Kurdish Statehood: An Israeli Wish

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In The Media

Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Kurdish Statehood: An Israeli Wish

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the creation of an independent Kurdish state. But why has Israel expressed support for Kurdish independence?

By Yezid Sayigh

Published on Aug 2, 2014

Source: Press TV

Israeli President Shimon Peres told U.S. President Barack Obama on June 25 that Iraq could not be kept together and asked for support for Kurdish independence. The next day, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Paris that the establishment of an independent Kurdish state was probably inevitable.

In addition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We have to support the independence aspirations of the Kurds.” This was not the first time Israeli leaders have pushed for Kurdish independence. They have repeatedly echoed this line in the decade since the invasion of Iraq.

Historical relationships between some Kurdish factions and Israel go back to the early days of the Zionist project. Dividing the Middle East into countries of warring minorities can be traced back to the days of British colonialism and today Israel is at the forefront of making sure it happens.

To discuss Israel’s support for an independent Kurdistan and the separation of Kurdistan from Iraq, Press TV’s Middle East Files spoke with Carnegie’s Yezid Sayigh.

This interview was originally broadcasted on Press TV.

About the Author

Yezid Sayigh

Senior Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yezid Sayigh is a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, where he leads the program on Civil-Military Relations in Arab States (CMRAS). His work focuses on the comparative political and economic roles of Arab armed forces, the impact of war on states and societies, the politics of postconflict reconstruction and security sector transformation in Arab transitions, and authoritarian resurgence.

Recent Work

Paper
Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations
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Commentary
What Is Israel’s Plan in Lebanon?
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Political Reform Foreign Policy Gulf Israel Iraq Middle East

Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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