Kuwait–Palestine relations

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Kuwaiti–Palestinian relations
Map indicating locations of Kuwait and Palestine

Kuwait
Palestine

Kuwait–Palestine relations refer to foreign relations between Kuwait and the State of Palestine.

Kuwait supports the establishment of an independent Palestine State through a two-state solution.[1] It will not recognize Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestine.[1][2]

History

After the

Palestine National Fund.[3]

In 1976, Kuwait closed Palestine Liberation Organization operated schools which increased overcrowding in public schools.[3] It made laws requiring expatriates to send their children to private schools.[3] In 1986, 200 out of 276 seats reserved for foreigners at Kuwait University went to Palestinians.[3] The government of Kuwait started a process of increasing the number of Kuwaitis in education and bureaucracy and reducing the number of Palestinians.[3]

During the Gulf War, the Palestine Liberation Organization and Yasser Arafat supported Saddam Hussein which harmed relations with Kuwait.[4] The Palestinians believed supporting Iraq would be the best way to establish an independent Palestine after Saddam promised to confront Israel before the invasion.[3] The PLO office in Kuwait opposed the invasion but its office in Bagdad and Jordan supported the invasion.[3] Rafiq Shafiq Qiblawi, PLO official in Kuwait, was assassinated by the Iraqis for opposing the invasion.[3][5] The image of Palestinians in Kuwait was damaged after Saddam used the Arab Liberation Front and Palestinian Liberation Front (Abu Abbas Faction) in the occupation of Iraq.[3] 70 percent of Palestinians in Kuwait boycotted work but 30 percent continued. After the United States removed Iraqi forces from Kuwait, hundreds of Palestinian youth were killed and/or tortured by Kuwaiti resistance.[3] Palestinians were victims of arbitrary detentions as part of a collective punishment of the Palestinian community.[3] After the war Kuwait expelled Palestinians living in the country in what is known as the Palestinian exodus from Kuwait (1990–91).[4] Palestinians were fired from government jobs and expelled from educational institutions.[4] The Palestinian population shrunk from 400 thousand to 20 thousand.[4][6] Kuwait also closed the Embassy of Palestine.[4] At that time there were 600 thousand Kuwaitis in Kuwait.[3]

In 2004, Mahmoud Abbas made formal apology to Kuwait for siding with Iraq in the Gulf War.[4] Previously, Al Tayeb Abdul Rahim, had refused to apologize and stated Kuwait made the Palestinians suffer.[7]

In 2013, the Embassy of Palestine in Kuwait was reopened.[4]

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.[12][13] Crown prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah condemned Israel.[14] Protests were held in Kuwait in solidarity with the Palestinians.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Staff, The Media Line (2023-10-30). "Kuwait Stands Firm: No Israel Ties Without Palestinian Statehood". The Media Line. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  2. ^ Cafiero, Giorgio. "Kuwait refuses to budge as other Gulf nations abandon the Palestinian cause". Kuwait refuses to budge as other Gulf nations abandon the Palestinian cause. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  3. ^
    ISSN 0377-919X
    .
  4. ^ a b c d e f g O'Toole, Megan. "Palestine-Kuwait relations: 'Ice has started to melt'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  5. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  6. ISSN 1750-2241
    .
  7. ^ "The Palestinian Authority's Relations with Kuwait". MEMRI. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  8. ^ "Kuwait not to normalize ties with Israel unless Palestinian issue solved: FM-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  9. ^ "Gaza Conflict Dominates Kuwait National Assembly as it Opens New Term". english.aawsat.com. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  10. ^ "Israel's war on Gaza violates international law: Kuwait". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  11. ^ "Hamas praises Kuwait's positions on Palestinian issue". Middle East Monitor. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  12. ^ "UNRWA WELCOMES US$ 2 MILLION CONTRIBUTION FROM KUWAIT". UNRWA. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  13. ^ safeer (2023-10-08). "KUWAIT STANDS WITH PALESTINE". kuwaittimes. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  14. ^ "Kuwait crown prince condemns Israeli aggression on Gaza, calls for ceasefire". Arab News. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  15. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2023-12-30.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kuwait–Palestine_relations&oldid=1218772223"