From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Images show Iraqi Kurdish diplomat at reception held by Israeli envoy to Germany
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Images emerge of Dilshad Barzani, the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq’s representative in Germany, at a Nowruz event hosted last Thursday by Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor at his Berlin residence.
Barzani is the son of legendary Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani, who enjoyed close ties with Israel during his revolts against the central Iraqi government. Dilshad’s brother Masoud — president of Iraqi Kurdistan until 2017 — leads the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party in Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region. His nephew Nechirvan is Kurdistan’s current president.
Since 2022, Iraq has had a law on the books criminalizing normalization of ties and any relations, including business ties, with Israel. The legislation says that violation of the law is punishable with a death sentence or life imprisonment.
Last week’s event was also attended by Reiner Haseloff, minister president of the German state Saxony-Anhalt, senior Kurdish leader in Germany Ali Ertan Toprak, and other senior German politicians.
The Times of Israel Community.