Bahrain Calls for Freezing Qatar's GCC Membership, Says Doha Must 'Correct Approach'

Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa is greeted by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo)
Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa is greeted by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo)
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Bahrain Calls for Freezing Qatar's GCC Membership, Says Doha Must 'Correct Approach'

Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa is greeted by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo)
Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa is greeted by Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo)

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa chaired a national cabinet session on Monday during which he imposed visas on Qataris planing to visit Bahrain, reported Bahrain's official news agency (BNA).

Visas should be imposed on visitors from Qatar, from which the Kingdom of Bahrain has been the most affected by its policies that are clear to everyone, the King said, stressing that the tight security procedures will not be applied to visitors from other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries - Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The King also stressed that defeating and eliminating terrorism are a priority, adding that the Kingdom of Bahrain will remain an oasis of security and stability, and will confront every cowardly action aimed at destabilizing its security and undermining its stability with firmness and force, a post-session statement by the Cabinet Secretary-General, Dr. Yasser bin Isa Al-Nasser, said.

King Hamad praised the kingdom’s openness to tourists and visitors and gave directives to the competent authorities to take measures that would prevent the misuse of the kingdom’s openness to harm its security and stability.

Measures include tightening entry and residence procedures in light of the current security requirements, including the imposition of visas in order to preserve the security and safety of the country, HM the King said.

King Hamad also said that Bahrain will not attend any summits or meetings attended by Qatar until the latter "corrects its approach".

The king's statement was the first of its kind to be issued by a Gulf leader since the ongoing crisis in inter-Arab relations -- pitting Qatar against a five-nation Arab bloc led by Saudi Arabia -- began five months ago.

"Qatar has shown that it does not respect the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)'s founding charter and continues to implement policies that threaten the security of GCC member states," the statement read.

“It is time to take firm action against those who are abroad,” he added.

This comes a day after Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa tweeted “the right step to maintain GCC is to freeze Qatar’s membership” on Sunday.

FM Khalifa tweeted: “Bahrain will not attend a summit and sit with Qatar, which is nearing Iran day after day and preparing foreign forces, which are dangerous steps for the security of the GCC countries.”

Bahrain believes Qatar is fomenting unrest in the island kingdom by supporting protests and even sporadic shooting and bombing attacks aimed at security forces.



UN Rights Council Backs Saudi-drafted Resolution to Protect Children Online

Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila presented the resolution to the Human Rights Council during its 59th session, on behalf of the Saudi mission in Geneva. Photo: Saudi mission
Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila presented the resolution to the Human Rights Council during its 59th session, on behalf of the Saudi mission in Geneva. Photo: Saudi mission
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UN Rights Council Backs Saudi-drafted Resolution to Protect Children Online

Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila presented the resolution to the Human Rights Council during its 59th session, on behalf of the Saudi mission in Geneva. Photo: Saudi mission
Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila presented the resolution to the Human Rights Council during its 59th session, on behalf of the Saudi mission in Geneva. Photo: Saudi mission

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a Saudi-drafted resolution aimed at enhancing child protection in the digital realm, a move rooted in a global initiative launched by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

The resolution, introduced by Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Mission to the UN and international organizations in Geneva, seeks to advance the goals of the Kingdom’s “Child Protection in Cyberspace” initiative.

It aims to translate the initiative’s vision into concrete action through enhanced technical cooperation and capacity building.

Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Abdulmohsen bin Khothaila, presented the draft during the Council’s 59th session under Agenda Item 10, which focuses on technical assistance and capacity development.

The proposal received broad support and was adopted by consensus, with co-sponsorship from Kuwait, Algeria, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Vietnam.

Addressing the Council, Khothaila stressed that the digital space has become an integral part of children’s lives, offering immense opportunities for learning and connection, while also exposing them to growing risks.

He underscored the need for stronger international cooperation, national capacity building, and technical support to reinforce national frameworks aimed at child protection.

The resolution reflects the core objectives of the Crown Prince’s initiative, including fostering international cooperation, sharing best practices, raising awareness, and equipping stakeholders with the necessary skills to ensure a safer digital environment for children.

It also highlights the importance of tailoring technical assistance to the specific needs and priorities of each country, with the aim of building sustainable national capacities and enhancing communities’ ability to respond to digital threats facing children.

The resolution underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to promoting global cooperation for a secure and inclusive digital space for children worldwide, in line with its leadership role and pioneering efforts in cybersecurity and child protection.