 | |
 Kuwait |  Palestine |
|---|---|
Kuwait–Palestine relations refer to foreign relations betweenKuwait and the self-proclaimedState of Palestine.
Kuwait supports the establishment of an independent Palestine State through atwo-state solution.[1] It has stated that it would not recognizeIsrael until the establishment of an independent Palestine.[1][2]
After theNakba,Palestinian Arabs moved to Kuwait for work.[3] This movement was made easier after Kuwait removed visa requirements for Jordanians.[3] The number of Palestinians moving to Kuwait increased after theSix-Day War when Israel occupiedGaza and theWest Bank along with theSinai andGolan Heights.[3] From 1967 to 1969, 60 percent of teachers in Kuwait were Palestinians.[3] Kuwait introduced theKafala system which limited the rights of non-citizens and made a Kuwaiti responsible for any non-Kuwaiti.[3] Kuwait limited the enrollment of non-citizens in educational institutions to 10 percent but allowed the P.L.O. to operate schools for Palestinians.[3] The PLO tried to prevent the influence of radical organizations, such as theP.F.L.P., from increasing their influence in the Palestinian community in Kuwait.[3] The PLO took five percent of the salary of Palestinians as tax for theFatah-controlledPalestinian National Fund.[3]
In 1976, Kuwait closed schools operated by thePalestinian Liberation Organization which increased overcrowding in public schools.[3] It made laws requiring expatriates to send their children to private schools.[3] In 1986, 200 out of 276 seats reserved for foreigners atKuwait University went to Palestinians.[3] TheKuwaiti Government started a process of increasing the number of Kuwaitis in education and bureaucracy and reducing the number of Palestinians.[3]
During theGulf War, thePalestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) supported Iraq'sSaddam Hussein which harmed relations with Kuwait.[4] ThePalestinian Arabs believed supportingIraq would be the best way to establish a Palestine State after Saddam promised to confront Israel before the invasion.[3] The Palestinian Liberation Organization's office in Kuwait opposed the invasion but its office in Bagdad and Jordan supported the invasion.[3] Rafiq Shafiq Qiblawi, PLO official in Kuwait, was assassinated by the Iraqis for opposing the invasion.[3][5] Nonetheless, the image of Palestinians in Kuwait was irrevocably damaged after Saddam Hussein used theArab Liberation Front and Palestinian Liberation Front (Abu Abbas Faction) in the occupation of Kuwait.[3] 70 percent of Palestinians in Kuwait boycotted work but 30 percent continued. Although Palestinians helped Kuwaitis during the war including tending to the injured and helping to distribute aid, a large number of Kuwaitis continued to blame Palestinians over the PLO siding with Iraq.[6]
Palestinians who lived in Kuwait during the war sufferedcollective punishment over Arafat's deal with Saddam Hussein, even though many disagreed with the PLO’s stance.[6] After the United States removed Iraqi forces from Kuwait, hundreds of Palestinian youth were killed and/or tortured by Kuwaiti resistance.[3] Palestinians were victims of arbitrary detentions as part of discrimination upon the Palestinian community.[3] Palestinians were fired from government jobs and expelled from educational institutions.[4] Overall, Kuwait expelled Palestinians living in the country in what is known as thePalestinian exodus from Kuwait (1990–91).[4] The Palestinian population shrunk from 400 thousand to 20 thousand.[4][7] Kuwait also closed the Embassy of Palestine.[4][3]
In 2004,Mahmoud Abbas made formal apology to Kuwait for siding with Iraq in the Gulf War.[4] Previously,Al Tayeb Abdul Rahim, had refused to apologize and stated Kuwait made the Palestinians suffer.[8]
In 2013, the Embassy of Palestine in Kuwait was reopened.[4]
Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, called for an end to theGaza war, aid to be provided to the Palestinians, and establishment of an independent Palestinian state on 30 October 2023.[9] Kuwaiti National Assembly discussed the war in Gaza criticizing Israel and theUN Security Council.[10] Kuwait accused Israel of violating International law.[11] Hamas praised Kuwait for their stance.[12] Kuwait donated US$2 million toUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.[13][14] Crown prince Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah condemned Israel.[15] Protests were held in Kuwait in solidarity with the Palestinians.[16]
| Africa |  | |
|---|---|---|
| America | ||
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Diplomatic missions | ||
| Africa |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Americas | ||
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Oceania | ||
| Former states | ||
| Disputes | ||
| Multilateral relations | ||
| Related topics | ||
