Bahrainis urge solidarity with Palestinians; Arafat thanks

By: Ali Al-Qadumi

MANAMA, Bahrain: Bahraini leaders at a festival held at Nabih Saleh urged that Muslims all over the world must stand beside the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom.

Thousands of people turned out for the event, which included a speech via the Internet by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat pledging to stand strong until the declaration of the Palestinian state.

He thanked Bahrainis for their support and love.

Addressing the gathering, Abdulwahab Hussain stressed that the Arab and Muslim worlds must wake up to the reality of Palestine. He said it was the weakness of the Arab world that had allowed the US to support Israel and to dictate the region.

Political activist Sayed Kamel Al-Mousawi hoped that Arab leaders would take the demands and wishes of the people into consideration.

There was also an operetta performed by 20 young men from Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, accompanied by 30 children. In their performance, they highlighted the agony and suffering of the Palestinians.

A bazaar, where scarves, audio and video cassettes and CDs went on sale, was set up by the Bahrain Society against Normalization with the Zionist Enemy. Money will go for charitable projects in Palestine.

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