A Society of Hatred or a Society of Love?!
Our parties of cross-border loyalties have thrived within a society of hatred and violence that glorifies those who call for war, beating, killing, and shedding the blood of others—whether they are partners in the homeland, Arab friends, or allies among our brothers in humanity. In contrast, archaic legislation has been relied upon to prohibit and criminalize those who call for peace and love as a means of resolving internal and external disputes. This followed the proven futility of repeated wars, all of which ended without exception in repeated military defeats, bloodshed, destruction of infrastructure, and the loss of Arab territories that were later reclaimed through peace agreements between Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. Recently, we have heard of Syrian and Lebanese acceptance of peace agreements with Israel as well, preceded by the legitimate Palestinian Authority following the devastating destruction caused by Hamas to the Gaza Strip, which resulted in two million Gazans being displaced from their homes, schools, and workplaces into refugee camps and destitution.
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Other Gulf states have opened up to Israel through various means, including reciprocal visits, establishing diplomatic missions, and signing treaties. Only Kuwait remains, where ideologically driven parties with external loyalties have imposed upon it what they have imposed upon nations to which they owe allegiance, such as Turkey and Iran. This has led Kuwait to adopt a path of extremism and hostility toward the peace process. The time has come to correct this erroneous course that prioritizes the interests of others over our own. For the sake of the homeland, all reservations must fall away, and doors must be opened to alliances with those with whom we share mutual interests. We are in a state of legitimate self-defense, where everything that preserves the nation and its people is permissible. We must remember that the Islamic Revolution in Iran established intimate relations with Israel from the very first day it came to power, as documented in the books of Professor Tertia Parsa, the current head of the Iranian lobby in Washington. She detailed this in her two important works: *The Alliance of Shared Interests* and *Palestine as a Means, Not an End*. This truth was exposed in the mid-1980s by the Iran-Contra scandal. Iran was not in a state of self-defense, as we are, but was on the offensive against Iraq, seeking to annex its territories.
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Final point:
1. Recently, the Iranian Foreign Minister met with a senior Gulf official. The Iranian minister, Zarif, asked the Gulf official: “Why do you maintain relations with Israel?” The Gulf official replied that there were three reasons. First, Israel is a state in the region recognized by the world and a member of the United Nations; it is a country of great strength, technological advancement, and economic wealth, with no territorial ambitions toward us, no hostility, and no aggression against us—unlike you. Second, Israel has influential lobbies in America, Europe, and Asia, which benefit us, whereas our relationship with you is detrimental because you are a pariah state condemned by the entire world, and dealing with you exposes us to international sanctions. Zarif asked: “What is the third reason?” The wise Gulf official replied: “The third and most important reason for our relationship with Israel is you and your hostile actions against us and our other neighbors. Since the first day you came to power, you have never attempted to resolve any outstanding disputes between us, nor have you tried to resolve any of the problems you create in various Arab homelands. For this reason, we have established strategic relations with Israel, the only regional state capable of striking you, deterring you, and rallying the world against you. The enemy of my enemy is my friend!”
2. The world is moving at a rapid pace. Therefore, in these difficult times, we need swift, decisive decisions that place Kuwait’s interests above those of others, as has happened in the past. We must align ourselves with the Gulf trajectory, which is indispensable to us. It is extremely dangerous at these critical junctures to walk alone, distant from our brothers, to appease those with alternative loyalties who seek our destruction and whose history consistently shows them standing with our enemies. We will never be able to appease them except by surrendering our necks and the reins of our affairs to their guides!
