Over 300 Iraqi leaders demand Iraq to sign Abraham Accords with Israel

Erbil – ‘Iraq should adopt a new policy of mutual development and prosperity by establishing full political cooperation with Israel. Like other Arab countries, Iraq should join the Abraham Accords with Israel.’ Moreover, 312 influential leaders and activists in Iraq have demanded it. At the same time, Israel cannot be separated from the Middle East, the leaders noted. This included leaders from both the Shia and Sunni communities in Iraq. While the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah are announcing their intentions to wipe Israel off the world map, the demand from Iraq for cooperation with Israel is a massive event.

A special conference was held on Friday in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan province. The conference, organized by the US-based Center for Peace Communications, was attended by Shia, Sunni groups in Iraq and gang leaders, senior leaders, activists, and youth. At the conference, some leaders expressed the need for face-to-face talks between Iraq and Israel.

‘Peace with Israel is essential if stability is to be established by ending the conflict in the Middle East. Israel cannot be separated from the Middle East, so Iraq should cooperate with Israel, part of the region. The Iraqi government should join the Abraham Accords with Israel at the international level.’ Wissam al-Hardan, leader of the Sons of Iraq Awakening Movement, said.

For this, Hardan drew the attention of Iraqi leaders to the situation in other countries in the Middle East. ‘While countries like Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Yemen are mired in conflict, the Abraham Accords will bring peace, economic development and brotherhood to Iraq. It is up to us to decide whether the Iraqi government will choose an oppressive regime, anarchy or civilization, peace and development,’ he said. At the same time, Hardan criticized the expulsion of Jews from Iraq. Israel welcomed Iraq to the conference.

Meanwhile, the pro-Iranian government in Iraq is anti-Israel and Iraq’s stand has been anti-Israel for decades. In the Israeli-Arab War, which lasted from 1967 to 1973, Iraq had the largest military deployment against Israel. In 1981, Israel launched airstrikes on Iraq’s Osirak project, accusing then-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein of secretly developing nuclear weapons. In the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam launched Scud missiles at Israel. But Kurdish leaders and groups in Iraq are claimed to be cooperating with Israel.