Kuwaiti FM: Palestinian cause "priority", "mainstay" issue for six decades

KUWAIT, Oct 29 (KUNA -- Palestinian cause is a "priority" for Kuwait and supporting it is a "mainstay" policy for six decades without diversion, ambiguity, or doubt, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday.
Speaking to a press conference focusing on developments in the Gaza Strip, Sheikh Salem stressed: "The State of Kuwait is against normalization (with the Zionist entity) unless an independent Palestinian state is established within the June 1967 borders in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative." He reiterated Kuwait's firm and unwavering stance on the issue of Palestine, deeming the 23 days of aggressions against Gaza so far as a "vengeful war by the Israeli occupation forces carrying out collective punishment and committing war crimes in the aggression against the Strip, which caused the martyrdom of over 7,000 including 3,000 children." The Foreign Minister who reflected Kuwait's refusal of policies to forcibly displacing Palestinians from their lands, affirming that efforts were on the rise to mustering international support to end the war against the Palestinian people.
He went on to say: "Unfortunately there are double standards to what was occurring in Gaza on part of some countries and it is clear to all. It is also unfortunate that UN Security Council, the entity responsible for safeguarding world security, was helpless in stopping the killing and destruction in Gaza." Sheikh Salem hoped that the UNSC would come to terms and realize the importance of stopping the war.
He affirmed that Kuwait demanded the immediate end of the war in Gaza and called for the entry of humanitarian assistance and finding a sustainable and final solution for the Palestinian cause.
In regards to relief aid efforts, Sheikh Salem revealed that an air bridge was established to deliver necessities and supplies to the people of Gaza, noting that the six planeload of the initiative left Kuwait today to deliver 40 tons of supplies, continuing the efforts of pervious days.
He welcomed the calls by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hold an urgent Arab Summit, saying that the State of Kuwait welcomed all efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip, an international demand reflect by third of the UN member-states.
The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister also added that Kuwaiti government and National Assembly share a stance on the Palestinian cause and there were government-parliamentary efforts to legislate more laws forbidding dealings with the Zionist entity.
There is a law already signed in 1964 incriminating dealings with the Israeli occupiers and it is still in effect, affirmed the minister, saying that there was an agreement of principle to formulating a draft law intensifying the ban on dealings with the aggressors.
The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister said the ministry's responsibility was the security and safety of Kuwait via maintaining its interests through ties with other nations.
Concerning parliament discussions over accepting the credentials of the new US Ambassador to Kuwait, Sheikh Salem said that the documents were approved and the delay in the US diplomat presence in Kuwait was attributed to matters in Washington.
"Once the Ambassador arrives in Kuwait, her credentials as Ambassador will be approved," he affirmed. (end) nma.gta