By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: Kuwait has a long history of supporting the Palestinian cause. The country has consistently expressed its solidarity with the Palestinian people and their aspirations for an independent and sovereign state. Kuwait has provided financial and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people over the years. It has also been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights in international forums such as the United Nations, calling for an end to the Zionist occupation of Palestinian territories and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Zionist exploratory research has showed Kuwaitis are the most committed to boycotting the Zionist entity in the Middle East and reject the most the idea of accepting dealing with them in the fields of trade, sports and defense. A random survey conducted by the Arabian Gulf Center for Studies and Research (CSRGULF) showed that about 95 percent of Kuwaitis oppose the idea of normalization of relations with the Zionist occupier or trade with it as long as the Palestinian cause has not yet been resolved.

The study showed 70 percent of the sample expressed complete refusal to deal with the Zionist entity in any case. Some Zionist research platforms, thinktanks and research centers promote information described as “misleading” about the desire of Arab peoples to normalize with the Zionist entity and publish inaccurate and conflicting statistics about the rates of Arab acceptance of the idea of coexistence. The Zionist propaganda seeks to influence Gulf public opinion and bring about a change in the stereotypical idea of boycotting them and to improve Kuwaitis’ view of the Zionist entity as a potential future partner.

In 2021, Kuwaitis expressed their position towards the Zionist entity and the Palestine issue frankly and clearly. More than 93 percent of them declared their rejection of normalization. Head of the Center for Gulf Studies and the Arabian Peninsula at Kuwait University Faisal Abu Salib, who conducted a study about Kuwaiti public opinion towards the normalization with the Zionist entity revealed that the majority of Kuwaitis reject normalization with the Zionist entity, visiting it, recognizing it, even on the level of academic and research cooperation, as well as exchanging technological expertise to benefit from them.

In addition, Kuwaitis rejected having Jewish friends who live in the Zionist entity through social media platforms. The study showed that 89.03 percent of the total sample believe that the Zionist entity is not a model for a democratic state in the region, where 86.07 percent of them (strongly disagree) with Kuwait’s normalization with the Zionist entity, while 7.06 disagreed on that, meaning that 93.13 percent of the sample do not agree with Kuwait’s normalization of relations.

It showed that 2.66 percent of the sample is neutral on this issue, 2.62 percent of them agree with normalization, and 1.59 percent agree strongly agree. Regarding finding the Zionist entity as a threat to Kuwait, the study said that 2.64 percent are neutral, 2.24 percent agree, and 1.17 percent strongly agree. According to the study, 63.38 percent of the sample strongly disagree that the Zionist entity does not pose a threat to Kuwait, while 14.59 percent disagree with that, meaning that 77.96 percent of the respondents believe that the Zionist entity poses a threat to Kuwait.

According to the study figures, 75.63 percent of the total sample strongly disagree that Jews in the Zionist entity have historical rights to the land of Palestine, while 11.10 percent disagree with that, meaning that 86.73 percent of the total sample oppose the statement that the Jews in the Zionist entity have rights in the land of Palestine. The study indicated those aged 30 years and under had a negative attitude to a greater degree than those 31 years and over towards the recognition of the Zionist entity and the view of the Zionist entity. This result can be justified given that the younger age group of 30 and under is the most enthusiastic and daring to express its opinion.