Iraq–Israel relations

Bilateral relations Iraq and Israel do not have any formal diplomatic relations as the former does not recognize the latter. Iraq declared war on the newly established Jewish state in 1948 and since then the relations between the two states have remained hostile at best. Iraqi forces also participated in the subsequent wars against Israel in 1967 and 1973. In 1981, Israel bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor under construction at Al Tuwaitha, southeast of Baghdad , claiming a threat to national security. During the Persian Gulf War , Iraq fired 39 modified Scud ballistic missiles at Israel despite there being no aggression from Israel at the time. Israel, under pressure from the United States, never retaliated.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Israel Bilateral relations Iraq does not recognize Israel and consequently the two countries do not have any formal diplomatic relations. Iraq declared war on the newly established Jewish state in 1948 and since then the two countries have technically been in a state of war. Iraqi forces participated in wars against Israel in 1967 and 1973. In 1981, Israel, claiming a threat to its national security, bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor under construction at Al Tuwaitha, southeast of Baghdad , to which Iraq did not respond. During the Persian Gulf War (1990-91), Iraq fired 42 modified Scud ballistic missiles at Israel, to which Israel did not respond militarily, because of pressure from the United States not to retaliate. Iraq continues to be a strong supporter of the Arab League boycott of Israel . Iraqi passports are invalid for travel to Israel and Israeli passports are invalid for entry into Iraq. Under Israeli law, Iraq and a number of other Arab and Muslim countries are designated "enemy states" which an Israeli citizen may not visit without a special permit issued by the Israeli Interior Ministry .

Bilateral relations Iraq–Israel relations refer to the bilateral ties between the State of Israel and the Republic of Iraq . Due to Iraq's non-recognition of Israel as a legitimate state since the latter's establishment in 1948 , the two countries have not had any formal diplomatic relations. The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was a part of the Arab coalition that declared war on and invaded Israel shortly after its establishment, sparking the First–Arab Israeli War , and the two states have since then been in a continuous state of hostilities. Iraqi forces also participated in the Third Arab–Israeli War and the Fourth Arab–Israeli War in 1967 and 1973, respectively. In 1981, Israel carried out Operation Opera in Ba'athist Iraq , in which the Israeli Air Force bombed and successfully destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor that was under construction at the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Centre near Baghdad ; the reactor had been attacked and partially damaged by Iran during its Operation Scorch Sword , which had been carried out a year prior to the Israeli strike amidst the Iran–Iraq War . During the 1990–1991 Gulf War , Iraq carried out a missile campaign against Israel , in which it launched 42 modified Scud missiles (designated Al-Hussein ) at Israeli cities with the strategic objective of provoking Israel into launching retaliatory attacks and potentially jeopardizing the multinational coalition formed by the United States against Iraq, which had full backing and extensive contributions from other Muslim-majority states ; Israel did not respond to the Iraqi missile attacks due to American pressure, and Iraq failed to gather support for its occupation of Kuwait . The post-2003 Republic of Iraq continues to be a strong supporter of the Arab League boycott of Israel . All Iraqi passports are invalid for travel to Israel and Israeli passports are likewise invalid for entry into Iraq. Alongside a number of other Arab and Muslim-majority countries, Iraq is designated as a hostile state under Israeli law, and Israeli citizens may not visit the country without a special permit issued by the Israeli Interior Ministry . Yoram Dinstein, War, Aggression and Self-Defence , 3rd ed.

Bilateral relations Iraq–Israel relations refer to the bilateral ties between the State of Israel and the Republic of Iraq . Due to Iraq's non-recognition of Israel as a legitimate state since the latter's establishment in 1948 , the two countries have not had any formal diplomatic relations. The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was a part of the Arab coalition that declared war on and invaded Israel shortly after its establishment, sparking the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , and the two states have since then been in a continuous state of hostilities. Iraqi forces also participated in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War in 1967 and 1973, respectively. In 1981, Israel carried out Operation Opera in Ba'athist Iraq , in which the Israeli Air Force bombed and successfully destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor that was under construction at the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Centre near Baghdad ; the reactor had been attacked and partially damaged by Iran during its Operation Scorch Sword , which had been carried out a year prior to the Israeli strike amidst the Iran–Iraq War . During the 1990–1991 Gulf War , Iraq carried out a missile campaign against Israel , in which it launched 42 modified Scud missiles (designated Al-Hussein ) at Israeli cities with the strategic objective of provoking Israel into launching retaliatory attacks and potentially jeopardizing the multinational coalition formed by the United States against Iraq, which had full backing and extensive contributions from other Muslim-majority states ; Israel did not respond to the Iraqi missile attacks due to American pressure, and Iraq failed to gather support for its occupation of Kuwait . The post-2003 Republic of Iraq continues to be a strong supporter of the Arab League boycott of Israel . All Iraqi passports are invalid for travel to Israel and Israeli passports are likewise invalid for entry into Iraq. Alongside a number of other Arab and Muslim-majority countries, Iraq is designated as a hostile state under Israeli law, and Israeli citizens may not visit the country without a special permit issued by the Israeli Interior Ministry . Yoram Dinstein, War, Aggression and Self-Defence , 3rd ed.