BAGHDAD: Dozens of Iraqi university students and professors rallied on Thursday at a Baghdad campus in solidarity with Gaza and pro-Palestinian protests across the United States universities, AFP reported.
Iraqi Education Minister Naeem al-Aboudi earlier this week expressed his support for the “free voices in universities” around the world, and called for protests in solidarity with Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The rally, held at Al-Nahrain University, saw participants waving Palestinian and Iraqi flags, with banners calling for a “free Palestine” and some donning the traditional keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of the Palestinian struggle.
Student Aya Kader, 20, emphasized the importance of raising their voices amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. She expressed positivity in witnessing the solidarity displayed at American universities, which served as encouragement for their own demonstration.
Professor Jomaa Salman, head of the engineering faculty, condemned the recent incident at Columbia University and highlighted the significance of global voices speaking out against injustice.
The Iraqi embassy in Washington issued a statement calling for restraint and peaceful expression amid unrest over Israel’s brutalities in Gaza. Iraq’s political stance remains firmly in support of the Palestinian cause, with all political factions in agreement.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with casualties mounting. Since October 7, Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 34,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, health ministry in the besieged Palestinian territory reported.
