Baghdad, death penalty for those who deal or trade with Israel

The parliament that has been divided for months over the election of a president has reached unanimity to approve the law. Those who establish relations, travel to or promote economic relations with Israel will be punished. Shiite leader al-Sadr invites citizens to take to the streets to celebrate this "great achievement". 

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - Over seven months after last October's parliamentary elections, the Assembly has failed to elect a new president and begin the process of forming a government, with the appointment of a prime minister. Reforms are at a standstill due to internal divisions within the Shia world and conflicting interests with Sunnis and Kurds.

However, in the last few hours, MPs have achieved an unusual unity of purpose by almost unanimously approving a norm that criminalises - and punishes under law -  the normalisation of relations with Israel. In the recent past, other nations in the area such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have established diplomatic relations with the Israelis under the 'Abraham Accords'. 

Yesterday, MPs passed a law criminalising any attempts to normalise relations, including trade and business ties. In addition, citizens caught travelling (or having travelled) to Israel or who have been in contact with institutions in the Jewish country will also be punished. According to the Associated Press, the rule punishes any violations with penalties of up to life imprisonment or the death sentence for the offender. It applies to all state officials, including those in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, government institutions, private sector companies, the media, foreign companies and their employees.

The text was approved in the first instance with the favourable votes of 275 deputies, out of a total of 329 that make up the National Assembly. It, the rapporteurs explained in a note, "faithfully reflects the will of the people". The influential Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr, whose party won the most seats in the last elections, urged Iraqis to take to the streets to celebrate this 'great achievement'. And taking up his invitation, hundreds of people gathered in central Baghdad in the following hours, chanting slogans and chants against Israel. 

In the last two years, four Arab nations - the Emirates, Sudan, Bahrain and Morocco - have established diplomatic relations with Israel, as part of the 'Accords' sponsored by former US President Donald Trump in 2020. By contrast, Iraq has never recognised Israel as an autonomous and sovereign entity since its birth in 1948 and has never established diplomatic relations; parliamentarians in Baghdad are adamant that the country "will never adhere" to the agreements, despite calls and pressure from many quarters.

Last September, prominent Sunni and Shia leaders held a conference in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, openly calling for peace with Israel and the establishment of relations with an important player in the Middle East region. The Iraqi government condemned the conference and a Baghdad court later issued arrest warrants for two people who attended it.