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Iraq president: No regional stability without justice, freedom for Palestinians

Members of al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, march in Gaza City on May 22, 2021, in commemoration of Senior Hamas Commander Bassem Issa who was martyred along others in Israeli airstrikes. (Photo by AFP)

Baghdad has held the first edition of an international conference on supporting Palestinian resistance, with top Iraqi officials, including the president and prime minister of the Arab country, giving speeches in support of the Palestinian cause.

During the conference, which was held on Saturday, Iraqi officials renewed their country’s pledge to support Palestine and condemned the Israeli regime’s brutality against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the event, Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed that the Iraqi government will firmly support the Palestinian people in their struggle against the Israeli regime’s acts of aggression.

“During the [past] difficult days, Iraqis have witnessed the heroic resistance and unparalleled challenge of the Palestinian people [in the face of Israeli aggression],” Salih said, Iran’s Arabic-language Al Alam news network reported.

“What happened confirms that there will be no progress and stability in the region without achieving justice and freedom for the Palestinian people,” he added, calling on the international community to be committed to justice and freedom.

Israel and resistance groups in Gaza were engaged in a 12-day military encounter that ended on Friday morning. The war began after weeks of Israeli violence against Palestinians at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem al-Quds and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of the occupied city, where Israeli forces tried to force Palestinians out of their homes to build new illegal settlements.

As a result of the war, at least 248 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, including 66 children, with more than 1,900 people wounded. The Palestinian rockets also killed 12 in the Israeli-occupied territories.

Iraqi PM: Israeli crimes require serious measure

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said during his speech that his country’s stance on the issue of Palestine is established and therefore it will not change in the future.

“The occupying regime’s crimes require a serious measure,” Al-Kadhimi said.

“It is our duty to support each other and put aside past differences. Our people call on us to take responsible actions to build Iraq and to support the Palestinian people,” he added.

Mohamed al-Halbousi, the speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives, said Iraq will stand by the Palestinian people and their righteous struggle.

 

‘Iraq should spearhead campaign for liberation of Palestine’

The leader of the Fatah alliance at the Iraqi Parliament, Hadi Al-Amiri called on Iraq to make moves to define an Arab-Islamic project for the liberation of Palestine.

“The letdowns, retreats and internal conflicts that we are witnessing in the region, as well as the normalization [deals] with the Zionist entity and a shameful ‘Deal of the Century’, are a natural result of the absence of Iraq from the region due to the absurd wars waged by the previous regime and the unjust economic blockade imposed on the Iraqi people during the 90s, as well as the abominable American occupation of Iraq and the violence and sectarian strife that ensued, and the raging terrorism that plagued Iraq either at the hands of al-Qaeda or at the hands of Daesh,” al-Amiri said, according to Shafaaq news.

He added that now that Iraq is free of those burdens, it must return to fulfilling its natural and historical role in the region and spearhead the campaign to lead the Palestinian people to victory and free Jerusalem al-Quds from the grip of the Israeli regime.

Palestinian envoy: Gaza rockets forced Israel to surrender

The Palestinian ambassador to Baghdad, Ahmed Akl, said while there was an intifada going on in Palestine, the voice of support from Iraq was getting louder and louder.

Akl said Israel waged the war for pre-planned goals, but the Palestinian people stood up to the Zionists.

“The Gaza rockets were able to force the occupying regime to surrender and proved that this regime is weak and insubstantial,” he remarked. “The Palestinian people continue to resist the occupiers.”

The Palestinian envoy also pointed out that Palestine was freed four times due to the assistance of Iraqi forces.

‘Resistance proved it can defeat Israel’

Meanwhile, the deputy secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement said in an interview on Saturday that the Israeli regime is not intending to start another war because the Palestinian resistance proved that it can impose defeat on the regime.

“The Israeli regime massacred women and children and destroyed homes, but it failed to defeat the resistance or make the Palestinians surrender. Hezbollah is also standing by the Palestinians in full preparation,” Sheikh Naim Qassem told Alnour Radio.

He said the Lebanese forces are fully prepared to act against Israel if the regime makes any stupid move against Lebanon.

According to the senior Hezbollah leader, the Lebanese resistance group was closely watching the daily developments since the military confrontation began between Palestinian resistance groups in the Gaza Strip and the occupying entity.

“Our stance was helping Palestine with all capabilities at our disposal and doing what we had to do at the appropriate time,” he said.

Sheikh Qassem argued that unity among Palestinians foiled any plot hatched by the Israeli regime in recent years, noting that Palestine has created lots of problems for Israel which is itself a victory.

He stated that the ceasefire does not impose any commitment on the resistance toward the Israeli regime, and predicted that the Gaza Strip’s siege will be lifted gradually.

Racist Zionists’ idol broken: Iraqi cleric

Iraq’s influential Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr congratulated Palestinians over their victory against Israel, saying Tel Aviv’s defeat should serve as a lesson for everyone.

In a tweet on Friday, Sadr said the idol of the racist, terrorist Zionists was broken – making a reference to Prophet Abraham (PBUH)’s breaking of idols.

“Another idol – the idol of an evil and terrorist regime and the idol of the racist, terrorist Zionists – was broken,” he said.

“The enemy knelt before your faith and courage. But this victory should be a lesson for everyone, including pacifists and compromisers,” Sadr added.


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