Even a chat with Israeli friends or relatives could end up with the death penalty for people in Iraq in the future: the Iraqi parliament passed a corresponding law on Thursday. All MPs present approved the bill against “normalizing” relations with Israel. Any association with the country and its people is therefore prohibited and can be punished with life imprisonment or even death.
The law does not only apply to Iraqis at home and abroad. Foreign institutions, companies and individuals operating in Iraq could also be punished for any contact with Israelis, the state agency INA reported.
Celebrated on the street
Influential Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr called on his supporters to celebrate in the country’s streets after the vote. Al-Sadr’s bloc won the most seats in October’s parliamentary elections.
Anti-Semitism is rampant in Iraq
According to media reports, it was his bloc that introduced the bill to parliament. Anti-Semitism is rampant in Iraq. Today, only a handful of Jews live in the country. The vast majority left Iraq after the creation of Israel.
Last fall, 300 people from Iraq at a conference in the Kurdish autonomous regions called for the normalization of relations with Israel. The government subsequently took legal action against a number of participants. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had previously established diplomatic ties with Israel. Morocco and Sudan also announced normalization of their relations with Israel.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
