Iraq refuses Israel's attendance at UNESCO meetings, citing Law No. (1) of 2022 criminalizing normalization
Iraq’s permanent representative to UNESCO confirmed in an official letter on Friday Baghdad’s refusal to allow Israel to attend the organization’s meetings, citing the law criminalizing normalization and calling on the Arab group to adopt a clear stance.
Dr. Asaad Turki Suwari, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, confirmed on Friday Iraq’s refusal to allow Israel to attend the organization’s meetings, in line with its legal and official position rejecting normalization.
Suwari said in an official letter that Iraq’s position came in response to invitations UNESCO sent to a number of non-member states, including Israel, to attend the intergovernmental meeting of the special committee concerned with amending UNESCO’s 1997 Recommendation on the Status of Higher‑Education Teaching Personnel, scheduled to be held as part of the Executive Board meetings in Paris.
He explained that Iraq, in light of inquiries received from members of the electoral international groups about the Arab group’s stance regarding the issuance of the invitations, affirmed that its position is based on the Law Criminalizing Normalization with the Zionist Entity No. (1) of 2022 issued by the Iraqi Council of Representatives, which criminalizes establishing relations or dealing with the Israeli entity directly or indirectly for the purpose of establishing relations with it.
Suwari pointed out that Iraq had previously expressed, during United Nations General Assembly meetings, its rejection of Israeli practices, stressing that the continued occupation of Palestinian territories and the accompanying violations against the Palestinian people cannot justify inviting Israel to participate in the work of an international organization such as UNESCO.
He added that Iraq will continue to adhere to its legal and political position rejecting normalization, noting that Israel’s attendance at UNESCO meetings, from Baghdad’s perspective, conflicts with applicable Iraqi law, in particular the Law Criminalizing Normalization No. (1) of 2022.
The Permanent Representative concluded by calling on the Arab group to adopt a clear position regarding any invitation to Israel, whether the current invitation or future cases, affirming that this stance is an extension of the principled, legal, moral and humanitarian position derived from the general will of the Iraqi people.
