Gulf | Bahrain
Bahraini foreign minister flayed for Israeli peace push
Bahraini foreign minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa has come under heavy criticism for suggesting the formation of a regional forum that brings together the Arab countries and Israel.
- By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:13 October 3, 2008
Manama: Bahraini foreign minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa has come under heavy criticism for suggesting the formation of a regional forum that brings together the Arab countries and Israel.
In remarks published on Wednesday, the minister said the only way to solve problems plaguing the Middle East is for all Arab countries, Turkey, Iran and Israel to form a regional forum to sit together and discuss all issues.
"This is the only way to solve our problems and there is no other way either today or after 200 years. Why can't we sit together even if we are different and do not recognise each other?
"We can be together in one organisation to overcome the current difficult situation in the Middle East, which is still hostage to the past. How can we move forward? How can we remove the obstacles between the peoples of the Middle East?" Shaikh Khalid said in an interview with Al Hayat daily.
However, the Bahrain Society for Anti-Normalisation with the Zionist Enemy, a prominent non-government organisation (NGO) rejected the call.
"The formation of a regional organisation that includes the Zionist entity is in fact an implementation of the US plans to support Israel in the Arab world and is part of the so-called Greater Middle East which seeks to integrate the Zionists in the region," the society said in a statement.
Peace for free
"At least, the Arab peace initiative, and despite its weakness, calls upon the Zionist entity to recognise some of the Palestinian rights, while the foreign minister is promoting a normalisation for free and without stressing any of the Arab and Islamic rights in Palestine."
Such a regional forum would a great reward for the Zionists for their daily crimes against the Palestinians and Shaikh Khalid should have instead called upon the international community to lift the siege on Gaza, the NGO said.
Jalal Fairuz, MP for Al Wefaq, the largest bloc in parliament, said Shaikh Khalid's call was a dangerous development and would result in his facing questions by MPs when the lower house resumes.
Islamic Menbar MP Nasser Al Fadhala, who last year clashed with Shaikh Khalid for shaking hands with his Israeli counterpart, said "the formation of the suggested forum would mean the end of the Palestinian cause and the integration of Israel in the new Middle East order."
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