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Iraq amends law giving Palestinian residents same rights as nationals

December 11, 2020 at 2:40 am

Iraqi Vice President and parliament member Adel Abdul-Mahdi speaks during a special session April 13, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq [Ceerwan Aziz-Pool/Getty Images]

The Iraqi parliament has approved a legal amendment to the law on foreigners giving Palestinians who have resided in Iraq for a minimum of ten years the same rights as Iraqi nationals, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Under the new amendments, the news agency disclosed that Palestinians who have lived in Iraq for at least ten years would enjoy the same rights as Iraqis, with the exception of citizenship, running for public office and voting.

On Wednesday, Secretary-General of the Fatah Movement Jibril Rajoub and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Iraq on a two-day official visit, at the invitation of the Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

Rajoub carried two letters from Abbas to Iraqi President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.

Rajoub is scheduled to meet on Thursday with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Youth and Sports Minister Adnan Dirjal.

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