Kuwaitis strongly reject cooperation with Zionist regime: Survey report

A recent opinion poll has found that a large proportion of Kuwaitis oppose their country cooperating with Israel amid reports that a number of countries in the Persian Gulf region are warming ties with the Tel Aviv regime following years of clandestine contacts.

The survey, conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, revealed that 85 percent of the respondents disagree with the idea of Kuwait working with Israel on issues like technology transfer and counterterrorism despite the existing differences between the two sides. According to the poll results, 46 percent of respondents “disagree strongly” with the idea while 39 percent “disagree somewhat.”

Moreover, 52 percent said they supported the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which is in control of the besieged Gaza Strip, while 63 percent accepted a proposal by the US for Arab states to be involved in the so-called Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, the press monitoring organization, the Middle East Monitor, reported.

Support for US President Donald Trump among the 1.5 million Kuwaitis surveyed did not exceed five percent, the poll found, noting that 64 percent supported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Chinese President Xi Jinping came out with a 49-percent approval rate.

Additionally, 25 percent of those who participated in the poll said they felt positive about the Houthi Ansarullah movement in Yemen.

About the relationship with Iran, 52 percent said Kuwait City should maintain good ties with Tehran.

The poll noted that an overwhelming majority of Kuwaitis believe their government has not been successful in the fight against corruption, while between 30 to 40 percent believe their government is working well regarding women’s rights, privacy and dealing with tax issues.

Kuwaitis’ strong opposition to normalization with Israel comes as delegates from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt at a recent meeting of Arab states reportedly opposed bids condemning the normalization.