Normalization Does Not Exist in the Iraqi Dictionary — al-Sudani Rules Out Ties With Israel
Prime minister rules out normalization with the Zionist entity as clerics and political leaders warn it is a crime under Iraqi law
Iraq, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has categorically ruled out any form of normalization with Israel, declaring that the concept itself has no place in Iraq’s political, legal, or moral framework.
“We in Iraq do not need normalization, and the word normalization does not exist in the Iraqi dictionary,” al-Sudani stated, delivering one of the clearest official rejections yet of US-backed regional normalization projects.
Al-Sudani: Iraq’s Unity and Stability Require No Normalization
The prime minister made his remarks while attending a Christmas Mass at Mar Youssef Church, where he emphasized that Iraq’s strength lies in its internal cohesion, coexistence, and sovereignty — not in submission to externally imposed political agendas.
Al-Sudani said that commemorating Christmas alongside Iraq’s Christian community reflects the resilience of the country’s social fabric and its commitment to protecting all religious and social components as equal partners in the nation.
He stressed that the Iraqi government is using all available means to safeguard symbols of national unity and reinforce Iraq’s role as an oasis of stability, once again reiterating that this path does not require normalization with an occupying entity.
Unprecedented Call Sparks Firm National Rejection
Al-Sudani’s statement came in direct response to an unprecedented call for normalization issued from within Baghdad by Louis Raphaël I Sako, the Chaldean Catholic Church Prelate and Patriarch of Baghdad.
Sako’s public call for normalization with Israel triggered strong backlash across Iraq’s political and religious landscape, with many viewing it as a dangerous departure from Iraq’s long-standing national and legal position on Palestine and the Zionist occupation.
Moqtada al-Sadr: Normalization Is a Crime Under Iraqi Law
Prominent Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr reacted sharply, warning that normalization is not merely a political issue but a criminal offense.
“Normalization is a crime punishable by Iraqi law, and anyone who incites or calls for it, whoever they may be, is not immune from punishment,” al-Sadr said, underscoring that no religious or political status places anyone above the law when it comes to relations with the Zionist entity.
His statement reinforced the position that normalization represents a direct violation of Iraq’s legal framework and its historic alignment with the Palestinian cause.
Rejection of US-Driven Regional Engineering
Iraq’s unified rejection of normalization stands in stark contrast to US-engineered efforts across the region to legitimize Israel through political, economic, and security arrangements while its crimes against the Palestinian people continue unabated.
By rejecting normalization outright, Baghdad has reaffirmed its refusal to legitimize occupation, apartheid, and genocide under the language of diplomacy, and has signaled that Iraq’s sovereignty is not negotiable under foreign pressure.
Elections Conclude as Iraq Reaffirms Independent Path
Meanwhile, Iraq has concluded the general voting phase of its 2025 parliamentary elections, with polling stations closing nationwide at 6:00 pm local time. The vote followed a special round earlier this month for security forces.
The elections will determine the composition of Iraq’s 329-seat Council of Representatives. Officials reported that the process proceeded under standard security and monitoring measures, with no major disruptions.
Al-Sudani praised the elections as an expression of the Iraqi people’s will and a fulfillment of the government’s executive commitments. Iraq’s electoral commission reported a 56.11 percent voter turnout, with the highest number of votes secured by al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Alliance. (PW)