Iraq's Sadr Rebuilds Alliances, Holds Talks with Maliki

Head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. (AFP)
Head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. (AFP)
TT
20

Iraq's Sadr Rebuilds Alliances, Holds Talks with Maliki

Head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. (AFP)
Head of the Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. (AFP)

Head of Iraq's Sadrist movement, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr surprised his partners and rivals alike when he telephoned former Prime Minister and head of the State of Law coalition Nuri al-Maliki in an effort to ease the political impasse in the country.

Sadr had been adamant about refusing to work with Maliki even before he formed his alliance with the Sunni and Kurdish blocs after his parliamentary elections victory in October 2021. The former PM came second in the polls.

Sadr formed an alliance with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and leading Sunni figure Khamis Khanjar soon after the polls.

The months after the elections witnessed disputes between Sadr and the Shiite Coordination Framework - a grouping of pro-Iran factions that were the greatest losers in the poll - over the formation of a new government and election of a president. The Coordination Framework had rejected the results of the elections as a sham and held several protests and filed several appeals in complaint.

As the disagreements persisted, Maliki appeared as the main obstacle in the Sadrists and Framework reaching an understanding.

Barzani sought to kick off an initiative aimed at persuading Sadr to lift his "veto" against Maliki so that they would go along with the election of his candidate as president. His initiative ultimately failed.

Sadr's call with Maliki therefore came as a surprise to the political powers.

A source close to Sadr told Asharq Al-Awsat that the cleric has "eliminated the role of the godfather, whether this was an internal or foreign player, who used to arrange affairs and then reach an agreement with all parties."

Sadr is now the one carrying out the negotiations and talks with various parties.

Asked about what prompted the call with Maliki, the source explained that several factors had emerged in recent weeks, including the deterioration of relations between the Sadrists and Barzani's Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP).

Relations have also soured between Sadr and the two other members of his alliance, Halbousi and Khanjar. He was particularly upset with the two officials' meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, revealed the source.

Amid these developments, the growing public anger over rising prices, the delay in the formation of a new government and failure to elect a new president, Sadr chose to "upend the equation and rebuild alliances."

"The telephone call was part of this new shift and this means that talks with the Coordination Framework will take a new path, which may perhaps lead to understandings," the source added.

He noted that Sadr had even proposed to Maliki the appointment of his nephew, Iraq's ambassador to London Jaafar Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr as prime minister.

Maliki informed Sadr that the naming of a premier would be discussed with his allies in the Coordination Framework.

The Framework, meanwhile, held a meeting to address the repercussions of the call between Sadr and Maliki. Several questions have been raised: Will Sadr pay a price for nominating his nephew as premier? In other words, would he be willing to relinquish parliamentary seats in favor of the PM in return for portfolios in the new government?

Sadr's response to this question will shape the coming phase in Iraq. The answer may lead to continued impasse that may even lead to the dissolution of parliament and holding new elections, or it could lead to a solution from which all parties come out with major losses and minor gains.



Israel Continues Deductions from PA Funds Despite Abbas’ Decree

Israeli forces during a military operation in Nablus, West Bank, on Tuesday. (AP)
Israeli forces during a military operation in Nablus, West Bank, on Tuesday. (AP)
TT
20

Israel Continues Deductions from PA Funds Despite Abbas’ Decree

Israeli forces during a military operation in Nablus, West Bank, on Tuesday. (AP)
Israeli forces during a military operation in Nablus, West Bank, on Tuesday. (AP)

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz took another step against the Palestinian Authority (PA), ordering the seizure of funds it pays to Palestinian prisoners held in Israel or those holding Israeli citizenship.

Israel’s Defense Ministry said the sanctions, imposed by Katz, are part of an economic crackdown by the security establishment against what it called “terrorist organizations.”

“The terror funds ordered to be seized by the defense minister were paid by the PA to terrorists serving prison sentences in Israel and to released prisoners,” according to a statement by the ministry.

Israel’s Maariv daily reported that the funds seized by Katz were paid by the PA to prisoners serving sentences in Israeli jails, released detainees, and their families.

The decision applies to “all residents of Jerusalem and Israeli citizens (Arab Israelis),” according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.

Katz’s move comes despite a decree last month by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas canceling legal provisions related to financial stipends for prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded.

The decree also transferred the digital database and financial allocations for the payments from the PA to a non-governmental organization.

Abbas issued the order after years of resisting US and Israeli pressure to halt PA payments to militants and detainees.

Israel began deducting funds from the PA’s tax revenues in 2018 to offset these payments, which Israeli officials call “pay-for-slay,” referring to stipends given to the families of prisoners and those killed in conflict.

The issue remains a source of ongoing tension.

In a bid to ease tensions, the PA years ago integrated released prisoners into government ministries, agencies, and security forces, placing many on early retirement. However, the move failed to satisfy Israel.

When US President Donald Trump took office in 2017, Abbas sought to resolve the crisis his own way, issuing a decree that sparked widespread controversy and domestic backlash.

The PA provides monthly stipends starting at 2,000 Israeli shekels ($550) for released prisoners, with payments increasing based on the length of their incarceration.

Current detainees receive at least 4,000 shekels ($1,100), with payments reaching 8,000 or 12,000 shekels for those who have served more than 20 or 30 years—though such cases are rare.

Last week, Israel seized $90 million from the PA’s tax revenues, known as “clearance funds,” redirecting the money to Israeli families of individuals killed in Palestinian attacks.

The latest Israeli measures follow Abbas’ decree and are part of Israel’s ongoing policy of deducting PA funds over the prisoner payment issue.