Election Losers in Iraq Resort to Appeals

Protesters sit inside a tent during a protest against the election results, near the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, October 20, 2021. The banner reads, "Death to America". REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
Protesters sit inside a tent during a protest against the election results, near the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, October 20, 2021. The banner reads, "Death to America". REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Election Losers in Iraq Resort to Appeals

Protesters sit inside a tent during a protest against the election results, near the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, October 20, 2021. The banner reads, "Death to America". REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
Protesters sit inside a tent during a protest against the election results, near the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, October 20, 2021. The banner reads, "Death to America". REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Efforts to calm down the situation in Iraq continued after protests against the results of recent elections turned into an open sit-in outside the Green Zone gates in Baghdad.

At the same time, forces that lost in the elections are betting on the results of the appeals submitted to the Elections Committee before they enter negotiations with other political parties.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi reaffirmed his country’s commitment to protecting the UN mission in Iraq and other diplomatic missions in the country from any threat.

Citing Iraq’s commitment to international laws and norms, he reaffirmed Baghdad’s support for the missions carrying out their tasks.

Kadhimi, during a high-level national security meeting, reiterated Iraq’s firm rejection of being used as a springboard for attacking any other country.

The premier acknowledged that peaceful demonstration “is a constitutional right, and it is the duty of the security forces to safeguard the public’s right to express its opinion.”

However, Kadhimi noted that protestors must not violate the law, restrict citizens, block roads and disrupt public life and order.

“The government has played a major role in holding the elections, and the security services succeeded in securing polling stations, candidates and voters, and the vote was held, for the first time, without a curfew, and without booby-traps, assassinations and terrorist acts,” said Kadhimi.

Also, he stressed that objecting to election results must be part of the applicable legal procedures, which are the natural and sound path.

He called on demonstrators to cooperate with security forces so that they could carry out their duties in maintaining both security and public order.

In the meantime, Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Fatah Alliance, urged the Independent High Electoral Commission in Iraq to “seriously consider” all the appeals submitted to it in order to “reassure everyone and prove its full impartiality.”



Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to let Hamas leaders leave Gaza but demanded the group abandon its arms, as his country kept up its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli air strike on a house and tent sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least eight people, including five children.

The strike in Khan Yunis came in the morning on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Israel resumed intense bombing of the Palestinian territory on March 18 and then launched a new ground offensive, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the war with Hamas.

Netanyahu rejected criticism that his government was not engaging in negotiations aimed at releasing hostages held in Gaza, insisting the renewed military pressure on Hamas was proving effective.

"We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear" in Hamas's positions, the Israeli leader told a cabinet meeting.

In the "final stage", Netanyahu said that "Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave".

"The military pressure is working," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"The combination of military pressure and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that has brought the hostages back."

Hamas has expressed a willingness to relinquish Gaza's administration, but has warned its weapons are a "red line".

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are attempting to again broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official stated on Saturday that the group had approved a new ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators and urged Israel to support it.

Netanyahu's office confirmed receipt of the proposal and stated that Israel had submitted a counterproposal in response.

However, the details of the latest mediation efforts remain undisclosed.