Tribes of al-Anbar: Normalization is high treason

The chair of the "Counter-Terrorism Tribes Council" in al-Anbar, Abdul Wahab al-Bilawi said, "whoever attended this conference has represented himself. If they had a role in their Tribes, they would have consulted them before heading to that conference."

"We, Tribes of al-Anbar, disown whoever attended that conference and hold liable the Central and Regional Governments that allowed such conferences that breach the country's national security. Al-Anbar tribes will not partake in a conspiracy against this country."

"What happened is high treason to our Tribes, our governorate, and our entire country. It is a treason to the Free cause of Palestine and the blood of Palestine and Iraq's blood."

"Even if the conference aimed to obtain international approval for a Sunni region in al-Anbar, it is still rejected," he concluded, "a legal measure shall be taken against our fellow citizens who attended the conference from our governorate. They shall be brought to justice and prosecuted for high treason."

Talib al-Hasnawi, the chair of East al-Anbar Tribal Sheikhs Council, said, "No honored man can tolerate the deed of those who attended the conference. They cannot represent al-Anbar."

"We disown the people who attended. Whoever contemplates normalizing with the Zionists cannot be an Iraqi nor an Arab," he said. 

The spokesperson of the Arab Tribes in the disputed governorates, Mozahem al-Huwayt, said, "as Arab tribes, our position is clear from the conference and the people who attended it. These people, Sheikh Wisam al-Hardan on top, do not represent us, neither directly nor indirectly. They do not represent the Sunni Arabs and their Arab Tribes."

"The Kurdistan Regional Government had no knowledge about the conference that was organized under the title of Peace and Reclamation," he added, "We call on the governments, both in Baghdad and Erbil, to start an investigation to identify the party that organized this conference."

For his part, the Governor of al-Anbar, Ali al-Dulaimi, said, "we will take legal measures and prosecute the discordant voices that attempt to promote strife and attempt to tamper with the high constants of the people of al-Anbar."

"The people of al-Anbar were, still are, and will remain fierce defenders to the Arab and Muslim's first cause [the Palestinian cause] and dismissive to the squawks of those crews," he tweeted. 

"The attendees of the Erbil conference represent only Themselves...The Arab tribes announced their dismissive position toward the conference," Palestine's ambassador to Iraq, Ahmed Akl, told Shafaq News Agency over the phone, "Iraq's stance from normalization with Israel has been demonstrated by the Iraqi presidencies, non-governmental organizations, and Arab Tribes. It was obvious in the reaction of the people."

"We are pleased by the reaction of the government and the people of Iraq. It revealed that the normalization proponents are only a few that represent themselves only. Palestine and Iraq have been deeply connected throughout history. We share the same situations and cause, to defend our Islamic and Arabic territory, with all our might."

Earlier today, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Jotiar Adel, said that Kurdistan is committed to the foreign policy of Iraq. 

Adel tweeted, "The KRG was not made aware of the Center for Peace Communications (CPC) conference and was held without our approval or knowledge." 

"The views of the conference do not reflect the views & policies of KRG," he added, "The KRG will take necessary measures to follow up on how this meeting was held."

Yesterday, Kurdistan's Presidency denied acknowledgment to the "Peace and Reclamation" (al-Salam and al-Istirdad) Conference that took place in the Region's capital city, Erbil, stressing that "Foreign Policy" is a prerogative of the Federal Government solely pursuant to the Iraqi Constitution.

A press release issued by the Region's Presidency Office said, "we announce that the Kurdistan Region Presidency was not, in any way, informed about that event or the topics discussed in it. The remarks issued by the meeting, on no account, reflect the views, policies, or positions of the Kurdistan Region."

"We reiterate that foreign policy positions, directions and issues fall under the authority of the Federal Government according to the Constitution, and the Kurdistan Region follows Iraq’s foreign policy entirely," the Presidency said.

The President's office urged" all Iraqi parties and sides not to lose sight over this issue as we all await the outcome of an investigation carried out by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Interior."

Kurdistan's Ministry of Interior on Saturday announced its outright rejection of calls made to normalize ties with Israel during a conference a day earlier in the Region's capital city, Erbil.

In an unprecedented plea, over 300 Iraqi figures called for their country to normalize ties with Israel on Friday night.

The group, which includes Sunni and Shiites, youth activists, and tribal leaders, said the next step after the dramatic announcement would be to seek “face-to-face talks” with Israelis and joining the Abraham accords that UAE and Bahrain, among other Arab countries, ratified recently.

A statement issued by the Ministy of Interior of Kurdistan said that the organizers submitted a request to organize an event that promotes "Co-existence" and "Federalism per the Permanent Constitution of Iraq".

 "However, some organizers derailed the workshop from its objectives and exploited it in a matter that fulfills the terms by which the license was granted," according to the statement.

Some speeches delivered during the event do not match the official policy of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the statement said, "therefore, the Ministry of Interior will initiate legal proceedings against the persons who derailed the meeting and will punish them."

"The Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as a constitutional entity and a part of a Federal Iraq, is committed to the official foreign policy of the Iraqi state and will not allow exploiting the freedom and democracy it prevails for other political purposes or intentions," it added, "the culprits will be expelled. They will not be allowed to have a foot-stand in Kurdistan."

Iraq's federal government rejected the conference's call for normalization in a statement on Saturday and dismissed the gathering as an "illegal meeting".

The conference "was not representative of the population's (opinion) and that of residents in Iraqi cities, in whose name these individuals purported to speak," the statement said.

The office of Iraq's President Barham Saleh, himself a Kurd, joined in the condemnation.

Powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr urged the government to "arrest all the participants", while Ahmed Assadi, an MP with the ex-paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi, branded them "traitors in the eyes of the law".

The 300 participants at the conference came from across Iraq, according to CPC founder Joseph Braude, a US citizen of Iraqi Jewish origin.

Speakers at the conference included Chemi Peres, the head of an Israeli foundation established by his father, the late president Shimon Peres.