KUWAIT CITY, Aug 21: The Ministry of Interior refuted Al-Rai daily’s report about the visit of an Israeli journalist called Aldad Bak to Kuwait, but the journalist himself, speaking from Berlin, confirmed that he visited Kuwait using a German passport and that he stayed ten days in the country, reports the daily.
The journalist said he visited the country to write about the consequences of Iraqi invasion and also about Iranian threats. He said he found Kuwaiti people friendly, especially those who spent some time abroad and mentioned that he met politicians, artists and several other Kuwaitis during his stay. Bak said his keenness to know the internal situation of Kuwait and the region in general made him plan the visit. He also mentioned that he used German passport to enter the country because Arab states don’t allow Israeli passport holders to enter their states. 

Meanwhile, referring to MP Dr Faisal Al-Muslim’s claims that he has documents to prove that two Israelis entered Kuwait in July and August 2005, the Interior Ministry in a press statement stated that it will search and investigate the veracity of the claims.

Sources, however, revealed that the daily’s report was true because the Ministry of Interior interrogated and punished an employee who by mistake entered Israeli nationality in the records.

Other sources said the ministry need not spend so much time investigating the matter as it just has to print the entries made on the date which is specified in the report. They alleged that the ministry is violating the principle of transparency and that such grave issue demands more than a press statement, especially since Kuwait did not and will not normalize ties with Israel. 

Meanwhile, MP Saadoun Al-Hammad called for an investigation, stressing that the case be handled with clarity, transparency and firmness, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

He called on Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah to release a statement clarifying the details of the incident and the truth behind it so that the issue does not affect Kuwait’s reputation. He stated that he is sure that no one in Kuwait accepts the entering of Israelis into the country. He also found it strange that the issue is being raised five years after the supposed incident.

Hammad mentioned that he came to know that an employee by mistake entered the code of Israel instead of the actual code of the passport holder. “Even if it is true, the government must not remain silent and give a clear explanation,” he noted.