Gulf State citizens concerned, angry at Iran for strikes on their countries | The Jerusalem Post

Summary

Residents of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan criticized Iranian aggression and called on the US and Israel to act in interviews with N12 published on Sunday. The latest US strikes on Iran have raised tensions in neighboring countries as Iran retaliated with strikes on US bases in the region and threatened to target infrastructure in Gulf states. “Since Iran resumed launching missiles over the past week, the situation in Bahrain has been extremely tense,” Bahraini author and activist Fatima Al Harbi told N12. “There is great concern about the escalation, because every additional missile or attack could affect the lives of innocent people in Bahrain and the Gulf states, as well as critical facilities, in a way that could harm Bahrain's economic situation," she said, but added that the Bahraini people were not just afraid. “Of course, there is great anger among the Bahraini people toward Iran, and all Bahrainis stand united behind Bahrain’s wise leadership, whether by volunteering for public service in every field or through prayers against our enemies,” she said. Iran will not succeed in defeating Israel but will harm region, former Saudi general says Former Saudi general Abdullah bin Ghanem Al-Qahtani criticized the Iranian regime’s actions and emphasized the importance of a response. “What Iran is doing in the region and against the region is extremely dangerous. All of its actions are directed against the region, its stability, its future, and the future of coming generations. This is a dangerous act that cannot be met with silence, and it cannot simply be allowed to pass without extremely serious consequences, when it is directed against everything in the region,” he said to N12. Al Qahtani explained that “Iran will not succeed in defeating Israel, fighting it, or harming it as it expects or claims it will, but it has certainly harmed the entire region.” Unfortunately, as Jordanian journalist Mustafa Zouati explained to N12, while Israel would attack back if attacked, not every Gulf state can afford to. “Jordan cannot take a firm and clear position in this war because of the political and economic consequences that could result. Jordan is a country that cannot bear such consequences, and it does not have the ability to adopt a hostile position, either toward Iran or toward the American side,” he said. According to Al Harbi, while diplomatic efforts continue to try preventing escalation, “it is also important for US military activity to continue as long as the Iranian threat to our countries has not yet been removed.” Al Qahtani also called on Israel to take action to resolve conflicts within the region. “Israel must resolve the Palestinian issue. The United States must assist all the countries of the region so that terrorism does not return and so that Iran or any other party no longer has excuses,” he told N12. "The reasonable people in Israel must quickly resolve the existing problems between themselves and the Arab countries. There are already Arab plans ready for implementation, but it seems Benjamin Netanyahu does not want peace at this stage, or at least not a peace that would ensure the security and stability of everyone," he added.