Anti-Normalization Law: How Does It Threaten Iraq’s Relationship With the US and the UK?

At a time when several Arab countries are rushing to normalize their relations with the Israeli entity, the Iraqi parliament voted on May 26, 2022, in favor of the proposed law “criminalizing normalization with the Zionist entity,” which was presented by the al-Sadr bloc and its allies.

Yet, the law angered Western countries, which opened the door wide to questions about the future of the relationship between Baghdad and the West, especially the United States and Britain, which showed a hard stance on this step, which many see as originally directed inward.

The Shiite coordinating framework alliance, in which all political and military formations loyal to Iran are included, accuses the tripartite alliance (Save a Homeland) of being supported by the axis of normalization with Israel, which Muqtada al-Sadr and his Sunni and Kurdish allies deny.

These accusations come in light of a political impasse in Iraq, as the tripartite alliance insists on forming a majority government limited to the blocs winning the elections, while the coordinating framework demands a consensual government in which all political forces participate, as usual.

 

Western Anger

The Iraqi parliament approved the law unanimously by the attendees (without mentioning the number) and it stipulated penalties, up to the execution of those who promote “the principles of Zionism, including Freemasonry, or are affiliated with any of its institutions, or help them financially or morally, or work in any way to achieve their purposes.”

Since the Zionist occupation of Palestine in 1948, Iraq has not established any relations with Israel, and the government and the majority of the current political forces refuse to normalize with it, while 6 countries - out of 22 Arab countries - have declared relations with the occupying state: Egypt, Jordan, the Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

A day after the law was passed, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement, "The United States is deeply disturbed by the Iraqi parliament's passage of a law criminalizing the normalization of relations with Israel."

"This law jeopardizes freedom of expression and fosters an anti-Semitic environment, and it stands in stark contrast to the progress made by Iraq's neighbors by building bridges with Israel, normalizing relations with it, and creating new opportunities for people across the region," he added.

"The United States will continue its role as a strong and steadfast partner in supporting Israel, by supporting the expansion of relations with its neighbors in pursuit of greater peace and prosperity for all," the spokesman added.

In a stronger tone than the first, the Foreign Affairs Spokesman in the British House of Representatives, David Lammy, criticized, during a press statement on the same day, the Iraqi parliament's legislation for this law, calling it the "horrific law", and calling on his country's government to deter Iraq.

"It's incredibly concerning that Iraq's Parliament has passed a law to criminalise, and even threaten death, for those with relations with Israel," Lamy said.

The British spokesman added: "The British government must urgently use its diplomatic weight to deter Iraq from this appalling law."

 

Internal Dimensions

Commenting on this, the Iraqi researcher in political affairs, Latif al-Mahdawi, explained that "the dimensions of this law are internal politics related to contradictions and accusations."

He added to Al-Estiklal that these accusations "are made by pro-Iranian forces against the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance, who are seeking normalization with Israel, and these two parties are allies of the Sadrist movement, so the latter proposed the law and passed it in Parliament."

He continued, "The law also has external repercussions, as the United States and Britain are the ones who adopt the approach of normalization between Israel and the Arab countries. They are the ones who brought down Saddam Hussein's regime and brought the political forces that rule Iraq today, so this matter is a new blow to these two countries."

Al-Mahdawi expressed his belief that London and Washington may impose sanctions on political figures loyal to Iran and place more restrictions on their movements and financial dealings, and perhaps even the military field, as Washington may restrict the pumping of weapons and equipment to Iraq.

He pointed out that "Iraq's foreign relations must be affected, not only with Western countries, but also with Arab countries that announced their normalization with Israel, although the new law did not address them, and this is surprising and one of the grievances pointed out by many politicians."

For his part, former parliament member Kamel al-Dulaimi said on his Twitter account on May 26, "After the acquittal of ISIS and its actions, the Kurds and Sunnis were acquitted of a charge affixed to them not long ago, after voting on this law."

Al-Dulaimi asked, "Then what would happen after the ban law? Are the political partners assured that there is no normalization with the usurping entity and go to solve the problem of forming the government, or would it create conflict between them?"

 

Established Agreements

In this context, the Iraqi political analyst, Dr. Adnan al-Sarraj, said during a press statement on May 28, that "the US-Iraqi relations are coupled with the agreement between the two parties, and perhaps the most important of which is the strategic cooperation agreement."

He added that "the United States still believes that Iraq is under its influence, and it must reap the results of its occupation of Iraq, and it does not want to repeat the failure of its policy in Afghanistan and the rest of the countries that withdrew from it."

Al-Sarraj ruled out that "the United States is affected by the titles of this Iraqi law and is engaged in a data war or the areas of the practical application for Iraq in this matter because the law will take a more practical dimension than the procedures that do not rise to the level of application in general."

He pointed out that "Iraq had previously issued a decision to expel US forces in 2020, and that the United States issued a statement in which it clarified that its forces are advisors, not combatants, announcing the exit of its forces in limited numbers."

He continued, "Therefore, the maneuvering and evasion of the US policy towards Iraq is clear, but it does not rise to the level of severing relations or escalation under any title."

He went on to say: "For the Iraqis, the statement in general is considered a new thing at the level of the Arab event, but at the level of realistic application it requires great effort and great potential."

He attributed this to the fact that "there are indeed Iraqis who are open to having relations with Israel and are willing to pave the way for the Israelis in different regions of northern Iraq and other regions. They have a policy of goodwill with Israel."

Al-Sarraj indicated that "America has influence and relations with political forces, and that these forces work within American politics, and certainly, this law does not appeal to it, but the latter determined the paths of the Iraqi government more than determining the paths of Iraq's political forces."