The controversy surrounding the term “normalization”… Sako: I’m ready for execution… I’m under political attack
The controversy surrounding the term “normalization”… Sako: I’m ready for execution… I’m under political attack
2025-12-28 08:02
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The head of the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate in Iraq and the world, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, reiterated on Sunday that he did not intend to “normalize relations with Israel” in his speech last Wednesday during the Christmas Mass in the capital, Baghdad, noting that he is ready “to be tried and executed if that would save Iraq,” as he put it.
Sako said in a statement seen by Shafaq News Agency: “In response to the fierce campaign launched against me, which was fabricated by a certain political entity for well-known purposes, I would like to say that I have never addressed political normalization with the Israeli entity and I have always been against this trend.”
He explained, “I only referred to a clear expression that exists in the constitution, which is the normalization of relations with Iraq and for the sake of Iraq, because it is the land of Abraham, civilizations, religious and tourist sites, so that it may be another resource besides oil.”
He added, “I am pained by most of those who reacted without reading, analyzing, or understanding, but rather reacting emotionally and violently.”
He pointed out that “this party fabricated audio leaks claiming that I visited Israel, even though I never visited Israel. This party, or other parties, are accustomed to fabricating things, just as they fabricated audio leaks against the Prime Minister and others.”
He continued, “I want to say that if they intend to try or execute me in order to save Iraq, I am ready and I will not be afraid of them or anything else. Long live Iraq.”
Recently, a wide controversy arose over Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako’s use of the term “normalization” during Christmas Mass in Baghdad.
Following this, the Chaldean Patriarchate clarified that what was meant was “normalization with Iraq” as a country of civilizations and religions, and not with any other country, in reference to Israel.
The clarification came after a response from outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who rejected the term and linked it to an occupying entity, while the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, called for holding accountable those who promote normalization.
Last Thursday, the Patriarchate’s media office issued a clarification regarding an audio leak circulating on some websites and pages claiming that the head of the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate in Iraq and the world, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, had visited Israel.
shafaq.com
