Speaker, MPs voice anger … urge ban on Al-Manar TV

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Lebanese Speaker rejects insults to Kuwait, Amir

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 16: Parliament Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim and a number of MPs denounced Lebanese Al-Manar TV channel’s statement, which was deemed offensive to the State of Kuwait and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

They demanded for immediate closure of the channel’s office in Kuwait and to ban their correspondents and journalists from entering the country, while urging the government to take legal action. Al-Ghanim pointed out that Al-Manar’s statement about His Highness the Amir does not deserve respect and response as it is not considered a political opinion.

He stressed the statement contains nothing but absolutely cheap lies and slander. He asserted he will not dignify this incident by responding to the statement, as the Kuwaiti public is loyal and more capable of doing so through the power of social media. He said this is in addition to the official statement of the Information Ministry expressing the country’s stance on the incident.

“All I need to say is that His Highness the Amir is the red line,” he added. He went on to say numerous parties and individuals tried this game in the past, but they only led to embarrassment and undesirable repercussions.

On the other hand, Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabeeh Barri voiced objection to any form of insult to the State of Kuwait and His Highness the Amir. He affirmed the Lebanese public always remembers the generosity of Kuwait and its helping hand extended to Lebanon through thick and thin, stressing that they will not allow anyone or anything to diminish or belittle the strong and historic brotherly relationship that the two countries enjoy.

Furthermore, Kuwait’s MPs expressed animosity towards what has been said about the State of Kuwait and His highness the Amir. Some of them described the act as sectarian; while others believe it proves that the Amir’s political action is on the right path and will yield desired results for the country and the entire region.

MP Ali Al-Deqbasi called for quick and tangible action against the channel as it offended HH the Amir and the people of Kuwait, instead of praising him for the efforts he exerted to help Lebanon. He said the channel only holds the façade of a media outlet, but in reality, it is “an intelligence agency that speaks Arabic.’’ MP Talaal Al-Jallaal called on his fellow MPs and the executive authority to take action against what he described as a “sectarian channel.’’ He added the Lebanese authority should officially apologize and it should be held accountable for such acts

By Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff

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