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Iraqi President Calls for Comprehensive Dialogue between Baghdad, Erbil

Iraqi President Barham Salih. (Reuters file photo)
Iraqi President Barham Salih. (Reuters file photo)
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Iraqi President Calls for Comprehensive Dialogue between Baghdad, Erbil

Iraqi President Barham Salih. (Reuters file photo)
Iraqi President Barham Salih. (Reuters file photo)

Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed on Thursday the need to launch "serious and immediate" dialogue between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region government in wake of the Supreme Court's ruling on the region's oil policy.

A surprise ruling by the court on Tuesday cast doubt on the legal foundations of the independent oil policy of Iraq's Kurdish-run region and threatened to drive a political wedge between the two governments.

The Supreme Court struck down the legal justifications for the semi-autonomous region's oil policy, effectively calling into question the future of the region's oil contracts, exports and revenues.

The ruling comes during a politically sensitive time, as efforts have stalled in Iraq to form a government.

In a statement on Thursday, Salih said the dialogue should search for "realistic mechanisms" that take into account the Supreme Court's ruling and that also secure the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region and all Iraqis.

"Revenues should be dedicated to serving citizens, away from corruption and mismanagement," he stressed.

He called on parliament to "immediately address the delayed oil and gas draft law" and ratify it.

Salih remarked that the years of delays in ratifying the law has created problems and crises, "leading us to the critical juncture we are facing today."

Tuesday's decision cast into doubt the future of the region's main revenue source.

The region averaged $750 million per month in oil exports via Turkey in 2021, according to Iraq Oil Report, a media outlet that covers Iraq and its oil sector. The region also relies on budget transfers from Baghdad to pay for salaries and debts to traders.

The Kurdish region said the ruling itself was "unjust, unconstitutional" and "unacceptable" in a statement. The region has historically relied on the absence of a federal oil and gas law to justify its independent oil policy.

Iraq's constitution says regions and provinces can have a modicum of independence over oil but that the specifics should be spelled out in a separate law. Such a law has never been passed.

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Arab World

Northern Gaza Residents: Stuck in Open Air Living

Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
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Northern Gaza Residents: Stuck in Open Air Living

Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)

The return of Palestinian refugees from southern Gaza to the north has been difficult, especially due to the extensive damage to homes and infrastructure in the area. Many residents, who had hoped for better conditions than life in tents, have found little relief.

After months of living in tents during the Israeli conflict, they returned to the north only to find few homes available, with some even unable to find space to set up their tents.

The return of nearly 800,000 displaced people to northern Gaza has created significant challenges for the Hamas-led Gaza government. The situation has revealed unexpected difficulties, particularly as Israel has not yet kept its promise to deliver much-needed relief supplies, such as tents and caravans.

The sight of massive destruction has overshadowed the living conditions in Jabalia Camp and the towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun for many returning residents.

This has forced local authorities, according to sources speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, to expand bulldozing efforts in several key areas, increasing the space available for tents to shelter residents.

However, the task has been complicated by the difficulty of acquiring the necessary equipment to clear rubble and debris.

Mohammed Abu Obeid, a resident of Jabalia Camp, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the situation worsened when authorities were unable to provide sufficient water for residents.

This has led people to rely on water deliveries via trucks, which transport large amounts from Gaza City to the camp. The goal is to provide each family with approximately 50 liters of water daily, but Abu Obeid noted that this amount is hardly enough.

Abu Obeid pointed out that residents are unable to find any nearby power sources. As night falls, they are forced to remain in their tents or, for those who still have homes or managed to salvage a room from heavily damaged buildings, stay there with their families.

“We didn’t expect life to be this grim, this full of hell,” he remarked.

Suhad Abu Hussein, a resident of the camp, shared that she spent her first night back in northern Gaza sleeping in the open.

She waited until the second day, when technical teams managed to clear a small portion of rubble which allowed them to begin setting up available tents.

Hussein explained that she is currently living in a tent just three meters in size. However, she faces significant challenges due to the lack of water and any power source, leaving residents in complete darkness without even basic street lighting.

Gaza’s municipality has warned that the lack of services will make life even harder for displaced people returning to their areas.

They explained that the water supply only covers 40% of the city, and the water available doesn’t meet the residents’ needs due to damage to water networks. More than 75% of the city's central wells have been destroyed.

The municipality stressed that it cannot provide even basic services to the displaced without heavy machinery. It urgently needs equipment to repair wells and sewage networks. Despite limited resources, efforts continue to clear streets and remove rubble to help the displaced return and allow residents to move around.

Israel has blocked the entry of heavy machinery, tents, caravans, and other supplies. Hamas has been in talks with mediators to address these restrictions.

Ahmed Al-Asi, a young man from Beit Lahia, affirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat there are no bakeries in his town or in Jabalia Camp.

He has to travel more than 6 kilometers to Gaza City’s Nasr neighborhood every day to buy bread for his family of 18, spending about 40 shekels ($12) daily.