Kuwait’s Position on the Palestinian Cause (1991–2000)

Abstract

Historically, Kuwait has been among the first Arab states to extend political, economic, and military support to the Palestinian people in their struggle against the occupying Israeli entity. However, Kuwait was deeply surprised by the stance taken by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and its leader, Yasser Arafat, who openly sided with Iraq during its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Following the liberation of Kuwait six months after the invasion, the Kuwaiti government responded to the PLO’s position by expelling thousands of Palestinians from Kuwaiti territory and severing its political relations and economic assistance to the organization. In light of these developments, this study seeks to shed light on Kuwait’s evolving stance toward the Palestinian cause during the period from 1991 to 2000, a decade marked by significant political shifts and redefined regional alliances