Iraq PM says will not abandon Palestine cause

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi yesterday reaffirmed his country’s support for the Palestinian cause saying Baghdad will not abandon it. Al-Kadhimi also stressed the importance of Palestinian political unity.

According to the Iraqi News Agency, a statement issued by the prime minister’s media office said that “Iraq will not abandon the Palestinian issue and its principled and firm stance on it, and that Palestine, which inhabits the Iraqi conscience, enjoys popular, political and official support, and will not see from Iraq except direct support through regional and international positions and contacts.”

Al-Kadhimi made the comments during a meeting with a delegation headed by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and the repercussions of Israel’s recent military aggression against the Palestinian people.

READ: Iraqis head to Jordan border in solidarity with Palestine

During his visit, Al-Maliki also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih to discuss the situation in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and Israeli attacks on Gaza. He reportedly handed Salih a letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas thanking Iraq for its supportive stance.

Speaking at a joint conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, Al-Maliki said: “It is essential to unify the Palestinian ranks through an open dialogue between different Palestinian parties in a bid to strengthen the Palestinian Authority.”

On Thursday, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Health Saif Al-Badr announced that it was ready to receive and treat Palestinians injured by Israeli aggression. He also stated that Iraq had previously sent delegations to help provide medical assistance in Palestine.

An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire has been in place since Friday following the 11-day military attacks against Gaza, the worst since 2014, with more than 270 Palestinians killed and thousands injured.

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