You didn’t see this 5 years ago…
President of Iraq Jalal Talabani, left, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, right, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, center, speak during the 23rd congress of the Socialist International at the Lagonissi Grand Resort, about 40 kilometers (25miles) south of Athens on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. (Yahoo-AP)
Iraqi President Talabani’s handshake with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has captured the attention of the Arab press.
Aswat Al-Iraq reported:
Arab newspapers gave prominence in their Thursday issues to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani’s handshake with Israeli Labor Party Leader Ehud Barak last Monday on the sidelines of Socialist International conference held in the Greek capital, Athens.
The impendent Kuwaiti Awan newspaper published an article by Adnan Hussein, an Iraqi writer, in which he said: “Had I been an adviser to Iraqi President Jalal al-Talabani, I would not have recommended issuing a statement to justify his handshake with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.”
In an article entitled, ‘Talabani-Barak handshake,’ the author said that Arab presidents’ handshakes with Israeli leaders is no longer an issue.
“Arab presidents and kings hold talks, sign agreements and pacts, and entertain Israeli leaders in the countries…Nearly 10 former and current Arab presidents and kings, shook hands with current and former Israeli leaders. Some of them have even done so at times of war with Israel…,” the author wrote.
Hussein believes that there is “nothing wrong” with the Iraqi president’s behavior. “Iraq is not at war with Israel. Therefore, there is no reason that prevents handshake,” he added.
On Tuesday, the Iraqi president said that his handshake with Barak was in his capacity as leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party and vice president of Socialist International.
And, just think- A little over five years ago Saddam was actively funding the Palestinian terrorists.
Today Iraq is an open democracy.
Now, that’s change.