Saudi Gazette report

MANAMA — Bahrain’s First Deputy Speaker, Ali Al-Aradi, has called on Bahrain’s parliament to take legal actions against the Qatari government for its involvement and support of extremist groups in the kingdom.

Al-Aradi has asked parliament to establish a central committee to look into the complaints of those affected by Qatar’s support for extremism, a report in Al Arabiya English said.

He also asked for the establishment of a legal team to file proceedings against Doha for interfering in the internal affairs of neighboring countries, and for violating the rules of neighborliness and regional and international legal charters.

Al-Aradi said the Bahraini parliament is currently negotiating the steps that should be taken against the Qatari government which include claims for compensation.

The steps they will be taking will be revealed soon, he added.

Meanwhile, Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa has said that Doha has not appreciated initiatives made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman toward the Qatari pilgrims going to Haj this year.

The foreign minister added: “King Salman has had good intentions since the start of the crisis in regards to exempting Qatari pilgrims from any prohibitions (toward them entering Saudi Arabia), however this gesture has been met with Qatar turning a blind eye to the matter and abuse (of the gesture),” according to an official Bahrain News Agency report.

“We are not evil nor are we are not trying to insult anyone, however any insult directed toward Saudi Arabia is one directed toward Bahrain. We do not accept it and we will respond to it,” he added.

The minister made his remarks following news that Saudi Arabia’s state carrier was unable to send planes to transport Qatari pilgrims to the Kingdom because it had been unable to get permission to land at Doha airport.

Along with reopening its land border with Qatar, Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that King Salman had ordered the dispatch of a Saudi Arabia Airlines plane to fly Qatari pilgrims to Jeddah at his own expense so that they could go on to Makkah.

However, the first flight has not been able to take off from Saudi Arabia because it had not yet received landing permission in Doha, said Saleh Al-Jasser, the general director of the airline, according to Saudi Press Agency.

Obstructing pilgrims wrong, unacceptable: Grand Mufti

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Aal Alsheikh has condemned Qatari authorities for not allowing its pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia for Haj through air route. According to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Alsheikh referred to the prohibition as “wrong and dangerous.” “Preventing pilgrims from traveling to perform their religious duties without a lawful reason is wrong, dangerous and unacceptable,” he added.