Palestinian
terrorists”, reported the Bahrain Tribune.
Al
Nuaim Charity Fund organized the Imam Hussain blood donation
campaign at Al Nuaim Health Center. “It is not a terrorist act to
donate blood and save the lives of the victims of real terrorism,”
the scholars said.
“In
fact, it is a humanitarian act to help reduce their suffering
resulting from atrocities and terrorism.”
The
fact that Israeli institutions are angered by the campaigns shows
that they are on the right track, the scholars said urging all
campaign organizers to continue their work and to transform Ashura
to an “International Day for Blood Donation.”
Dahan
described the Bahrain organizers of the blood donation drives as
"terrorist organizations", and called on the U.S.
administration to closely watch Bahrain charity funds, reported UAE
daily newspaper, Gulf News.
"Frankly,
we were surprised by his statement," Mahmood Al Nasheet, Al
Nuaim Fund information coordinator told Gulf News that he was
surprised at Dahan’s statement and said he feared that the
Israelis will not allow the donated blood to go into the occupied
territories.
"We
have received calls from several Arab organizations from the UAE,
Qatar and Jordan offering to coordinate efforts to help us secure a
way to deliver the blood," Al Nasheet stated, reported the Gulf
News.
If
that proves difficult, he explained, people here will be urged to
donate money in order to enable the Palestinian Red Crescent Society
to buy blood sachets. "We have already contacted the PRCS and
they told us they are out of blood sachets," said Al Nasheet.
The
paper reported that the response has been overwhelming for the
campaign, with more than 600 people donating blood, and that the
organizers may have to turn people away because of problems of
storage at the Bahrain Health Ministry’s Central Blood Bank.
Al
Nasheet said that Muslims and non-Muslims alike are encouraged to
participate because this campaign “reflects the humane side of
civilization and is not only about religion."
The
Bahrain Medical Association last week also urged doctors and medical
staff to donate part of their March salary to support the
Palestinian intifada, reported Gulf News.
"We
have asked all of the membership to donate between five to 10 per
cent of this month's salary to our people in Palestine. It is the
least we can do for the heroic intifada," said BMA's President
Dr. Ali Jaafar Al Aradi, a prominent activist and a former member of
the Shura Council.
The
BMA intends to send part of the donations to the Palestinian Red
Crescent and some will go to the Palestinian Doctors Union, he
explained.
The
association in cooperation with the Bahrain's Society for Supporting
the Intifada, is looking into ways to make sure the money will go
where it is supposed to, he said.
In
another development, Bahrain’s King Hamad Bin Issa al-Khalifa said
Monday that the Arab summit which opens in Beirut on Wednesday,
March 27, will not be useful if Palestinian President Yasser Arafat
does not attend, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"The
Arab summit will not be useful if the Palestinian president Yasser
Arafat does not take part," Sheikh Hamad said in a statement
received by AFP.
"There
is no alternative to Arafat (...) so that the summit can examine the
situation in line with the Palestinian national vision."
He
said the gathering will be the "Palestine summit" and
"will only be able to take decisions according to the
expectations of the brother Palestinian people."
Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reiterated Sunday, March 24, that Arafat
will not be allowed to leave Ramallah, from where Israel has refused
to let him move since December 3, 2001, until Palestinian attacks on
Israelis end.
The
United States and the European Union have urged Israel to allow
Arafat to go to Beirut where Saudi Arabia is to present details of a
Middle East peace initiative.
