Iraq
Zahra Kadhim, a politburo member of the Shiite National Wisdom Movement speaking to Rudaw on September 29, 2024. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The best support Iraq can provide to the Lebanese people is through providing humanitarian relief, and not entering an armed conflict, a senior member of the Iraqi National Wisdom Movement said.
“The Iraqi government has an important role during what the brotherly Lebanese people go through, and this is shown through the humanitarian aid and relief it has provided and continues to provide,” Zahra Kadhim, a politburo member of the Shiite National Wisdom Movement told Rudaw during a televised interview on Sunday.
Kadhim’s comments come against the backdrop of the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah in an Israeli airstrike on Friday.
Israel has increased its attacks on southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah militants in the area, resulting in dire humanitarian conditions.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday ordered the issuing of expedited travel documents for Lebanese nationals who wish to travel to Iraq.
Opening the borders is the "biggest help and relief the Iraqi people could provide during these times," Kadhim said, adding that providing relief is the “real help” Iraq can provide for the Lebanese people, rather than entering an armed conflict.
“The topic of choosing to enter an armed conflict differs from one country to another, and I believe the real help that Iraq could provide is through supporting the Lebanese people, and not through entering any armed conflict,” she said.
Kadhim also highlighted a statement from Iraq's highest Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani following the assassination of Nasrallah, in which he asked the Iraqi people to provide humanitarian aid and relief to the Lebanese people.
Sistani’s statement was “clear” and lacked a call for being engaged in armed conflict, according to Kadhim.
Following the announcement of Nasrallah’s death on Saturday, thousands of supporters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) tried to enter the Green Zone where government buildings and diplomatic missions are located, vowing to burn down the US consulate.
Parts of Iraq’s PMF are closely linked to Iran and its network throughout the Middle East. Factions like the PMF’s Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada are known for their close ties to Lebanese Hezbollah.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has intensified since October 7, when Palestinian Hamas militants launched a large-scale incursion into southern Israel, killing more than 1,170 people, according to Israeli figures. Israel responded with a massive offensive on Gaza, killing over 40,000 people as of mid-August, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Israel has also stepped up its strikes in Lebanon and parts of Syria over the past year, targeting Hezbollah and Iranian personnel.
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