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Iraq withdraws from World Fencing Championship in protest over Israel
Cowards afraid that the world might see them treating Jooooooos as equals. [Rudaw] The Iraqi national fencing team on Friday withdrew from the individual World Fencing Championship in Istanbul after they were scheduled to compete against Israel. Baghdad has barred all forms of dealing with the Jewish state."The Iraqi national team withdrew from the individual races in the World Fencing Championship, which is taking place in Istanbul and is a qualifier for the Gay Paree Olympics, after the lottery pitted it against the team of the occupying Israeli entity," Iraq's Fencing Federation said. The Iraqi parliament in May of last year passed a bill criminalizing all relations with Israel and making it punishable by death. The law requires almost all officials, including those in the Kurdistan Region, government institutions, and media to refrain from establishing relations with Israel. "The decision to withdraw came in compliance with the law criminalizing normalization approved by the Iraqi parliament, in rejection of the occupying Israeli entity, and in solidarity with the Paleostinian cause," the statement added. While the Iraqi side has withdrawn from the individual competition, it will still participate in the team matches. Iraq’s hardline stance against Israel is despite recent a US-led Middle East peace initiative to normalize of ties with Israel, called the Abraham Accords. Four countries - the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Bahrain, and Morocco - have announced agreements with Israel. A conference in September 2021 advocating for Iraq to join the accords was met with widespread condemnation from the public and officials. An Iraqi court issued arrest warrants for three people accused of participating in the conference. A large population of Jews used to call Iraq home. In 1941, the Farhud, a Related: Farhud: 2022-04-24 Sadr proposes to ban normalization of ties with Israel Farhud: 2021-06-05 Iraqi Jews remember persecution, 80 years after pogrom Farhud: 2021-03-29 Iraq's Jewish Community Dwindles to Fewer Than Five Posted by: trailing wife 2023-05-21 |
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