Supreme Court Suspends Iraq Parliament

A general view of the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, January 9, 2022. (Reuters)
A general view of the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, January 9, 2022. (Reuters)
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Supreme Court Suspends Iraq Parliament

A general view of the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, January 9, 2022. (Reuters)
A general view of the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, Iraq, January 9, 2022. (Reuters)

The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq suspended on Thursday the parliament speaker and his two deputies, days after they were elected to their post.

The ruling came after MPs Bassem Khashan and Mahmoud Daoud filed a complaint citing "legal and constitutional violations" in their election.

The parliament will therefore be suspended until the judiciary can examine the appeal and issue a final ruling in the case.

The suspension marked a precedent in Iraq. Observers have expressed concern that should the appeal be accepted, it would delay other pending constitutional affairs, such as the election of a president in the next three weeks.

Former head of the Integrity Commission Judge Rahem al-Ugaili doubted that the court's acceptance of the appeal would annul the inaugural session of the new parliament, which was held on Sunday.

In remarks to the Asharq Al-Awsat, he explained that the ratification of the appeal is not considered a judicial ruling, but rather a suspension that would give the relevant authorities time to examine the legality and constitutionality of the inaugural meeting.

The decision will, however, have direct and indirect impacts on the parliament, which will be completely suspended until a final ruling over the appeal is reached.

He said that such an issue should be finalized withing 10 to 15 days.

He believes that the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over the work of the parliament, rather its authority covers the constitutionality of laws and regulations.

MP Khashan, who filed the appeal, is known for his fierce rivalry with Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, who was reelected to his post on Sunday.

During the meeting, he submitted legal documents that condemn Halbousi and prevent him from again running for speaker, but his objections were ignored.



Hamas Says Delegation Discussed Gaza Truce With Egypt

05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
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Hamas Says Delegation Discussed Gaza Truce With Egypt

05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

A Hamas delegation discussed a ceasefire in Gaza with Egyptian intelligence officials, two officials from the Palestinian group told AFP on Monday.

The "delegation met with the head of the Egyptian general intelligence, Major General Hassan Rashad, and a number of Egyptian intelligence officials, and discussed ways to stop the war and aggression, bring in aid, and open the Rafah crossing" at Gaza's border with Egypt, said a senior Hamas official who was part of the Cairo meeting on Sunday evening.

A second Hamas official also present in Cairo told AFP that "Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye are making great efforts to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange".

"Our Palestinian people are waiting for American and international pressure on (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to stop the war and reach an agreement as happened in Lebanon," the official said.

The meeting came shortly after Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah agreed on a ceasefire in Lebanon with mediation from the United States and France.

US President Joe Biden would launch a renewed drive for a ceasefire, his national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week, adding Biden told his envoys to engage with Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region.

Egyptian authorities did not publicly comment on any meetings with Hamas on Sunday.

The first official said any deal Hamas agrees to should include the conditions the movement has brought forward since the start of the war.

These include a full ceasefire, complete Israeli military withdrawal, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, "a serious deal to exchange prisoners in one go or in two stages", and reconstruction of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

Israel has also repeatedly accused Hamas of delaying talks and not sincerely wanting to reach a deal.

The Hamas senior official also told AFP that "under Egyptian sponsorship" the Hamas delegation met Sunday evening with a delegation from the Fatah movement, Hamas's long-term rival currently in power in the occupied West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

He said that the meeting focused on "arrangements for the internal Palestinian situation and the management of the Gaza Strip once the war ends".

The talks aimed to agree on the shape of "an independent administrative committee to manage the strip and supervise aid, crossings and reconstruction, in agreement with all Palestinian factions".

Jamal Obeid, a member of Fatah's leadership in Gaza, told AFP that Egypt was making intensive efforts to stop the war.

"The first priority (is) the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of the displaced, the opening of the crossings, relief for our afflicted people, and reconstruction under the management and supervision of the Palestinian National Authority," he said.

Obeid said meetings in Cairo between Fatah and Hamas were crucial in order "to stop the war and put the Palestinian house in order", and agree on what shape governance will take in Gaza after the war ends.