Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): A video emerged on Friday, October 27, 2023, showing the King of Bahrain seated alongside some of his children and grandchildren in a prayer space after Friday prayers. In the video, the king urged them to pray for the wounded children of Gaza.

Although the intent behind circulating this brief 42-second video was likely to convey the message that the head of state cares about the plight in Gaza and is deeply affected by it, the actual outcome of its circulation was far from ideal. The video garnered criticism from both within and outside the country on various social media platforms.

Before delving into what the king could have done to support Gaza, it's essential to address the tone of resignation that characterized the short video. The king refrained from explicitly identifying the perpetrators of the violence, failing to explain why over 3,000 children had become martyrs, with more than 21,000 others wounded, primarily comprising women and children.

Now, turning to the heart of the matter, one may wonder whether the king was genuinely powerless to take any supportive actions for the children of Gaza, relying solely on prayers. No one here is demanding the impossible. Throughout three weeks of brutal aggression on Gaza, it has been apparent that the authorities' choices were closely aligned with Washington, with no intention of causing any offense. Nevertheless, some symbolic steps could have been taken to aid the innocent victims.

Could the king not have summoned his ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations, especially as rocket attacks frequently threatened the Israeli capital, and his own safety was in jeopardy?

Could he not have instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the ambassador of the occupying entity to Manama and issue a formal protest, as is customary in countries around the world?

Could he not have directed the government to suspend certain security and military agreements with the occupying entity?

Could he not have followed in the footsteps of Oman by closing Bahrain's skies to Israeli airlines?

Could he not have spoken out, or instructed his son, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to strongly condemn the Zionist massacres, pressuring the enemy to recall its diplomats, akin to what Turkish President Erdogan did just days ago?

The Bahraini people have washed their hands of the king, no longer expecting bold actions like canceling normalization agreements or expelling the entity's ambassador. However, after three weeks, it has become evident that even modest symbolic decisions aren't within reach and could not preserve the king's dignity.

Regarding the published content, the king of the nation should take stringent measures to address the individual responsible for this misguided idea, which has insulted his position instead presenting him as a compassionate figure standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Arabic Version