'Iraqi Ambassador 'inappropriately' quoted by media on Israel and Palestine'
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Thomas Homan (L) shakes hands with Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Fareed Yasseen, during an event to return several thousand ancient artifacts to the Republic of Iraq at the Iraqi ambassador's residence, in Washington, DC, U.S., May 2, . (photo credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS)
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Iraq Ambassador to the United States Fareed Yasseen’s statements were defended by the Foreign Ministry of Iraq on Saturday, regarding comments he made on Palestine and Israel. The ministry claimed he was "inappropriately" quoted by the media, according to reporting by Rudaw. The ministry did not state the news organizations who misinterpreted Yasseen's comments. Videos on social media, however, showed him speaking with state-run Al-Iraqiya (IMN) TV. “Countries and media give special importance to the Palestine issue which is a key focus of conferences and meetings attended by our representatives and delegations abroad,” the ministry spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf said. “Sometimes they or their full expression gets cut and there were some people distorting the principled position of Iraq." Al-Sahaf added that the ministry continues to hold their historical position on Israel-Palestinian relations which “rejects Israeli invasion and the rape of Arab land” and they stand by their “principle of boycott.” Iraq never officially recognized Israel since its declaration in 1948. It recognized the State of Palestine in 1988. In a Facebook video, Yasseen argued for some sort of relations between Baghdad and Tel Aviv, according to reporting by Rudaw. “There are objective reasons that call for the erection of relations between Iraq and Israel, including the presence of a significant Iraqi community in Israel,” he said in the video. On the contrary, he said objective factors are not enough to establish official ties with Israel due to “moral and legal reasons which Iraqis comply with.” The video is not available on the IMN website, according to Rudaw. The Iraqi government and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are forbidden from having diplomatic relations with Israel. The KRG, however, has an office for a representative of the Jewish community in its Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs. Tensions with Iraq escalated in June when protestors stormed the Bahrain Kingdom's embassy in Baghdad during the “Peace for Prosperity” conference held by Jared Kushner. Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, used the forum in an attempt to champion an Israel-Palestine peace plan.
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