Qatar crisis may lead to collapse of GCC, warns Kuwait emir

Al Jazeera
October 24, 2017

The emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, warned of the collapse of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - an alliance of Gulf countries - should the crisis with Qatar remain unresolved. 

In a statement at a Kuwaiti parliament session on Tuesday, the emir warned GCC leaders of the potential dangerous military and political intervention that may ensue as a result of the political deadlock. 

"Contrary to our wishes and hopes, the Gulf crisis has the potential of escalating; therefore, all of us must be fully aware of its potential consequences," Sheikh Sabah said. 

"Any escalation will bring with it an outright call for regional and international intervention, which will destroy the security of the Gulf and its people."

The GCC is a political and economic alliance of countries in the Arabian peninsula, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. 

Established in 1981, the alliance fosters economic, security, cultural and social cooperation between the six nations. 

But the fate of the GCC has been thrown into question as a result of the deep rift caused by a land, air and sea blockade imposed on Qatar by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt on June 5. 

Sheikh Sabah stressed that Kuwait's mediation efforts should be seen through the lens of the family of Gulf nations: "We are not a third party in this crisis. Rather, we are a party of one with the other two brother-nations in this crisis."

The GCC is the only beacon of light and hope amid the darkness now gripping the region, the emir added.

He warned that the collapse of the GCC would mean the collapse of the last bastion of joint Arab cooperation, noting that his country's goal was to resolve the crisis and prevent the GCC from collapse.

"History and the future generations of Arabs will not forget those who contributed to the escalation of the conflict and caused the destruction of the Gulf," Sheikh Sabah cautioned. 

The countries that imposed the blockade on Qatar claim that it works to support "terrorism", maintains cordial relations with Iran and meddles in the internal affairs of their countries.

But Qatar insists there is "no legitimate justification" for the actions taken by the four nations, calling their decision a "violation of its sovereignty". 

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News Network
September 25,2024

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Hezbollah has launched a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv for the first time, triggering sirens in the city and elsewhere including Netanya, the Lebanese resistance group says. 

Warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv as a single surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defense systems after it was detected crossing from Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

There were no reports of damage or casualties and the military said there was no change to civil defense instructions for central Israel.

The Israeli military said that for the "first time ever" a missile fired by Hezbollah reached the Tel Aviv area. "It is the first time ever a Hezbollah missile reached Tel Aviv area."

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October last year, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by Hamas.

Earlier, Hezbollah targeted the Israeli Ilaniya military base at the northern side of the occupied territories with a salvo of Fadi-1 rockets. 

The base is reportedly affiliated with the 146th Reserve Division of the Israeli military, which is part of the Northern Command.

The group announced in a brief statement that the operation was carried out in defense of Lebanon and its people. 

Hezbollah also said it targeted a military base near Safad twice with salvos of rockets.

The group stated that it targeted “the Dado base near Safad – the headquarters of the Israeli military’s Northern Command – with a total of 90 rockets in defense of Lebanon and its people.”

Hezbollah said in a separate statement that it unleashed a squadron of attack drones on the headquarters of the Israeli army’s Special Naval Task Force at the Alit Base.

The group said the attack on the Alit base, south of the major port city of Haifa, targeted “the locations of [Israeli] officers and soldiers” and achieved direct hits.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed at least 41,467 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said they do not want a war with Israel while stressing that they are prepared in case it occurs.

Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts.

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News Network
October 1,2024

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says it targeted Israel's Glilot military base and Mossad headquarters in the outskirts of Tel Aviv with salvos of Fadi-4 rockets.

Israeli reports said several settlers were injured in the rocket barrage from Lebanon on Tel Aviv.

The reports said the rocket attack from Lebanon was “the largest” since the beginning of the war.

Hezbollah earlier said it struck gatherings of Israeli troopers in artillery and rocket attacks on the northern part of the occupied Palestinian territories in retaliation for Israel’s deadly strikes on Lebanon.

In separate statements released on Tuesday, the resistance movement said the gatherings of the enemy troops were hit at the Shtula, Metulla, Avivim and Rosh Pina settlements.

The resistance also targeted the Doviv barracks with a Falaq-2 rockets as well as the gathering of Israeli forces near the settlement of Rosh Pina with a rocket barrage.

The resistance group added that it had conducted the operations in support of “steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and … their valiant and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people.”

The attacks came amid a major escalation in Israel’s acts of terror and aggression in Lebanon that saw the regime assassinating Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on southern Beirut.

The death toll from Israeli aerial assaults across Lebanon since early October 2023 has reached 1,745 with some 8,767 injured, according to Lebanese government data. In response, Hezbollah has fired barrages of rockets and drones towards Israeli targets.

The deadly exchange of fire was sparked by Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed 41,615 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 96,359 others over the past year.

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News Network
October 6,2024

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Mangaluru: A sense of shock and anxiety has gripped the city as Mumtaz Ali, brother of former MLA Mohiuddin Bava, has gone missing. His car was discovered abandoned near the Kuloor Bridge in Mangaluru early Sunday morning, sparking a frantic search operation.

The black BMW, found damaged at the scene, prompted immediate action from fire and emergency service personnel who rushed to the spot and began combing the river. The atmosphere was tense as Panambur police confirmed the vehicle belonged to Mumtaz Ali, heightening fears for his safety.

Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal and former MLA Mohiuddin Bava arrived at the scene, joining the growing crowd of concerned locals gathered along the riverbank. 

As search efforts continue, the community holds its breath, hoping for positive news in this difficult and emotional time.

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