Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUWAIT217
2007-02-14 12:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
KUWAITIS WELCOME MECCA AGREEMENT, CONDEMN AL-AQSA
how-toVZCZCXRO7537 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHKU #0217 0451242 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141242Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8289 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000217
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IS KU
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS WELCOME MECCA AGREEMENT, CONDEMN AL-AQSA
EXCAVATION
REF: 06 KUWAIT 661
Sensitive But Unclassified; not for Internet distribution.
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000217
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IS KU
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS WELCOME MECCA AGREEMENT, CONDEMN AL-AQSA
EXCAVATION
REF: 06 KUWAIT 661
Sensitive But Unclassified; not for Internet distribution.
1. (SBU) Summary: Kuwaitis welcomed news of the agreement
between Fatah and Hamas in Mecca and praised Saudi Arabia for
hosting the reconciliation meeting. In a February 11
statement, the Council of Ministers hailed the agreement as
"a step in the right direction" and praised Saudi King
Abdullah for mediating between the two parties. In a related
development, Kuwaitis strongly protested the Israeli
excavation near the Al-Aqsa mosque. Six political
associations co-hosted a rally February 12 during which
attendees chanted "Death to America, Death to Israel" and
carried placards reading "America is a State Sponsor of
Terror, Boycott American Goods." Conservative Shi'a MP Adnan
Abdul Samad spoke at the rally and called on "Palestinian
political parties to stop fighting each other and direct
their weapons against our enemies, America and Israel,"
according to local press. The Deputy Head of the Ummah
Party, a hard-line Salafi political association, told the
protesters "armed resistance is the only way to get our right
from Israel and America." End summary.
2. (SBU) Kuwaitis from across the political spectrum
welcomed the Fatah-Hamas agreement reached in Mecca and
praised Saudi Arabia for mediating between the two parties.
Seven political associations - the Salafi Islamic Grouping
(SIG),the Islamic National Consensus Movement (INCM -
moderate Shi'a),the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM -
Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood),the Ummah Party (hard-line
Salafi),the Kuwait Democratic Forum (KDF - liberal),the
National Islamic Alliance (NIA - hard-line Shi'a),and the
Salafi Movement - issued a joint statement February 11 urging
Palestinian factions, particularly Fatah and Hamas, to "give
precedence to the public interest over short-term political
gains...and seriously seek to ensure the success of the Mecca
Agreement, which would help support the national unity."
Several local Islamic charities, including the Social Reform
Society (SRS) and the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society
(RIHS),similarly praised the agreement and urged unity
between Fatah and "the Hamas mujahideen."
3. (SBU) The Council of Ministers issued a statement after
its February 11 session welcoming the Mecca Agreement as "a
positive step in the right direction." The Council also
praised Saudi King Abdullah for his "pioneering role and
honest efforts" in brokering the agreement.
Strong Condemnation of Al-Aqsa Excavation
--------------
4. (SBU) Six political associations - the ICM, NIA, the
Ummah Party, the Salafi Movement, the Peace and Justice
Gathering (moderate Shi'a),and the National Charter Grouping
(moderate Shi'a) - co-sponsored a rally February 12 to
protest an Israeli excavation near the Al-Aqsa mosque in
Jerusalem. According to local media reports, around 200
people attended the rally. Protesters carried placards
reading, "The Martyrs of Jerusalem are Evidence of American
and Zionist Terror" and "America is a State Sponsor of
Terror, Boycott American Goods," and shouted slogans such as
"Death to Israel, Death to America" and "No Sunni, No Shiite,
Islamic Unity."
5. (SBU) Representatives from several of the political
associations spoke at the event, including ICM MP Dr. Nasser
Al-Sane, NIA MP Adnan Abdul Samad, and Dr. Awad Al-Zafiri,
the Deputy Head of the Ummah Party. Samad called on
"Palestinian political parties to stop fighting each other
and direct their weapons against our enemies, America and
Israel," local press reported. Al-Zafiri delivered a similar
message, saying "armed resistance is the only way to get our
right from Israel and America." Al-Sane was less
provocative, urging Arabs and Muslims to support the
Palestinians, but stopping short of calling for armed
resistance against the Israelis. Several speakers condemned
Egypt and Jordan for maintaining diplomatic relations with
Israel, and criticized several Gulf countries for hosting
Israeli commercial interest sections.
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL IS KU
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS WELCOME MECCA AGREEMENT, CONDEMN AL-AQSA
EXCAVATION
REF: 06 KUWAIT 661
Sensitive But Unclassified; not for Internet distribution.
1. (SBU) Summary: Kuwaitis welcomed news of the agreement
between Fatah and Hamas in Mecca and praised Saudi Arabia for
hosting the reconciliation meeting. In a February 11
statement, the Council of Ministers hailed the agreement as
"a step in the right direction" and praised Saudi King
Abdullah for mediating between the two parties. In a related
development, Kuwaitis strongly protested the Israeli
excavation near the Al-Aqsa mosque. Six political
associations co-hosted a rally February 12 during which
attendees chanted "Death to America, Death to Israel" and
carried placards reading "America is a State Sponsor of
Terror, Boycott American Goods." Conservative Shi'a MP Adnan
Abdul Samad spoke at the rally and called on "Palestinian
political parties to stop fighting each other and direct
their weapons against our enemies, America and Israel,"
according to local press. The Deputy Head of the Ummah
Party, a hard-line Salafi political association, told the
protesters "armed resistance is the only way to get our right
from Israel and America." End summary.
2. (SBU) Kuwaitis from across the political spectrum
welcomed the Fatah-Hamas agreement reached in Mecca and
praised Saudi Arabia for mediating between the two parties.
Seven political associations - the Salafi Islamic Grouping
(SIG),the Islamic National Consensus Movement (INCM -
moderate Shi'a),the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM -
Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood),the Ummah Party (hard-line
Salafi),the Kuwait Democratic Forum (KDF - liberal),the
National Islamic Alliance (NIA - hard-line Shi'a),and the
Salafi Movement - issued a joint statement February 11 urging
Palestinian factions, particularly Fatah and Hamas, to "give
precedence to the public interest over short-term political
gains...and seriously seek to ensure the success of the Mecca
Agreement, which would help support the national unity."
Several local Islamic charities, including the Social Reform
Society (SRS) and the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society
(RIHS),similarly praised the agreement and urged unity
between Fatah and "the Hamas mujahideen."
3. (SBU) The Council of Ministers issued a statement after
its February 11 session welcoming the Mecca Agreement as "a
positive step in the right direction." The Council also
praised Saudi King Abdullah for his "pioneering role and
honest efforts" in brokering the agreement.
Strong Condemnation of Al-Aqsa Excavation
--------------
4. (SBU) Six political associations - the ICM, NIA, the
Ummah Party, the Salafi Movement, the Peace and Justice
Gathering (moderate Shi'a),and the National Charter Grouping
(moderate Shi'a) - co-sponsored a rally February 12 to
protest an Israeli excavation near the Al-Aqsa mosque in
Jerusalem. According to local media reports, around 200
people attended the rally. Protesters carried placards
reading, "The Martyrs of Jerusalem are Evidence of American
and Zionist Terror" and "America is a State Sponsor of
Terror, Boycott American Goods," and shouted slogans such as
"Death to Israel, Death to America" and "No Sunni, No Shiite,
Islamic Unity."
5. (SBU) Representatives from several of the political
associations spoke at the event, including ICM MP Dr. Nasser
Al-Sane, NIA MP Adnan Abdul Samad, and Dr. Awad Al-Zafiri,
the Deputy Head of the Ummah Party. Samad called on
"Palestinian political parties to stop fighting each other
and direct their weapons against our enemies, America and
Israel," local press reported. Al-Zafiri delivered a similar
message, saying "armed resistance is the only way to get our
right from Israel and America." Al-Sane was less
provocative, urging Arabs and Muslims to support the
Palestinians, but stopping short of calling for armed
resistance against the Israelis. Several speakers condemned
Egypt and Jordan for maintaining diplomatic relations with
Israel, and criticized several Gulf countries for hosting
Israeli commercial interest sections.
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER