Since the morning of Saturday, October 7th, coinciding with the start of the "Flood of Al-Aqsa" operation launched by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, against Israel, Iraq announced its support for the Palestinian rights and its endorsement of the operation, in addition to condemning the massacres committed by the Israeli entity against civilians in Gaza. The official stance of the Iraqi government was accompanied by that of various Iraqi armed factions, which carried out over 20 attacks using drones and rockets on bases housing Americans in Baghdad, Erbil, and Ain al-Asad in Anbar, with attacks also expanding into Syria.
Following the Iraqi government's position, popular campaigns emerged to support the people of Gaza, who have faced what resembles a war of extermination at the hands of the Israeli entity. Donation and aid campaigns launched in several Iraqi regions, alongside efforts to boycott products made in Israel and even the United States, which has openly stated its support for Israel in its war against the Palestinians.
According to existing Iraqi law, "the importation of any Israeli goods is prohibited," and the law mandates their confiscation, with those involved in their importation being referred to judicial prosecution, where penalties can reach up to 15 years in prison. On May 26th of last year, the Iraqi Parliament voted in favor of a proposed law to criminalize normalization with Israel amidst a celebratory atmosphere, during which the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, called on his supporters to take to the streets in celebration of the vote.
Under the "Prohibition of Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity" law, Iraq prohibits dealings with companies and institutions that have relations with the Zionist entity or that support it. In response to the Palestinian issue, particularly after the events in Gaza that began on October 7th, various Iraqi institutions, activists, and citizens launched campaigns to boycott Israeli products entering Iraq from other countries such as Jordan and Turkey.
Islamic organizations and bodies, including the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq, called for the boycott of products from companies supporting the occupying Zionist entity, emphasizing that this choice represents one of the means of jihad. A statement from the Association of Muslim Scholars urged scholarly and institutional bodies to "mobilize the nation to adopt a boycott of products from companies supporting the Zionist entity to harm the interests of the aggressors until they cease their aggression" and called on media outlets and social media influencers to adopt and coordinate efforts for the popular boycott campaign across all Islamic countries.
The association called on "Muslim peoples to take a firm stand in defense of their Muslim brothers in Gaza and Palestine by boycotting products that support the enemy, to prevent further aggression and contempt for Muslims." Thousands of Iraqis posted on their social media accounts urging the boycott of Israeli products, emphasizing that this boycott serves as a crucial means to pressure manufacturing companies to stop supporting Israel, which is conducting military operations and airstrikes that have resulted in the deaths of over ten thousand Palestinians in the past month.
Hussein Al-Rubaie wrote on his Facebook account, alongside a picture: "These companies support the criminal, occupying entity... Their products are available in Iraq, some even bearing the label: Made in Iraq. Buying these products contributes to the killing of children, women, and the elderly, the destruction of homes, the demolition of hospitals, and cutting off water from Gaza... Do not commit this crime... Do not buy their goods, contribute to raising awareness and expanding the boycott, may Allah reward you and be pleased with you."
