Israel slams Iraq over criminalising normalisation of ties

A parliament session in Baghdad, Iraq on 9 January 2022 [Iraqi Parliament Press Office - Anadolu Agency]

The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned Iraq after approving a law that criminalises the normalisation of ties or any relations with the Israeli occupation state, Israeli media reported.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that this law came while the occupation state expands its ties and normalisation deals with Arab states.

On Thursday, the Iraqi parliament approved a law banning the normalisation of ties with Israel. Violation of this law, the parliament stressed, is punishable by death or life imprisonment.

"This is a law that puts Iraq and the Iraqi people on the wrong side of history and disconnected from reality," Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Lior Haiat tweeted on Friday.

He added: "The changes in the Middle East and the peace and normalisation agreements between Israel and Arab states, which are bringing stability and prosperity to the peoples of the region, are the future of the region."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry official also expressed that leaders: "Who choose a path of hate and incitement hurt their own people first of all."

Concluding his statement, the Israeli official called for the people of Iraq not to give their support to "this extremist position".