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Israelis of Iraqi Origin Barred From Voting in Iraqi Election
Officials organizing Iraqi expatriate voting in Jordan said this past week that any Israelis who turn up to vote will be rejected. According to Iraqi election procedures, people born in Iraq or children of Iraqi parents living abroad have the right to vote in polling places around the world. For Israelis who emigrated from Iraq or their children, the nearest such voting station is in Amman, Jordan. But, according to a January 18th report in the English-language Jordan Times, Jordanian Minister of Culture "Asma Khader said Israelis of Iraqi origin are not eligible for voting in line with the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI)...." Khader went on to say that this is the case "even if Israel tried to push for it." In Baghdad earlier this month, IECI spokesman Farid Ayar told the French news agency, "Any person who comes forward with Israeli documents to prove they are of Iraqi origin will not be able to vote for the simple reason that we do not recognize that country." However, Sarah Tosh, a spokesperson for the Geneva-based organization handling the voting of Iraqi expatriates was apparently unaware of Israel's unique status. She said, "Israelis of Iraqi origin will be authorized to vote in the elections to parliament" at the Amman polling station. Posted by: trailing wife 2005-01-20 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=54215 |