Haaretz Last Update: 13/09/2004 22:26 Iraqi National Congress fires Chalabi aide for visiting Israel By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress has fired one of its most senior members for visiting Israel, a spokesman for the group said Monday. During an emergency meeting, the leadership of the former exile group decided to "fire Mithal al-Alousi from the Iraqi National Conference," spokesman Haidar al-Mousawi told The Associated Press. Al-Alousi, who was in Israel attending a conference on terrorism at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center, said that many elements in Iraq are interested in diplomatic ties with Israel. Al-Alousi heads the Iraqi government's de-Baathification campaign, meant to keep Baathists from the old regime out of the new government. He told Haaretz that "many intellectuals in Iraq know that Israel must be taken into account as an existing fact and that generations of people have been born here. It is in Iraq's interests to have diplomatic relations with everyone, and that is what we want." Al-Alousi's visit angered his colleagues, who said they only knew about the trip from the media. "His statements, which were carried by the media, do not represent the Iraqi National Congress' point of view," an INC statement said. Entifadh Qanbar, an INC spokesman in London, said relations with Israel would be up to the new Iraqi government. "We also support solving regional conflicts by peaceful and political means," he said. Ten days ago, the Iraqi ambassador in London told Haaretz that there is a powerful lobby in Baghdad pushing for ties with Israel. Sunday, the Arab Web site Illaf published a report saying that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hishiyar Zibai is the most prominent of those pushing for an end to the state of war between Iraq and Israel. But Israeli officials are following American advice and keeping a low profile when it comes to talk of ties with Baghdad. The Israelis realize that raising their profile on the issue could harm the new Iraqi regime's efforts to stabilize the country. According to the Illaf report, quoting Iraqi diplomats in Amman, last week there was a meeting in Amman of senior Iraqis with Israelis. Jordanian government sources said there are contacts between Israelis and Iraqis, though usually it is business people, not government officials. The sources said the Iraqi defense minister also favors a thaw in relations with Israel, but Iraqi President Iyad Alawi is opposed, arguing that the Iraqi government should concentrate on rehabilitating the country. According to al-Alousi, his controversial party boss, Chalabi, did not know about the trip to Israel, which was at the invitation of the conference organizers. He said Chalabi may not have known, but he supports contacts with Israel. It's time to end the secrecy, he said, the truth shall win. He complained that when he undertook to head the de-Baathification of Iraq's government he asked Germany - the only other country that had a similar experience, with denazification - but had not received any cooperation from Berlin, or from any other country, about the best ways to go about the process of keeping officials from the former regime out of the new government. Al-Alousi said he was aware of the risk of coming to Israel - he flew via Turkey - but with so many other threats against him, he was used to daily threats to his life. He said he expects to have a lot of problems from some people, but "faith in the cause is a guarantee I will solve the problems."
