Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive):  Amid the huge national consensus on the Bahrainization of jobs issue, demanding that the preferential treatment given to foreigners over Bahrainis in employment in both the public and private sectors be put to an end, a discordant voice emerged, but this was not surprising at all.

Many of the naturalized citizens and expatriates found that in attacking Bahrainis and their national projects, there's a way to reach the heart of the authorities and benefit from their privileges. Such figures emerge to maximize their gains while the voices of Bahrainis rise to demand their most basic rights.

The latest voice was that of the naturalized Yousef Mashal of Palestinian origin- a man who describes himself on social media platforms as a certified political and economic analyst. This analyst reacted rudely and boldly to those demanding Bahrainization saying "the government doesn't have to employ you," also calling them names, knowing that would win the regime over.

This view could have been economically debatable if it were put in the context of economic theories and the experiences of free economies, or at the very least, introduced in a more polite manner, but this stranger refuses to be polite.

Responding to tweets criticizing the Bahrainization campaign, Bahraini tweeter Adel Al-Ghurair wrote: "The fact is that brother Dr. Yousef Mashal was not successful in all his discussion about unemployment and salaries, comparing the work of the foreigners to that of Bahrainis and all of what he said was far from the truth... Regards."

But Mashal chose to respond to the polite greetings of Bahrainis by asking, "Is it right to have the government be forced to hire every unemployed person whether that person has value or not, or is it right to have the private sector be forced to hire a person because there's a feather on their head (meaning privileged person), to say that one is a Bahraini without any production or commitment?" He went on to say "that's what you want to hear from everyone, the government, private sector and intellectuals. Unfortunately this will not happen now because the country cannot."

So just like that, Bahrainis have become valueless in their home country. They don't have the right to enjoy the resources of their homeland or to have the advantage and be put before the foreigner. Naturalized Mashal has decided that this will not happen. He puts himself in the face of the Bahrainis' will so spitefully.

To Mashal, Bahrainis don't have the right to decide that jobs in education, medicine, engineering and manufacturing should be theirs as a priority, yet he has the right, despite being an expatriate, to decide what is possible and what is not, and that the long queues of the unemployed Bahrainis "have no value" and that their identity grants them no privilege.

His words were not economic but rather political that slipped from the tongue of a naturalized man, at the moment he was reminded that he is a naturalized non-native citizen and that he has to show more respect to the Bahrainis, their will and demands to have a decent living, and when he was reminded that the Bahrainis rejected him in Chamber of Commerce elections.

Because he knows from whom he earns his living, and is aware of the mentality that rules the country, he started describing Bahrainis as "terrorists who are loyal to foreign countries". Mashal stresses that "a naturalized Bahraini who has nationalism and loyalty to his majesty the king is a million times better than a traitor who is a mercenary for another hostile terrorist country and who is ready to sell his country at the lowest price".

It is very unfortunate for Bahrainis that the man, whom they sheltered in their country, today feeds off inciting against their security, stability and livelihood. It was shameful that the state gave this displaced man the freedom to discredit Bahrainis and their loyalty to their own land.

Thanks to such rhetoric, the naturalized and mercenaries, with the help of the authorities, came between Bahrainis and dispersed them, creating a social rift, hence, that's why Mashal was frustrated to hear a unified voice of Bahrainis demanding that the resources and riches of their country be enjoyed by them before others.

وهل الحقيقه ان تكون الحكومه مجبره في توظيف كل عاطل يسوى او ما يسوى او الحقيقه ان القطاع الخاص مجبر ان يوظف كل شخص لأنه على رأسه ريشه تقول بحريني بدون اي انتاج او التزام
هذا ما تريدون سماعه من الجميع حكومه وقطاع خاص ومثقفين
للاسف هذا لن يحصل الآن فالبلد لا تستطيع https://t.co/docMIShGcJ

— DR. Yousef Mashal (@yhmashal) February 23, 2019

Arabic Version