Iraq Not Immune from Middle East ‘Axis of Resistance’
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Sulaiman
- . November 2, 2023
- . Update: November 2, 2023 2:19 pm
The Iraqi leadership cannot help but being sucked into the Middle East’s “Axis of Resistance”, a network of political parties and armed groups in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. These groups are indirectly backed by Iran.
Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the Iraqi Prime Minister, told the US President Joe Biden last month that the continued aggression in Gaza stirs outrage among people in the region and globally. But this concern has been overlooked by the United States and Israel’s other western allies.
They have turned a blind eye to the overwhelming pro-Palestine protests in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt. Peaceful and passionate protests have also been observed in major western cities like New York, London, Madrid, and Casablanca, among others for Palestinians in besieged Gaza.
Axis of Resistance Waiting for Fatwa
Iraq streets have been flooded with protesters chanting Give me fatwa, and see with your eyes. This reflects their desire for a fatwa from the supreme Shia authority in Najaf calling for defensive “jihad” against Israel. The Iraqi government has also had its hands full, trying to tackle daily attacks on US military bases.
However, Arab states have not opened any official fronts against Israel. Iraq is wary of a Unity of Fronts being declared with the Axis of Resistance stepping up. Khalil Harb, regional analyst, believes the urgent visit of Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Baghdad underscores Saudi awareness, traditionally aligned with the US interests, of the sensitivity of the situation in Iraq.
“It signals a growing conviction that Iraq may not stay neutral in the ongoing conflict, especially now that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi announced that Israel crossed certain ‘red lines’ set by the Axis of Resistance.”
The red lines are delayed ground invasion of Gaza, an attempt to completely uproot Hamas and other Palestinian resistance factions, as well as the Israeli government escalating aggression against other fronts.
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