Three members of the U.S. House of Representatives scolded the Iraqi parliament for penalizing a lawmaker who visited Israel. “We write with grave concern regarding recent reports that the Iraqi Parliament has voted to suspend legal immunity for your colleague Mr. Mithal Alusi and to forbid him from traveling outside of Iraq and attending parliamentary sessions because of his recent trip to Israel to participate in an international counterterrorism conference,” said the letter sent this week to Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani by U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.).
“It is shameful that a member of the legislature should be chastised for working to advance peace with other democratic nations in the region. We strongly urge you to reinstate Mr. Alusi’s legal immunity and to ease all restrictions that have been placed on him.” Hastings recently sponsored a nonbinding resolution urging Iraq to recognize Israel.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
