The Conversation – ELNET UK Speaks to Mithal Al Alusi

Mithal al Alusi is an Iraqi politician who has been a prominent figure in the country’s political landscape for many years. He was born on January 28, 1954, in the town of Fallujah, in the western province of Anbar, Iraq.

Al Alusi began his political career in the 1970s, when he joined the Baath Party, the ruling party in Iraq at the time. He served in various government positions throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including as a member of the National Assembly and the governor of Anbar province.

However, Al Alusi’s political views began to diverge from those of the ruling party, and he was eventually forced out of the Baath Party. He went into exile in Germany in 2000, where he continued to advocate for political change in Iraq.

After the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, Al Alusi returned to Iraq and became a vocal critic of the country’s political establishment. He founded the Democratic Party of the Iraqi Nation, a secular political party that advocates for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Despite facing significant opposition from powerful political factions in Iraq, Al Alusi has continued to be a vocal advocate for reform and has been involved in numerous political campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting democracy and human rights in the country. He has also faced threats to his safety and has been the target of assassination attempts.

In 2004, Al Alusi made a highly publicised visit to Israel to attend a counter-terrorism conference, becoming the first Iraqi politician to visit Israel publicly in over 50 years.

Al Alusi’s visit to Israel was met with widespread condemnation in Iraq, with many accusing him of betraying the country and its people. Al Alusi defended his visit, stating that he believed in building bridges between different cultures and promoting peace and security in the region.

Despite facing significant opposition and threats to his safety, Al Alusi has continued to advocate for normalisation with Israel, arguing that such a move would benefit Iraq and the wider region. He has called for an end to the boycott of Israel and has urged other Arab countries to follow the example of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which normalised their relations with Israel in 2020.

Al Alusi’s support for normalisation with Israel has made him a controversial figure in Iraq and has put him at odds with many of the country’s political and religious leaders. However, he has remained steadfast in his beliefs and continues to advocate for greater dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Israel.

Al Alusi has been recognized internationally for his advocacy work, receiving awards such as the Democracy Courage Tribute from the National Endowment for Democracy in the United States in 2011, and the prestigious Jan Karski award by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in 2019.

“Mithal al-Alusi has demonstrated, in word and deed, profound personal courage in seeking to achieve his vision of a genuine breakthrough in relations between Arab nations and Israel, as well as democratisation of his country and re-engagement with Iraqi Jews who fled abroad,” said AJC Incoming President Harriet Schleifer, at the time.

Throughout his career, Al Alusi has been a passionate advocate for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Iraq. Despite facing significant opposition and threats to his safety, he has remained committed to promoting political change and has become a respected figure in the country’s political landscape.