A recent poll conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy has shown that 85 percent of Kuwaitis oppose normalizing ties with Israel
The poll also found that 52 percent support Hamas, which governs the besieged Gaza Strip, while 63 percent accept the US proposal for Arab states to be involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, the New Khaliji reported yesterday.
Support for the US President Donald Trump among the 1.5 million Kuwaitis surveyed did not exceed five per cent, the poll found, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin received the same percentage. Meanwhile, 64 percent support Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Regarding Iran’s allies, the poll found that only 11 percent feel positively about Lebanon’s Hezbollah and 25 percent feel positively about the Houthis in Yemen.
About the relationship with Iran, 52 percent said Kuwait should maintain good relations with Tehran.
The overwhelming majority of the Kuwaitis, the poll found, believe their government does not strive to fight corruption, while between 30 to 40 percent believe their government is working well regarding women rights, privacy and dealing with tax issues.
About 36 percent of the Kuwaitis think that it is important to listen to those who try to explain Islam in a more moderate and modern way. The poll also found that 60 percent believe that internal political and economic reform is more important than any issue of external interests.
Cover photo: Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, right, shakes hands with President Rouhani
