Iraq upset Hamas deemed Zarqawi ‘martyr’

From a June 12 report in Al-mada, an Arabic-language newspaper in Iraq: The [Iraqi] Foreign Ministry summoned the Palestinian consul in Baghdad Mr. Daleel al-Qassos yesterday morning, informing him of their resentment and the Iraqi government's surprise by the statement issued by the Hamas defending al-Zarqawi as a martyr at a time when the world ...

From a June 12 report in Al-mada, an Arabic-language newspaper in Iraq:

From a June 12 report in Al-mada, an Arabic-language newspaper in Iraq:

The [Iraqi] Foreign Ministry summoned the Palestinian consul in Baghdad Mr. Daleel al-Qassos yesterday morning, informing him of their resentment and the Iraqi government's surprise by the statement issued by the Hamas defending al-Zarqawi as a martyr at a time when the world knows the crimes he perpetrated.

According to a statement by the [Iraqi] Foreign Ministry yesterday, Under-Secretary Lipid Obadi announced that he would ask for clarification of the Hamas position of this statement. Otherwise, the Iraqi government will consider carefully their positions towards the Palestinian government.

This action's real effect on Iraqi government policy toward Palestine might be minimal, but it could end up being another piece of ammunition in Mahmoud Abbas's attempt to reassert Fatah control of the PA. Here is a report on Hamas's controversial post-Zarqawi statement.

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