Kuwait ambassador to US: Kuwait keen on aiding Palestinian people

The State of Kuwait Ambassador to the US Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah on Saturday affirmed Kuwait’s keenness on pursuing dispatch of aid to the Palestinian people.

The ambassador was speaking in a statement to KUNA during her participation in the annual ceremony of the American relief foundation Anera.

The State of Kuwait’s contrubutions to the foundation date to many years back, said the ambassador, indicating that the relief establishment allocates aid for the Palestinian people, the refugees in Lebanon and Jordan.

She emphasized the State of Kuwait’s support for the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples would proceed and increase “under the current hard conditions.” For his part, the foundation chair Sean Carrol said in his keynote statement at the annual ceremony that the foundation was seeking to increase the relief allocations for Lebanon. He held the Israeli occupation responsible for hampering delivery of aid in Gaza.

The State of Kuwait has contributed to the foundation relief projects for many years to r
elieve the refugees in the West Bank, people in need in Gaza, Jordan and Lebanon.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

EPA: Eastern Doha beach oil leak controlled

The Environment Public Authority (EPA) affirmed on Saturday oil spills observed at Eastern Doha beach have been controlled, in collaboration with the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC).

Speaking to KUNA, Abdullah al-Zaidan, EPA deputy director general for technical affairs, said concerned bodies would continue observing maritime environment and beaches.

Upon a complaint received on Friday regarding oil pollution at the Eastern Doha beach, the site was inspected on Saturday, he said, elaborating that oil spills spread on the beach were found, and their sources were ‘unknown’.

After inspecting the area, he said, the national plan was activated to face maritime oil pollution and coordinate with the dangerous factors’ committee affiliated to the Ministry of Interior’s directorate general of civil defense.

All bodies were informed about the plan to deal with oil leaks, he noted, elaborating that concerned bodies will clean up the beach.

The KNPC is eliminating oil leaks and rehabilitating beaches within
24 hours, he said.

In addition, there was coordination with regional organizations to protect maritime environment and know the spread level of this leak, he said.

Inspecting the site will be completed to make sue of possible sources, in addition to observing and following maritime environment and beaches to make sure of their safety, he pointed out.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

UN rapporteur: What’s happening in Palestine exceeds genocide, urgent protection needed for Palestinians

RAMALLAH: Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Palestine, has condemned Israel’s atrocities, asserting that they aim to eradicate the Palestinian population through ongoing violence and killings. “What is happening in Palestine is beyond description and exceeds genocide,” she stated in an interview with Palestine TV.

Albanese emphasized the urgent need for UN member states to take responsibility for the protection of Palestinians and to halt the ongoing Israeli atrocities being committed against them. She warned of the potential worsening of the situation if all parties fail to address the crisis in the occupied territories.

“The international community must compel countries to respect international law and implement its resolutions,” she asserted, pointing out that there has been a failure to uphold these principles, particularly as Western nations often overlook the crimes perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians.

She noted that the Palestinian issue has return
ed to the forefront of international attention, with a noticeable increase in support for Palestinian rights. Albanese highlighted that many European political parties have lost elections due to their lack of support for ending the genocide in Gaza.

Additionally, she drew attention to the systematic violations and harsh conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners, calling for serious international intervention. “The international community must not violate human rights,” she stated, reinforcing the need for protection for the Palestinian people as they continue their struggle against the Israeli apartheid regime.

Albanese called for an end to the double standards in the application of international law and advocated for collective action to achieve justice and peace in the region by dismantling the apartheid system and ensuring Palestinians obtain their legitimate rights.

She commended the achievements of Palestinian diplomacy on international platforms, describing it as unprecedented in raising awareness of
the Palestinian cause. “These accomplishments are significant and instill pride in Palestinians and all who support their just struggle,” she said.

Albanese also warned of the deteriorating situation in Jerusalem, where the occupying government is violating the legitimate rights of Palestinians, including their full right to practice their religious rituals freely.

She recounted her attempts to enter Palestine multiple times for her work, emphasizing that Israel has no right to prevent her access to the territory, as such actions violate international law.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA

Saudi, Egyptian FMs mull escalation in Lebanon


Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Egyptian counterpart Dr. Badr Abdelatty discussed, via phone, Friday the situation in Lebanon and the Israeli escalation in the region.

The two ministers emphasized the shared concern regarding Israeli escalation in Lebanon and expressed unwavering solidarity with the Lebanese people during this crisis, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They underscored the necessity of empowering the Lebanese state and its institutions to fulfill their responsibilities and extend sovereignty over all Lebanese territory.

The two sides stressed the importance of the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, taking responsibility by implementing an immediate and permanent ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza Strip.

They highlighted the ongoing coordination between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt in responding to the threats facing the Arab region due to Israeli aggression against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples.

Source
: Kuwait News Agency

Jordan denounces Israeli settlers’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque


Jordan condemned on Friday Israeli settlers’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and their provocative practices, including blowing the trumpet in violation of the sanctity and holiness of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In a press statement, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Spokesperson Ambassador Sufian Qudah stressed that Israel, the occupying power, must stop all ongoing violations and breaches of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites.

He called for an end to the policy of imposing new facts on the ground in Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.

He affirmed that the holy compound, which covers a total area of 144 dunums, is a solely Muslim place of worship, and that the Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which affiliated to the Jordanian Awqaf Ministry, is the body with exclusive jurisdiction to manage all affairs of the compound and organize entry to it.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Macron calls for halting arms shipments to Israel


French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for halting arms shipments to Israel namely the weapons employed against Gaza.

Macron in remarks to France Inter radio said priority should be on reaching a political solution and stopping the shipment of the arms to Israel to pursue the fight in Gaza, affirming that Paris provides no arms to Tel Aviv.

The Israeli occupation army since early last October has been carrying out ongoing aggression on Gaza, where more than 40,000 people have lost their lives and much of the strip turned into ruins.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Saudi, French FMs discuss regional issues amid soaring tension


Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received here on Saturday Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of France Jean-Noel Barrot, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two ministers reviewed relations between the two countries and exchanged views on regional and international developments, foremost among which events in Lebanon and efforts exerted to deal with them.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Saud Al-Sati, and Advisor of the Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan.

Paris had declared that the French foreign minister would tour key capitals in the Middle East to explore prospects of defusing tension and escalation on the regional arena.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Bin Farhan, Blinken discuss escalation in Mideast


Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received on Saturday a telephone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, discussing regional issues.

The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement that the two sides discussed the escalation in the region and efforts exerted toward the developments on the Lebanese arena.

Source: Kuwait News Agency