October 5, 2002

The Iraq - Palestine Connection

[Bethlehem, West Bank] A lot of people have asked me about the Iraq Palestine connection. I didn't know a whole lot about it, so I asked a close friend for more information. Ra'ed is a Palestinian Christian who lives in the Bethlehem area. From 1994 to 1998 he lived in Musol and attended college in northern Iraq. He shared a lot with me about the relationship between Iraq and Palestine.

The following is a summary of several conversations I had with Ra'ed over the last week.

Ra'ed says that Iraq, like other Arab states, takes the side of the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel. When they invaded Kuwait to set off the Persian Gulf War, they offered to withdraw if the Israelis withdrew from the Palestinian Territories. When Iraq launched Scud missiles on Israel, they became more obvious supporters of the Palestinian struggle. Iraq also supports Palestinian families that have suffered casualties during the intifada. They provide a significant amount of American dollars to the families of victims.

Iraq offers free university education to Palestinians living both in and out of the Palestinian Territories. Ra'ed says that each year no fewer than 300 students are given scholarships to study in the field of their choice including medicine, engineering, science, chemistry, mathematics, etc. The government of Iraq covers tuition and books, but living expenses must be covered by the student. The students are bright, competition is stiff, and the education received is high quality. (I'll offer here that Ra'ed is one of the best students I've had in my Internet/Web Design course.)

I asked what Iraq receives in return for the free education, and Ra'ed said that the government often offers an invitation to join their political party, but nothing more. There is no pressure or requirement to join, and Ra'ed decided not to.

Ra'ed says the Iraqis are the most generous among Arabs. He found the people easygoing and quite friendly, even in adverse conditions. However, due to their poor living conditions, most Iraqis are unhappy. A few wealthy Iraqis exist, though most of the population remains destitute. Salaries are extremely low in Iraq. The highest ranking university professor positions pay only about $8/month. (For comparison, 30 eggs cost $1.) While living there, he did not see starving babies, but he heard sad stories about children going without food. Ra'ed also noted the lack of medicine and medical supplies, even in major government hospitals.

Politics are not openly discussed in Iraq, since citizens are afraid to be critical of the government. Ra'ed was unsure if the people strongly supported Saddam Hussein, but he was certain that people would put up an intense fight to defend Hussein if there is a war. All Iraqis in the country are given mandatory military training.

Ra'ed actually lived near the Kurdish north, which is not controlled by the Iraqi government. He said that Kurds freely entered other parts of the country as workers. Ra'ed told me that the US supported some political groups in the Kurdish north that were opposed to the Hussein regime. (When US Government spokespersons suggest that Saddam Hussein bombs his own people, this is the area they are mentioning. )

While enjoying his stay with Iraqis, Ra'ed likes Palestine. He says, "Of course I would rather live in Palestine. It's my home!"