Iraqis Await Federal Court’s Decision on Dissolution of Parliament

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the Sadrist movement carry his picture in front of the gate of the Iraqi parliament building, Baghdad, Iraq, 12 August 2022. (EPA)
Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the Sadrist movement carry his picture in front of the gate of the Iraqi parliament building, Baghdad, Iraq, 12 August 2022. (EPA)
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Iraqis Await Federal Court’s Decision on Dissolution of Parliament

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the Sadrist movement carry his picture in front of the gate of the Iraqi parliament building, Baghdad, Iraq, 12 August 2022. (EPA)
Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the Sadrist movement carry his picture in front of the gate of the Iraqi parliament building, Baghdad, Iraq, 12 August 2022. (EPA)

Iraqis are awaiting the decision of the Federal Supreme Court over the dissolution of parliament after leader of the Sadrist movement, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, had given it 72 hours to make a ruling.

The deadline ends on Monday.

The court had, however, set Tuesday as a date for looking into complaints filed by Sadrist leaders over the dissolution of the legislature.

The Sadrists allege that the parliament had failed in fulfilling its tasks and constitutional duties in the nine months since its formation.

The Sadrists are hoping that the Federal Court would dissolve parliament, which would lead to early elections.

Legal experts, however, predict that the court will only reiterate statements by the Supreme Judicial Council last week, when it said the dissolution of the parliament was beyond its jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Sadrist movement called on Sunday for the establishment of a new Iraq, devoid of militias, illegal possession of weapons, violence, fighting, sectarianism and warring parties.

Saleh Mohammed al-Iraqi, a close associate to Sadr, urged the establishment of a state of law “where brotherhood prevails, minorities are dignified, the judiciary is honest, balanced ties are forged with the outside, peace can reign, the army can protect, the government can serve, and religions and creeds are respected.”

Iraqi had on Saturday called for holding new parliamentary elections in the country without the participation of all parties and politicians that have been part of the political scene since the 2003 American occupation.

Sadr won the largest share of seats in the October elections but failed to form a majority government, leading to what has become one of the worst political crises in Iraq in recent years.

His bloc later resigned from parliament and his supporters last month stormed the parliament building in Baghdad. His supporters have been holding a sit-in at parliament ever since.



Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Resolution 1701 Only Tangible Proposal to End Lebanon Conflict

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
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Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Resolution 1701 Only Tangible Proposal to End Lebanon Conflict

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and US envoy Amos Hochstein in Beirut. (AFP file)

Politicians in Beirut said they have not received any credible information about Washington resuming its mediation efforts towards reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon despite reports to the contrary.

Efforts came to a halt after US envoy Amos Hochstein’s last visit to Beirut three weeks ago.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri dismissed the reports as media fodder, saying nothing official has been received.

Lebanon is awaiting tangible proposals on which it can build its position, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The only credible proposal on the table is United Nations Security Council resolution 1701, whose articles must be implemented in full by Lebanon and Israel, “not just Lebanon alone,” he stressed.

Resolution 1701 was issued to end the 2006 July war between Hezbollah and Israel and calls for removing all weapons from southern Lebanon and that the only armed presence there be restricted to the army and UN peacekeepers.

Western diplomatic sources in Beirut told Asharq Al-Awsat that Berri opposes one of the most important articles of the proposed solution to end the current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

He is opposed to the German and British participation in the proposed mechanism to monitor the implementation of resolution 1701. The other participants are the United States and France.

Other sources said Berri is opposed to the mechanism itself since one is already available and it is embodied in the UN peacekeepers, whom the US and France can join.

The sources revealed that the solution to the conflict has a foreign and internal aspect. The foreign one includes Israel, the US and Russia and seeks guarantees that would prevent Hezbollah from rearming itself. The second covers Lebanese guarantees on the implementation of resolution 1701.

Berri refused to comment on the media reports, but told Asharq Al-Awsat that this was the first time that discussions are being held about guarantees.

He added that “Israel is now in crisis because it has failed to achieve its military objectives, so it has resorted to more killing and destruction undeterred.”

He highlighted the “steadfastness of the UN peacekeepers in the South who have refused to leave their positions despite the repeated Israeli attacks.”