Kuwaiti civil society groups reiterate anti-normalisation with Israel stance in letter to Emir

Kuwaiti civil society groups reiterate anti-normalisation with Israel stance in letter to Emir
Several Kuwaiti civil society organisations have sent a letter to the emir, reiterating their tough stance against Israeli normalisation in light of the latest regional developments
2 min read
16 July, 2022
Kuwait has for long taken a strong stance in support of the Palestinian cause [Getty]

A group of civil society organisations in Kuwait have reiterated their total rejection of normalisation with Israel, in light of reports that more Arab countries were planning to establish ties with Tel Aviv.

The 27 groups sent a letter to Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabbah, voicing its categorical rejection of "suspicious deals [with Israel] and an attempt to impose them as a fait accompli," reiterating their support of the Palestinian people in their struggle to liberate their land.

"With the visit of the American president to the region and the unprecedented rise in the wave of normalization with the Zionist gangs, we affirm our firm and permanent position on the Palestinian issue and reject any form of normalization with these gangs under any justification or name," the letter read.

It was titled "It was, still is and will always be... Normalisation is betrayal".

US President Joe Biden left Saudi Arabia on Saturday, ending his regional tour which included a visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Reports have emerged of a possible joint Arab defense pact which will include Israel to confront growing Iranian influence in the region – something Kuwaiti groups have called out against and refused to be part of.

"We affirm that supporting the Palestinian people in their free struggle and demanding the liberation of all their occupied lands is a moral, humanitarian and principled demand that does not accept bargaining, concession or submission, a position that we have always been proud of as Kuwaitis on both the popular and official levels," the civil society statement added.

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Like most Arab countries, Kuwait has no diplomatic or commercial relations with Israel and has rigorously implemented a law boycotting Israeli goods.

The Gulf country prohibits Israeli passport holders from entering the country, and its citizens from visiting Israel and has laws in place to punish public expressions of sympathy for Israel.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco all normalised relations with Israel in 2020.