Israeli flags waved at referendum rally attended by Barzani

A celebration was organized on Saturday for the non-binding referendum that the northern Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) plans to hold on Sept. 25. KRG President Masoud Barzani attended the rally in Erbil, where Israeli flags were being waved.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said that the country endorsed an independent Kurdish state in Iraq.

Regional issues are behind Israel’s support to the KRG, according to reports.

Karel Valansi, a contributor at the Şalom newspaper published in Turkey stated:

“Israel’s support to the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in Iraq is not something new. In a meeting held three years ago by the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed his support regarding this issue, although he was aware that the United States wanted to protect Iraq’s integrity. It is impossible to ignore the message sent to Ankara concerning Hamas.

On the other hand, the support does not come from Israel alone. Saudi Arabia also seems to be supporting the Iraqi Kurds’ demands for the referendum. I have interpreted this situation as a punishment to Turkey. They [Saudi Arabia] try to hit Turkey where it hurts most as it supported Qatar during the Gulf crisis. They, indeed, are not concerned about the future of Kurds.

Israel considers that a Kurdish state will be a natural economic and strategic ally. However, would Israel, which has just started to right its relations with Turkey, risk clashing in such a matter, which Turkey considers a redline, with Ankara? This is the real question."