It’s time Israel arms the Kurds and helps to bring about Kurdistan

The author advocates for Israel to arm the Kurdish national liberation movement, framing the Kurds as a "natural ally" with shared adversaries in Iran and Turkey. This strategic partnership, the article suggests, would serve as a countermeasure to the destructive plans orchestrated by these nations through extremist militant and terrorist networks across the Middle East. Unlike conventional proxies, this would be a "real partnership" with a reliable regional ally possessing similar ideological alignments and a willingness to fight.

General Hussein Yazdanpana of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) is quoted as stating that "The national security of Israel and the Kurdish people is closely interconnected." He believes that such support is not only in the interests of the Kurdish nation but also serves Israel's own strategic interests. The article posits that a strategic alliance between Kurdistan and Israel could enable them to stand together against state-sponsored threats and extremist movements, thereby contributing to greater regional stability and security through constructive relations with other nations.

The piece emphasizes a long history of covert cooperation between Israel and the Kurds, dating back to the 1960s. Both peoples have faced similar struggles against Arab, Turkish, and Iranian adversaries in their quests for self-determination. The article notes that both the Kurdish and Jewish people experience demonization and rejectionism from those who oppose their right to exist. With a population of 50 to 60 million, the Kurds' ancestral homeland, Kurdistan, spans parts of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria. The article points to the 2017 Iraqi Kurdish Region independence referendum, where 93% voted for secession, and Israel was the sole country to support the move, which subsequently led to regional media backlash accusing the Kurds of being "Zionist puppets."

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The national security of Israel and the Kurdish people is closely interconnected. Therefore, such support is not only in the interests of the Kurdish nation, but also serves Israel’s own strategic interests.