KUWAIT CITY, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait has condemned Israel's brutal attacks on the unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in the occupied territory, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Saturday.

Kuwait has followed up with the sorrow reports of Israel's brutal attacks on the Palestinian demonstrators, which are in defiance of international resolutions and violation of all international norms, an official source at the Foreign Ministry of Kuwait was quoted as saying.

The source said that Kuwait, out of its responsibilities towards Muslim and Arab issues, and through its non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC), called for an emergency meeting of the UNSC to discuss the ongoing Israeli attacks.

It went on saying that Kuwait strongly supports the legitimate demands of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to provide international protection for Palestinian people in the occupied territory.

The source called on the Security Council to shoulder its historic responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, and combating immediately the Israeli repressive practices against the Palestinians.

On Friday, thousands of Palestinians started the first day of the Great March of Return organized by various Palestinian factions and political powers including the Islamic Hamas movement, which rules Gaza, and Abbas' Fatah Party.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the Israeli army opened fire at the Palestinian demonstrators, killing 16 of them and wounding 1,416 others.