The Bill initially named "Banning Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity" was changed to "Criminalizing Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity." in today's assembly meeting. 

 

The Bill was passed unanimously, with all attending 275 members of the parliament. 

 

 "We affirm that this law, which the voters unanimously voted, represents a true reflection of the people's will, a brave national decision, and a position that is the first of its kind in the world in terms of criminalizing the relationship with the Zionist entity. Therefore, we call on the Arab and Islamic parliaments to issue similar legislation that meets the aspirations of their peoples," the parliament said in a statement on Thursday.

 

The Bill criminalizes the normalization of relations with the "Zionist entity," a reference to Israel, and the "banning of the establishment of diplomatic, political, military, economic, and cultural relations and any other sort of relations with the invading Zionist entity."

 

 The normalization of ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords is a US-led joint Middle East peace initiative. The United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Bahrain, and Morocco - have announced normalization agreements with Israel, with America's support. A conference in September advocating for Iraq to join the deal was met with widespread condemnation and criticism from the public and officials.

 

Muqtada Sadr, Iraq's popular clergy and one of the figures sponsoring the Bill, released a statement praising God and calling on the Iraqi people to celebrate this "great achievement."

 

 The Bill will require all institutions, civilian or military, to eschew relations with Israel. Although Baghdad maintains close ties with the United States, the decision might be a hurdle to the US-led Middle East peace initiative, aiming to restore relations between predominantly Sunni states and the state of Israel. 

 

Earlier this year, a delegation from Baghdad had made various trips to Israel, followed by a workshop in Erbil, which called for the normalization of ties between Israel and Iraq. They were rebuked by various Iraqi leaders and called for the participants to be put behind bars.