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Surprising Ties Between Israel and the Kurds by Ofra Bengio

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Surprising Ties Between Israel and the Kurds by Ofra Bengio Surprising Ties between Israel and the Kurds by Ofra Bengio n 1966, Iraqi defense minister Abd al-Aziz al-Uqayli blamed the Kurds of Iraq for Iseeking to establish “a second Israel” in the Middle East. He also claimed that “the West and the East are supporting the rebels to create [khalq] a new Israeli state in the north of the homeland as they had done in 1948 when they created Israel. It is as if history is repeating itself.”1 An Arab commentator had warned earlier that if such a thing should happen, “the Arabs will face within two decades their second nakba [catastrophe] after Palestine.”2 These contentions speak volumes regarding Iraq’s threat perceptions of the Kurds more than four decades after the establishment of the Iraqi state. They also conceptualize Israel as the ultimate evil in the Kurdish Jews arrive in Israel. Following region. Such accusations are echoed today by the establishment of the state of Israel, some Arab media, which claim that Kurdistan Kurdish feelings toward the Jews were is following in the footsteps of “Yahudistan” transformed into a certain admiration and the urge to imitate Jewish success in the 3 (“Land of the Jews”). Seen from the Kurdish new state. Relations were characterized by and Israeli perspectives, these linkages and mutual trust that became an important asset for ties in modern times. In turn, parallels are intended to demonize and Kurdish Jews who migrated to Israel in the delegitimize both while also implying 1940s and early 1950s became excellent illegitimate relations between them. The ambassadors for the Kurds of Iraq, publicizing and pleading their cause intriguing questions are therefore what kind of among the Israeli public. relations exist between Israel and the Kurds? 1 Mahmud al-Durra, al-Qadiya al-Kurdiya (Beirut: Manshurat Dar-at-Tali`a, 1966), p. 388. 2 Ibid., p. 387. 3 Kurdroj website, July 3, 2008. MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY Summer 2014 Bengio / 1 Do the Kurds look at Israel as a model? And then gave the birth to the Kurdish nation.5 what are the regional implications of such Whatever the case, similarities have brought relations? about certain affinities between the two peoples. Historically speaking, the treatment People to People Relations of Jews in Kurdistan was a mixture of Relations between Israel and the tolerance toward Jewish religious rites and Kurds have been complex. To unravel them, economic freedom along with persecution it is necessary to differentiate between and even some rare pogroms.6 In earlier several aspects: people to people versus times, the Kurdish perception of the Jews official relations; relations between the Kurds was one of inferiority compared to the of Iraq and those of Turkey; and between Christians, let alone to the Muslims. secret and open relations. However, following the establishment of the A comparison between Jews and state of Israel, such feelings were Kurds shows many similarities. Both are transformed into a certain admiration and the relatively small nations (15 million Jews urge to imitate Jewish success in Palestine. and 30 million Kurds), traumatized by At the same time, relations were also persecutions and wars. Both have been characterized by mutual trust that became an leading life and death struggles to preserve important asset for ties in modern times.7 their unique identity, and both have been In turn, Kurdish Jews who migrated delegitimized and denied the right to a state to Israel in the 1940s and early 1950s became of their own. In addition, both are ethnically excellent ambassadors for the Kurds of Iraq, different from neighboring Arabs, Persians, publicizing and pleading their cause among and Turks, who represent the majority in the the Israeli public. For example, following the Middle East. Interestingly, recent research crushing by Saddam Hussein of the 1991 has shown that genetic connections between Kurdish uprising, the Kurdish community in Jews and Kurds are more pronounced than Israel, estimated then at 100,000, organized a those between Jews and Arabs.4 This echoes massive relief operation for the Iraqi Kurds. the famous legend about the origins of the They also staged demonstrations in front of Kurds. In this telling, King Solomon, who Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and called on ruled over the supernatural world, called his the U.S. government to protect the Kurds angelic servants and ordered them to fly to Europe and bring him five hundred beautiful women. When his servants returned, they learned that the king had passed away, but 5 they retained the women for themselves, who Zorab Aloian, “The Kurds in Ottoman Hungary,” Transoxiana: Journal Libre de Estudios Orientales (Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires), Dec. 9, 2004. 6 Mordechai Zaken, Jewish Subjects and Their Tribal Chieftains in Kurdistan: A Study in Survival (Leiden: Brill, 2007), pp. 9-17. 4 Ariella Oppenheim, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, quoted in Sargis Mamikonian, “Israel 7 Ibid., pp. 338-43; Lazer Berman, “The World’s and the Kurds,” Iran and the Caucasus, 2005, Oldest Kurd: A Beloved Rabbi in the Heart of no. 2, p. 381. the Holy City,” Serbesti, Feb. 10, 2014. MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY Summer 2014 Bengio / 2 from Saddam.8 In fact, during a meeting with Similarly, WKI established community- U.S. secretary of state James Baker, Shamir based health education and social service urged the administration to defend the delivery programs operated by women in Kurds.9 Shortly afterward, an Israeli-Kurdish isolated rural areas.12 friendship league was established in Affinity and mutual trust are reflected Jerusalem with the aim of fostering ties in the realms of literature and art as well. For between Israel, Jews, and Kurds example, in the novel Aida by the Israeli worldwide.10 Israel’s Kurdish Jews provided novelist Sami Michael, the hero is a Kurdish a bridge to other Israelis in the early 1990s woman who finds refuge from the horrors of when they initiated moves with the Kurdish Saddam’s regime in the house of one of Regional Government (KRG), facilitated by Baghdad’s last Jews.13 The documentary film their common language and cultural Forget Baghdad, released in Israel in 2003, background. Generally speaking, the KRG illustrates the strong nostalgic feelings of felt easier developing ties through the Israeli Kurds for Kurdistan.14 The same Kurdish Jews of Israel since it could claim it nostalgia is illustrated in a book by Ariel was dealing with Iraqi citizens. Sabar, which tells the story of his father, On another level, from the 1990s well-known linguist Yona Sabar. The elder on, the American Israel Public Affairs Sabar was born in Zakho, left at an early age, Committee (AIPAC), then headed by Morris but has fond feelings towards Kurdistan.15 Amitay, maintained relations with Kurdish On the Kurdish side, in 2009, the officials since “pro-Israel Jewish activists Israel-Kurd magazine, published by Dawud viewed support for the Kurds, a small nation Baghestani, appeared in the KRG to foster struggling for self-determination in a hostile rapprochement between the two peoples.16 Arab neighborhood, as helping Israel reach Even though it lasted only a short time, the out to a natural ally.”11 Amitay’s son, Mike very fact that the magazine was allowed to Amitay, also served as executive director of circulate freely was a sign of a tolerance the Washington Kurdish Institute (WKI) toward Israel and Jews. At one point, a group from 1996 to 2005. The WKI he helped of Kurdish students at the University establish addressed a wide range of issues of Kurdistan called for the establishment affecting Kurdish communities in Turkey, of relations between Israel and Iraqi Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Under Amitay’s Kurdistan.17 Similarly, the Kurds have no direction, WKI and its partners initiated humanitarian medical and research programs 12 “Mike Amitay: Senior Policy Analyst,” in Iraqi Kurdistan to address long-term health Washington Kurdish Institute, accessed Dec. 30, effects of exposure to chemical weapons. 2013. 13 Sami Michael, Aida (Tel Aviv: Kinneret Zmora Bitan, 2008). 8 Mamikonian, “Israel and the Kurds,” p. 398. 14 Mamikonian, “Israel and the Kurds,” p. 389. 9 Jaques Neriah, “Kurdistan: The Next Flashpoint 15 between Turkey, Iraq, and the Syrian Revolt,” Ariel Sabar, My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Aug. 5, for His Family’s Past (New York: Algonquin 2012. Books of Chapel Hill, 2008). 16 10 Israeli-Kurdish Friendship League, Jerusalem, Agence France-Presse, Aug. 11, 2009. accessed Mar. 31, 2014. 17 United with Israel, Bet Shemesh, accessed Mar. 31, 11 The Forward (New York), Apr. 18, 2012. 2014. MIDDLE EAST QUARTERLY Summer 2014 Bengio / 3 qualms in inviting Israelis and Jews to vis the other; only ad hoc policies according Kurdish conferences in the KRG or to changing circumstances have been elsewhere, or to translate their books into initiated. Second, the subject is extremely Kurdish. For example, Natan Sharansky, sensitive for both: Kurds are apprehensive of former Russian dissident and later head of the reaction of the Iraqi government and the Jewish Agency, was a guest speaker at fellow Iraqi citizens who might label them as the Third Kurdish World Congress held in traitors while Israel is cautious not to October 2013 in Stockholm. Jews were also embarrass them or to appear to be inciting invited to participate in a conference on Kurds against the Iraqi government. minorities held in the KRG at the end of Practically speaking, both parties have been 2013.18 Similarly, many Israeli Jews of reluctant to admit the existence of any kind Kurdish and non-Kurdish origin have of relations. Third, there is a big difference frequented the region since the 1990s. between Israel’s relationship with the Kurdish leadership in Iraq and that in Turkey.
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