Arabs 'will never surrender to Israel'

His Majesty Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, has said that the Arab world will never surrender to the Israeli aggression and a comprehensive peace will be achieved only when the Palestinian state is established with Al Quds Al Shareef (Jerusalem) as its capital.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, the king also affirmed that the municipal and parliamentary elections in his country would be held on time, and that there will be no retreat from the comprehensive "march of reform".

He said the constitution will secure the freedom and progress of the people, and urged officials and national bodies to offer aid to the Palestinian people, particularly under the umbrella of the Al Quds Al Shareef Support Committee and the Bahrain Red Crescent Society.

In his address, the king urged the people not to get drawn into violent demonstrations, in an apparent reference to last week's protest near the U.S. embassy which led to the death of a Bahraini youth.

Sheikh Hamad added that the battle for the rights of Palestinians and Arabs is historic and protracted and requires a clear vision and considerable stamina to ultimately achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

"This has now become not only an Arab demand, but an international demand called for by the various nations of the world and all of the influential world powers. The Israeli aggression against the innocent Palestinian people would not hinder this humane international demand," he said.

"Only what is right will stand. The Arab nation is a great nation with a great and glorious history. It has gone through many difficulties throughout the ages but has emerged victorious.

Therefore, in this battle unleashed by the Israeli aggressors against the Palestinians too the Arab nation will not surrender whatever the suffering and the pain for such is the hard mettle of every living nation," he added.


He added that "having expressed our feelings towards the sufferings of our brethren in Palestine, nothing can be more effective than coupling words with deeds and seeing what backing and support official bodies and civil organisations can extend to them with regard to health, food, social and other services.

"In the light of democratic atmosphere which we are keen to strengthen in the island we have allowed various peaceful and civilised demonstrations which express solidarity of the people of Bahrain with their brothers in Palestine and the Arab nation."

Warning the people against being provoked into violent actions he said: "We should chose useful and suitable means of expression and action, capable of backing our national targets in the long run. We should not allow moments of excitement to drag us into undesirable repercussions and to what could harm ourselves without serving the cause".

He added that the awareness of the Bahraini people is a source of pride, but what happened around the U.S. embassy was an abuse of our acknowledged values on the national and religious levels to avoid harming any guest.

"It was violation of the international norms known today in various parts of the world," Sheikh Hamad said and added that "Bahrain's march on the path of reform, democracy and prosperity is stronger than such incidents which will be dealt with through legal means".

"In addition to what happened some might fear that such behaviour could form a threat to our democratic march and that is what we will never allow. We are determined, as we vowed in the Charter, which is the symbol of our consensus and springboard of our national unity, to protect the democratic march from any harm and from anyone who has bad intentions against it," said Sheikh Hamad.