Muqtada al-Sadr warns Iraqi government on endorsing two-state solution, urges Arab unity for Palestinians

Shia cleric and leader of Iraq's National Shia Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, issued a stark warning to the Iraqi government on Sunday, advising against supporting any two-state solution initiatives regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and asserting that Palestine is the only legitimate state.

In a statement shared on the social media platform X, al-Sadr said, "As followers of Muhammad and Ali (peace be upon them), our position is clear: there is only one state with its capital in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), and no second state to negotiate or establish."

Al-Sadr emphasised his stance, declaring that "Palestine, from the river to the sea, is Arab," and denouncing Israeli settlers as "occupying terrorists." He rejected Western agreements, specifically those by Britain particularly the Balfour Declaration, that recognise Israeli statehood, adding, "We will not recognise British or Western agreements."

Warning of consequences for Iraq, al-Sadr stated that any government support for a two-state solution could be deemed a violation of Iraqi laws criminalising normalisation with Israel. He also called upon regional powers, notably Saudi Arabia, as well as other Arab and Islamic nations, to avoid recognising what he referred to as the "Zionist entity," ending with, "This is our hope; otherwise, there will be no time for regrets."

The remarks stirred criticism, with Kurdish political analyst Abu Bakr Ali suggesting al-Sadr's statements could fuel internal Iraqi political strife. In an interview with The New Arab, Ali remarked, "Al-Sadr's post includes a lot of controversy, and I do not think it is credible; it might be used as a tool for political conflict between Sadr's Shia National Movement and other rival political forces in Iraq."

At least 43,341 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military since October last year. Thousands more are feared buried under rubble and unaccounted for.