close relations and allied itself in some issues,” he said.
He added that Kuwait’s principle stance was highly appreciated by “the Palestinian brothers.”
The officials emphasized their country’s support for the Palestinians and asserted that any rapprochement would have to meet with their approval.
“The Kuwaiti position is consistent with its decades-old foreign policy approach in support of the Palestinian cause, as it is the premier Arab issue,” the officials said, according to a translation published by Reuters, adding that only “what the Palestinians accept” would be acceptable to Kuwait.
Kuwait’s rejection of closer ties to Jerusalem came three days after Israel and the UAE on Thursday announced an agreement to establish full diplomatic relations, marking the third such deal Israel has struck with an Arab state after Egypt and Jordan.
Israeli and UAE delegations will meet in the coming weeks to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security and the establishment of reciprocal embassies, according to the White House.
Media reports Thursday indicated Israel is in advanced talks with Bahrain about normalizing ties with the Gulf state, while Palestinian media cited an American official as saying that both Bahrain and Oman are expected to normalize ties with Israel in the near future.
On Saturday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun hinted at the possibility of peace talks with Israel.
Israel has fought two wars in Lebanon in recent decades, and Hezbollah, an Iranian-funded terror group sworn to the Jewish state’s destruction, is deeply embedded in the Lebanese government.