Cardinal Sako Explains Remarks on "Normalization of Iraq"
He said: “There is talk about normalization, and I hope from the new government that normalization in Iraq and with Iraq will take place. Iraq is the land of the prophets. Just as the Talmud was written in Babylon, the world should come to Iraq, not elsewhere.”
The phrase was quickly interpreted by some Iraqi media and politicians as advocating normalization of relations with Israel.
The Eucharistic celebration was attended by Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who later commented on the homily, saying: “In Iraq, we do not need normalization; rather, we need brotherhood, love, and coexistence”. He added that “normalization” in Iraq’s context was linked to an “occupying entity,” referring to Israel.
Iraq’s parliament passed a law in 2022 that makes it a criminal offense to normalize ties with the Israeli state — including diplomatic, political, economic, cultural, or other relations.
Cardinal Sako strongly denied the accusation.
He explained in a December 30 interview on Iraqi Dijlah TV that his use of the word “normalization” was meant as a call for Iraq to open up culturally and economically to the wider world — not to normalize ties with Israel.
He emphasized that Iraq, as the “land of the prophets,” should be open to the world in a cultural and civilizational sense. The patriarch added he received threats as a result of the controversy and that he was willing to face any consequences if it meant protecting Iraq’s unity.
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