Bahrain sets up national emergency fund to help Gaza victims

Manama: Bahrain has set up a national emergency fund to assist the Gaza victims of the Israeli attacks, amid expectations that two planned national fund-raising campaigns would contribute to collecting large amounts of money that will be donated to the Palestinians.

The fund will receive donations from companies and individuals through accounts in six banks and will channel them progressively to the Palestinians in Gaza.

"We have been given the permission by the social development ministry to collect funds either through bank accounts or through coupons that will be given to donors. We urge companies, establishments, Bahrainis and residents to contribute generously for the sake of the innocent victims of the ruthless attacks on Gaza," Mustafa Al Sayyed, secretary general of the Royal Charity Foundation, said.

The foundation, chaired by Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has been coordinating Bahrain-based efforts to support the Palestinians in Gaza.

On Friday, it will launch the first national fund-raising campaign in partnership with the Bahrain Television and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

A second national campaign will be held the following Friday, using again the national television channel to raise funds. Donors are expected to phone the channel and announce the amounts they will be giving as part of their support to the Palestinians.

The foundation hopes that the national campaign would help bring together all the efforts deployed by various political and charitable formations throughout Bahrain to support the people in Gaza.

Anti-Israel feelings have been running high in Bahrain where demonstrations have been held daily since the raids on Gaza began 12 days ago.

Dozens of young people from the Youth Society on Monday evening staged a rally in front of the United Nations House with organizers saying that they would continue to protest regularly and express their solidarity with the Palestinians.

Last week, hundreds of young children braved the elements to take part in a rally in front of Al Fateh Mosque, Bahrain's largest mosque, condemning the Israeli attacks and calling for an end to the atrocities against the Palestinian children in Gaza.