By Majd Othman
KUWAIT: Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Tahboub said during the "Kuwait and the Palestinian Cause" event organized by the Center for Gulf Studies and the Arabian Peninsula at Kuwait University on Tuesday that "this celebration reflects the depth and strength of distinguished Kuwaiti-Palestinian relations, which began at the beginning of the last century when donations were collected for the restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque. We then moved to the arrival of the first delegation of Palestinian teachers to Kuwait in 1936 and the beginning of the establishment of the education system in Kuwait as well."
He added: "Kuwait never stopped for a moment in supporting the Palestinian cause or people, whether politically or economically. Therefore, it will remain one of the main supporters of the Palestinian cause," stressing "Palestine clings firmly to those relations".
Tahboub indicated that what distinguishes Kuwaiti-Palestinian relations is that Kuwait embraced the Palestinian revolution, as the Fatah movement was launched from Kuwait, and the first office of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the world was established in Kuwait. He explained that Kuwait is the only Arab country that allowed Palestinian political action on its land, and this indicates the importance of the Palestinian cause as well. He pointed out that Kuwait is dealing with the Palestinian revolution as if it is its own revolution.
Head of the Center for Gulf Studies and the Arabian Peninsula at Kuwait University Faisal Abu Salib said the center organized this event on the occasion of the revival of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is held in cooperation with the Embassy of Palestine in Kuwait.
"This occasion comes as an opportunity for us at Kuwait University to reaffirm Kuwait's support for the Palestinian cause, especially since this event is held under the title 'Kuwait and the Palestinian Cause', in addition to organizing a mini festival with the participation of a number of speakers to confirm Kuwait's support for the Palestinian cause and the just rights of the Palestinian people. This event is an important opportunity to confirm Kuwait's position in advocating the rights of the Palestinian people," Abu Salib said.
Member of the Kuwaiti Progressive Movement Ahmad Al-Deyain said: "Celebrating the occasion only without there being a serious commitment to tangible solidarity with the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital - we consider it diplomatic hypocrisy that has nothing to do with deserved solidarity." He stressed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is supposed to be a day for Arab peoples to remember martyrs and remind them of the need to support the steadfastness of the Palestinians and reject any form of normalization with the Zionist entity.
Islamic scholar and preacher Sheikh Mohammad Al-Awadhi pointed that there cannot be a political or social movement that demands the truth and the removal of injustice unless it possesses the right and has constants. He added the Palestinian cause will not fall with the passage of time, but on the contrary, "it makes us hold on more and more until the elimination of Zionist colonialism from Palestinian lands". He said Kuwait has a distinguished and advanced position in supporting the Palestinian cause, out of the belief in justice and support, and the right of the Palestinian people to end grievances against them.