Thursday, March 17, 2022
Elder of Ziyon
Since then, Iraqi and Kurdish officials have been angry at Iran.
The Iraqi Council of Representatives is holding a session today to discuss the attack. A delegation from the Iraqi parliament visited the bombed sites earlier this week, and Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed said, "The attack was carried out with guided missiles which is of high concern. This is a violation and goes against friendly and neighborly relations. We will open the path for anyone from the international community, Iraq, and the Arab League to investigate the incident and find the truth behind it."
Iraqi President Mustafa al-Kadhimi also visited the bombed sites this week.
The Kurdistan Regional Government refuted the accusations that there are any Israeli bases there and also called for fact-finding missions to prove that the missiles civilian properties and that there are no Israeli bases anywhere in the Kurdistan Region.
Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and Shia top cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr agreed to form a committee to investigate the Iranian claims as well. Al Sadr demanded an official complaint be sent to Iran for violating Iraq’s sovereignty.
Kurdish Iraqi leaders have repeatedly visited Israel over the decades and local politicians have openly demanded Iraq normalise ties with the Jewish state, which itself backed a 2017 controversial independence referendum in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
Iraq has remained implacably anti-Israel while the semi-autonomous Kurdish region has been much friendlier towards the Jewish state, with some prominent Kurds saying that Iraq should normalize relations with Israel.
Iran is very concerned about the Arab countries that have joined the Abraham Accords, and its media attacks the UAE and Bahrain constantly over that issue.
Could this gross violation of Iraqi sovereignty help push Iraq in the direction of Israel? Big things can start with small incidents, and these missiles were an attack on Iraqi honor. If Iran is the enemy, then Israel becomes - something other than the enemy.
The Iraqi reaction is something that needs to be followed.
