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LONDON: Jordan said on Thursday it holds Israel responsible for the safety of Jordanian citizens traveling with the Global Sumud Flotilla who were detained overnight when the Israeli navy intercepted the humanitarian mission to Gaza before it reached the Palestinian territory.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs cautioned against any action that might expose Jordanians to harm.

The Israeli navy intercepted about 39 boats that were part of the flotilla 70 nautical miles from Gaza. They were carrying food and other aid supplies in an attempt to break a long-standing Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal territory. Dozens of activists on board the vessels were detained, including citizens of Kuwait, France, Malaysia and Sweden.

Fuad Majali, a spokesperson for Jordan’s Foreign Ministry, said it was “ready to assist in the evacuation of citizens from friendly countries upon request.” The ministry is in direct contact with Jordanian citizens detained in Israel to “ensure their safety, uphold their rights and facilitate their return to Jordan,” he added.

Jordan described the interception of the flotilla in international waters by Israeli forces on Wednesday night as “a blatant violation of international law, a threat to freedom of navigation and a serious danger to civilians’ lives.”

Majali called for all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza to be lifted, so that the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli aggression in the territory can be addressed, The Jordan News Agency reported.

LONDON: Kuwait and Bahrain reaffirmed their cooperation in diplomatic training and studies during a visit by a Kuwaiti delegation to the Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies in Manama this week.

Sheikha Muneera Al-Khalifa, the academy’s director general, emphasized the importance of exchanging experiences in diplomatic training and digital transformation of administrative work, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

Her meeting with Nasser Sabeeh Al-Sabeeh, Kuwait’s assistant foreign minister at the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute, reaffirmed the ongoing cooperation in diplomatic training with Kuwait.

The meeting also focused on the academy’s training, development strategies, workshops, and programs designed to improve the efficiency of employees at the ministry of foreign affairs. Additionally, it highlighted the latest digital platforms in use in the diplomatic sector, enhancing efficiency and improving the quality of diplomatic work.

Al-Sabeeh said that the Bahraini academy plays a crucial role in developing the competencies of personnel in the foreign ministry through modernized training programs, KUNA reported.