US Confirms UAE Bombed Libya from Egypt Bases Long-Term Gaza Truce Takes
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SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2014 THULQADA 1, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Head of CMA In Iran, love Emmys exalt Di Maria joins replaced rarely a many old favorites Man United after political splendored over TV’s shiny for British backlash21 thing 8 newcomers38 record20 £59.7m US confirms UAE bombed Max 47º Min 31º Libya from Egypt bases High Tide 01:18 & 12:37 Raids herald bolder Arab action Iran arms Iraq Kurds Low Tide • 06:59 & 19:35 40 PAGES NO: 16267 150 FILS TRIPOLI/ARBIL: UAE warplanes secretly bombed Islamist militia targets in Libya, apparently catching Washington off guard, as turmoil in the North African country deep- Long-term Gaza truce takes effect ened with the Islamists naming a rival premier. US offi- cials said on Monday that the United Arab Emirates jets GAZA CITY: Celebrations erupted in Gaza yesterday launched two attacks in seven days on the Islamists in as a long-term ceasefire agreed by Israel and the Tripoli using bases in Egypt. An Emirati official told AFP Palestinians went into effect, ending 50 days of the only that his country had “no reaction” to the report, deadliest violence in a decade. The agreement, while Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri yester- which came into effect at 1600 GMT, involves an day denied any “direct” role by his country. immediate halt to the violence in Gaza, which began The air strikes signalled a step towards direct action by on July 8 and has claimed the lives of 2,143 regional Arab states that previously have fought proxy Palestinians and 69 on the Israeli side. The number wars in Libya, Syria and Iraq in a struggle for power and includes an Israeli who was killed by a mortar round influence. Arab responsibility for the attacks would also in the last hour before the fighting stopped. add to a picture of the West’s regional allies acting The Palestinians said it was a “permanent” truce, increasingly independently in the absence of decisive US while a senior Israeli official described it as “uncondi- involvement, seeking security goals with which tional and unlimited in time”. As the ceasefire took Washington may not agree. The bombing raids were first hold, thousands of Palestinians flooded on to the reported by The New York Times, and Islamist forces in streets of Gaza City, some firing joyfully into the air, Libya had also charged that Egypt and the UAE - two of among them gunmen from Hamas, AFP correspon- the region’s main anti-Islamist powers - were behind dents said. Mosques used their loudspeakers to them. “The UAE carried out those strikes,” one US official broadcast celebratory chants of “God is greatest” as told AFP on condition of anonymity. Asked about the the war-torn enclave hailed the apparent end to sev- account, a senior US official said “the report is accurate”. en weeks of violence that has seen a quarter of the The United States did not take part or provide any territory’s 1.8 million people flee their homes. assistance in the bombing raids, said the two officials, “Thank God the war is ended. I can’t believe I’m who could not confirm that Egypt and the UAE had left still alive with my kids!” 32-year-old Maha Khaled told Washington totally in the dark about the attacks. One US AFP. “It was a very harsh war. I never thought that we official said the two countries and Saudi Arabia have would see peace at the end.” Others in the territory been supporting for months a renegade general’s cam- where the Islamist Hamas movement is the domi- paign against Libyan militant groups, but that the Saudis nant power, hailed the truce as a victory for the don’t appear to have played a role in recent strikes. Palestinian resistance over Israel. “Thank God! The GAZA: Children sit atop a car as Palestinians gather in the streets of Gaza City to celebrate after a deal Another official said Washington knew about Egyptian resistance won!” said Tamer Al-Madqa, 23. was reached between Hamas and Israel for a long-term end to seven weeks of fighting in the Gaza Strip and UAE plans for a possible operation and warned them Continued on Page 13 yesterday. — AFP against going through with the effort. Continued on Page 13 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2014 LOCAL ‘Kuwait cooperation vital in alleviating suffering’ Speaker, ICRC official discuss Gaza situation GENEVA: Vice President of Parties. In general terms, the ICRC International Committee of the welcomes any diplomatic process Red Cross (ICRC) Chistine Beerli undertaken by High Contracting thanked Kuwait’s parliamentary Parties driven by genuine humani- delegation, led by Speaker tarian interest and with the aim to Marzouq Al-Ghanim, for their enhance respect for the country’s continuous support to International humanitarian law the ICRC as one of the organiza- (IHL) all parties.” tion’s biggest donors. The ICRC believes that a sustain- Beerli said in a statement to able solution of the crisis is only KUNA that this cooperation was possible through meaningful polit- extremely useful in alleviating the ical effort, she added. suffering of people. Beerli said that the ICRC contin- The ICRC greatly values its rela- ues to work for the missing per- tionship with Kuwait, and looks sons since the Iraq-Kuwait War and forward to increased cooperation the Iran-Iraq War. At present, the on issues of mutual concern. Beerli ICRC is doing all it can to help the assured that the ICRC has been victims of violence in the north as extremely vocal to highlight the well as elsewhere in the country. civilians’ suffering in the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank. Dire situation Chistine Beerli “The organization has stepped The ongoing humanitarian crisis over 2,000 people and the injury of up its bilateral and confidential brought upon the Gaza Strip by around 10,000 others. dialogue with all the concerned the Israeli aggression was the main Ghanim briefed the ICRC official LONDON: Jassem Al-Kharafi bids farewell to His Highness the Amir yesterday. — KUNA parties to discuss all the issues topic of discussion between on the daily challenges facing the related to international humanitar- Ghanim and Beerli yesterday. In a Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, call- ian law”, she explained. press statement to Kuwait televi- ing for efforts to help Palestinians Amir departs UK, proceeds to the US With regard to the request by sion and KUNA, Ghanim said that there to overcome the crisis. the State of Palestine, addressed to talks touched on the dire situation The Israelis are taking advan- KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- His Highness the Amir was seen off upon depar- the Swiss Government as the in which the Gazans are living in tage of the situation in the region, Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has wrapped up his visit to ture at the airport by the former National Assembly depository of the 1949 Geneva due to the Israeli assault. thinking that they were beyond the United Kingdom and proceeded to the United Speaker, Jassem Mohammad Al-Kharafi, Sheikh Conventions, to convene a meet- The Kuwaiti parliament Speaker the international community’s States on a private visit. Shamlan Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, the State of Kuwait’s ing of High Contracting Parties, said that the ICRC and other inter- reach, said Ghanim who called for His Highness the Amir was accompanied by Ambassador to the UK Khaled Abdulaziz Al- Beerli explained that “it is the role national organizations were doing efforts to prevent Israel from con- Deputy Chief of the National Guards Sheikh Mishaal Duwaisan, and the heads of Kuwaiti offices in the of Switzerland to conduct consul- their best towards the crisis in tinuing its aggression on the Gaza Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. nation. — KUNA tations with High Contracting Gaza which caused the death of Strip. — KUNA Amir condoles Kuwait main donor to UNHCR efforts: Speaker Japan Emperor over landslides Calls for hosting 3rd Syria donors conference KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- GENEVA: Kuwait is a major donor to the UN Refugee Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable to Emperor Agency (UNHCR) activities, especially in Syria, Parliament Akihito of Japan, to offer condolences over the tor- Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim said. rential rains that caused deadly landslides in the city Speaking after a meeting between visiting Kuwaiti par- of Hiroshima. liamentary delegation and Deputy UN High Commissioner His Highness the Amir also expressed sympathy for Refugees Alexander Aleinkoff on Monday, Ghanim with the families of the victims of the tragedy. He stressed the distinguished ties between his country and the also wished those injured speedy recovery. UNHCR. He added that Kuwait had hosted two sessions of the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Syria in 2013 and 2014. Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Ghanim described as “positive and fruitful” the talks with Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Aleinkoff, especially regarding the latest developments of Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables to Emperor the situations of the Syrian and Iraqi refugees and internal- Akihito. — KUNA ly-displaced people. The meeting was attended by the UNHCR bureau direc- tor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Amin Minister discuss Awadh. The UNHCR expressed appreciation to Kuwait’s humani- media cooperation tarian role in the Syrian refugees issue under auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Minister of State Sabah, Ghanim said.