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Israel would support independent
Kurdistan: Analysts
1.5.2012 |
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May 1, 2012
ERBIL-Hewlêr,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — A number of Israeli
political experts say Israel will be among the
countries that would support Iraqi Kurdistan if it
declared independence. They also suggest that
Kurdistan not make the decision hastily and ensure
the grounds are properly prepared first, Rudaw
reported.
Following remarks by Kurdistan Region President
Massoud Barzani earlier this month, independence has
become a topic of serious debate in Kurdish and
regional circles. Barzani threatened that Kurds
would declare independence if Baghdad reneged on its
agreements regarding oil, territory and
power-sharing between the central and Kurdish
governments.
Ofra Bengio, a
political researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center for
Middle Eastern and African Studies,www.ekurd.net
published a book last week titled "The
Kurds of Iraq: Building a State Within a State."
She also wrote an article in the Jerusalem Post
considering whether Barzani would declare
independence and discussing the difficulties
involved in the decision.
"Approaching the issue of independence, Barzani is
on a horn of a dilemma,” the article reads. “On the
one hand, it seems that the Kurds are facing the
best window of opportunity for such a move. On the
other hand, the formidable obstacles also seem to
have gained momentum."
The article mentions a statement from the
London-based newspaper Al-Hayat which claims that
David Howell Petraeus, current director of the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), requested Ankara
throw its support behind Iraqi Kurds should they
declare independence.
Alon Ben-Meir, an Israeli peace negotiator and
professor of International Relations and Middle
Eastern Studies at New York University, says Israel
will have no problems if Kurdistan declares
independence; it will even support such a decision.
"No doubt Israel will support the independence of
Kurdistan and probably be among the first countries
to recognize the independence of Kurdistan, because
Israel will not worry about the reaction of Turkey
due to the strong ties between Ankara and the
Kurdistan Region," says Ben-Meir.
But Bengio recommends that Kurdistan prepare the
infrastructure of a state before announcing
independence, and then wait for the right moment to
take that course of action.
"Examining the situation on the ground, one can only
repeat what every observer who has visited the area
says: Kurdistan has all the trappings of a state. In
fact, in certain areas, it seems even more cohesive
and developed than the Palestinian Authority or
South Sudan," says Bengio’s article.
"Against this there are some daunting obstacles,
including the Kurds’ commitment in the Iraqi
constitution to a federal state, the economic and
political dependence on Baghdad and the fear of
antagonizing neighboring states, especially Turkey,
which has become the KRG’s lifeline to the outside
world and its most important economic and trade
partner," adds Bengio.
Copyright ©, respective author or news agency,
rudaw.net
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