22 Sep
Latest

Iraq-Israel Relations…in the Tubes

Remember this name: Mithal al-Alusi. He is a Sunni member of the Iraqi parliament who visited Israel two weeks ago to attend a counter-terror conference, and his life is now in danger. Not that this is the first time. In September 2004, al-Alusi made his first trip to Israel, also to attend a counter-terror conference. Apparently as payback for visiting Israel, assassins went for al-Alusi not long afterwards, killing his two sons. But Iraq is different now, right? The US troop surge has brought victory within sight, right? Hardly. Last week, al-Alusi was stripped of parliamentary immunity, clearing the way for his prosecution for violating an Iraqi law from 50 years ago that barred visiting Israel. According to AP, the law allows for the death penalty, but al-Alusi probably won't face it. "What has happened was a catastrophe for...

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13 Aug
Latest

Saddam Hussein's Relatives Try to Sneak into Israel

In an almost ironic story, Ynet reports that some relatives of Saddam Hussein were denied refugee status in Israel: The family, which consists of the two parents and their six children, recently infiltrated Israel through the Israeli-Egyptian border. The family then arrived at the offices of the Interior Ministry and applied for refuge status, claiming they were from the war-torn region of the Sudan. It seems that the Interior Ministry was alarmed when they saw the names Uday and Qusay Hussein, the names of Saddam Hussein's sons (killed in July 2003). Their suspicions were later confirmed when it was discovered that the "refugees" were in fact citizens of Iraq, and descendants of the late, famously anti-Israeli dictator. Why were they trying to get into Israel? Hopefully follow-up reports will reveal more information. Either way, it's rather contemptible...

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