RABI ALAWWAL 22, 1439 AH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2017 Max 20º 32 Pages 150 Fils Established 1961 Min 08º ISSUE NO: 17402 The First Daily in The Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Kuwait on way to becoming major India PM Modi faces test in Saudi Arabia finds its funny West Ham stun Chelsea, 4 attraction for foreign investments 9 home state as Gujarat votes 32 bone with stand-up comedy 16 Tottenham return to form Protesters slam ‘reckless’ US Jerusalem move, ‘Arab silence’ Demos held outside National Assembly, Palestinian Embassy By Meshaal Al-Enezi KUWAIT: A large number of Kuwaitis and Arabs yesterday demonstrated in Irada Square opposite the National Assembly to express their rejection of the US administra- tion’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy there. The call to protest had been made by several political groups, including the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, and civil society associations. A “Wanted” poster of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was torched by one protester and trampled on by others. Speakers urged Kuwait and Arab governments to pres- sure US President Donald Trump to reverse his controver- sial decision, which has sparked protests across the Arab and Muslim world. Louloua Al-Mulla, head of Kuwait’s Women’s Cultural and Social Society, said the rally was aimed at “voicing the anger of the Kuwaiti people” at Trump’s move. “Trump’s decision is unfair. Civil society groups in Kuwait denounce it,” she said. The National Assembly is due to hold a special session on Wednesday to discuss Washington’s policy shift. KUWAIT: (Left) Protesters step on a poster of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a demonstration in front of the National Assembly yesterday following the US president’s Former MP Abdullah Al-Tamimi described the Trump’s controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. (Right) Protesters gather outside the Palestinian Embassy later yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat (More pics on Page 3) decision as ‘reckless’, adding moves to turn Jerusalem into a Jewish city had never stopped since 1948. Tamimi said Jerusalem is an Arab city and will remain so regardless of against mere verbal condemnations and to act more pow- is no longer acceptable to have all our investments, politi- much is anticipated from the people rather than the gov- the circumstances,” he vowed, noting that Kuwait will never erfully by rejecting all forms of normalization. Shaheen cal and financial interests in the United States when there ernment. “We have never seen any tangible solutions over accept this decision. ICM MP Osama Al-Shaheen stressed said his group has asked the government “to take meas- are other countries in the world that have much better the past 60 years, as US administrations have been taking that Jerusalem is not only an Arab and Muslim cause, but ures against US interests... and we expect to see concrete (political) positions,” he added. advantage of Arabs’ endless disputes. However, we say that one of humanity in general. He urged Arab governments measures before Wednesday, not just condemnations”. “It Continued on Page 11 Abbas to shun Gulf Cup moves Pence; 2 killed; to Kuwait; KFA N Korea slams names coach ‘dotard’ Trump DOHA: Gulf Cup organizers will officially announce this week that the tournament will be played in RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Kuwait and not Qatar after overcoming political will refuse to meet US Vice President Mike Pence later and administrative obstacles, a senior official said this month following Washington’s controversial policy yesterday. “We will officially announce it on shift on Jerusalem, an Abbas aide said yesterday, as Monday (December 11),” said Arab Gulf Cup protests gripped the Palestinian territories for a third Football Federation (AGCFF) general secretary straight day. Retaliatory Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Jassim Al-Rumaihi. Qatari state news agency QNA Strip killed two Hamas militants before dawn, as unrest also reported the transfer will go up for final simmered over President Donald Trump’s recognition of approval by the Gulf football associations tomor- Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday. row, citing Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Four people have been killed and dozens wounded Al-Thani, who heads both the Qatari federation since Trump announced the move, which drew criticism and the regional body. from every other member of the UN Security Council Meanwhile, Kuwait Football Association’s (KFA) technical committee said yesterday it agreed with at an emergency meeting on Friday. “There will be no Jahra football team manager Boris Bunjak to coach meeting with the vice president of America in JERUSALEM: Women react as an Israeli mounted policeman disperses Palestinian protesters yesterday. — AFP the national team for the 23th Gulf Cup. Bunjak, a Palestine,” Abbas’ diplomatic adviser Majdi Al-Khaldi Serbian, will start the first practice with the nation- told AFP. “The United States has crossed all the red Muslim institution, also scrapped plans to meet the US killed by Israeli troops during clashes at the border al team today, KFA said in a statement. The lines with the Jerusalem decision,” he added. vice president over the “unjust and unfair American fence on Friday and the two Hamas militants killed announcement came after Al-Jahra Sport Club’s Egypt’s Coptic Pope Tawadros II also cancelled a decision on Jerusalem”. early yesterday. approval, it said. The tournament has been plagued meeting with Pence, with the church saying it “declines There were fresh clashes yesterday as Palestinian An Israeli army statement said “violent riots have by problems. It was originally scheduled to take to receive” him in protest at Trump’s announcement protesters in the occupied West Bank hurled stones erupted at approximately 20 locations” in the West place in Kuwait last year, but the country’s football which failed to take into account the “feelings of mil- at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas, rub- Bank and the Gaza Strip” with protesters throwing association was suspended by FIFA in Oct 2015 lions” of Arabs. That decision came a day after Ahmed ber bullets and live rounds. In the Gaza Strip, mourn- rocks, petrol bombs and rolling burning tyres at troops. Continued on Page 11 Al-Tayeb who heads Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top Sunni ers vented their anger at the funerals of two people Continued on Page 11 Final touches Abadi declares Harbi insists no before Cabinet final victory new health fee hike, is announced over IS in Iraq denies expat died By B Izzak BAGHDAD: Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi yesterday declared victory in a three-year war by Iraqi forces to due to nonpayment KUWAIT: The new Cabinet lineup is almost ready to be expel the Islamic State group that at its height endan- unveiled today, said informed sources, noting that the gered Iraq’s very existence. “Our forces are in complete By A Saleh announcement might be delayed until evening over control of the Iraqi-Syrian border and I therefore some portfolios. They added the Cabinet ministers will announce the end of the war against Daesh (IS),” Abadi BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi deliv- KUWAIT: Health Minister Dr Jamal Al-Harbi denied have to swear in before HH the Amir prior to his depar- told a conference in Baghdad. “Our enemy wanted to ers a televised speech in the capital yesterday. —AFP plans to further raise fees for medical services provided ture to Turkey on Tuesday to take part in an Islamic kill our civilization, but we have won through our unity to expats and stressed that the recent fee hikes were summit to condemn US President Donald Trump’s deci- and our determination. We have triumphed in little made to provide better healthcare and develop work in sion on Jerusalem. time,” he said, hailing Iraq’s “heroic armed forces”. coalition, recapturing town after town from the clutches various medical departments. Harbi added that the The sources said the new formation will exclude As the authorities announced a public holiday today of the militants in fierce urban warfare. The US State decision to increase expats’ annual health insurance to Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al- “to celebrate the victory”, Abadi said in a speech at the Department hailed the end of the militants’ “vile occu- KD 130 is still being studied. Sabah, who has been threatened with a grilling if he defense ministry that Iraq’s next battle would be to pation” but cautioned that the fight was not over. Harbi stressed that he has instructed hospital man- returns to office. The sources noted that the premier defeat the scourge of corruption. IS seized vast areas “The United States joins the Government of Iraq in agers to exempt expats with urgent cases, heart dis- preferred to exclude Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled, north and west of Baghdad in a lightning offensive in stressing that Iraq’s liberation does not mean the fight ease and ICU patients from the new fees, and strongly who demanded returning to the interior ministry and 2014. With Iraq’s army and police retreating in disarray against terrorism, and even against ISIS (IS), in Iraq is denied that an Egyptian died last week after Amiri nowhere else, while the PM insisted on retaining him as at the time, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, spiritual leader of the over,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert Hospital refused operating on him unless he paid in his performance is favored by a majority of MPs. The country’s majority Shiites, called for a general mobiliza- said. The coalition, meanwhile, tweeted, using an Arabic advance for an urgent heart surgery.