Most Israeli’s view Iraqi Kurdish Independence Referendum as Positive

Many different Israeli news sources are posting opinion and analysis pieces about the positive effects of the Iraqi Kurdish Independence referendum set for September 25th. The most commonly cited effect: the increased security of a non-Arab ally in the face of Arab neighbors. The only outlier among them is Ha’aretz which argues the opposite.

Israel’s constant struggle to find allies in its own region is well documented. The Kurdish referendum is seen as an opportunity for Israel to have a fairly strong state ally against Arab neighbors. Kurdistan is also viewed as a substantial road block to an increasing Iranian influence in Iraq. Preventing the strengthening Iranian influence in Iraq is paramount for many Israeli’s.

Israel has had covert military, intelligence and business ties to the Iraqi Kurdish communities since 1960s which have been used as a buffer against Arab adversaries, as Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution points out. Given these ties, Netanyahu’s support of the Kurdish referendum was predictable. In fact, in June 2014, Israel made its intentions to support a Kurdish state clear.

Ha’aretz, an Israeli newspaper seems to be the only negative Israeli voice against the Iraqi Kurdish referendum, stating that an independent Kurdistan could prove detrimentally destabilizing to the region, inevitably leading to Iran and Turkey launching a war against Kurdistan. In this case, the US would have to remove itself as its allies, Israel and Turkey, would almost certainly be in opposition. Ha’aretz is the only source to posit that the Kurd’s would be unable to function as a nation-state citing an inability to sell its oil, government corruption and a weak Peshmerga. However, Ha’aretz is an outlier among the many Israeli outlets that project positivity towards the Kurdish referendum.

The Israeli decision to support the referendum is a strategically savvy move. The Kurds tend to value the honor bestowed by international recognition of any sort and will likely be even more amenable to supporting Israel against the possibility of Arab or Persian aggression. The Kurds also have strategic motives for lobbying the support of Israel. They see Israel as the direct conduit to United States approval. If the United States expressed its approval for the referendum the Kurds would feel much more secure in the knowledge that the rest of the world would follow.

Sources:
 Haaretz, “Israeli Minister: Independent Kurdistan Would Benefit Israel and the West,” Haaretz, September 11, 2017, http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.811697;
Manish Rai, “Independent Kurdistan Won’t Be Against Interest of Its Neighbours: Kurdistan FM,” The Times of Israel, accessed September 17, 2017, http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/independent-kurdistan-wont-be-against-interest-of-its-neighbours-kurdistan-fm/;
Manish Rai, “Kurdistan Will Be a Success,” The Times of Israel, accessed September 17, 2017, http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/kurdistan-will-be-a-success/;
“Netanyahu Endorses Kurdish Independence - Hamodia Jewish and Israel News,” Hamodia, September 13, 2017, http://hamodia.com/2017/09/13/netanyahu-endorses-kurdish-independence/;
“The Strategic Case for Kurdistan - Opinion - Jerusalem Post,” accessed September 17, 2017, http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-strategic-case-for-Kurdistan-503922.
“Israel Should Support the Kurdish Independence Referendum - Israel National News,” accessed September 17, 2017, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/20680.
“Netanyahu Finally Supports a Two-State Solution — In Iraq,” Foreign Policy, accessed September 17, 2017, https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/09/13/netanyahu-finally-supports-a-two-state-solution-in-iraq/;
“Israeli Ready to Recognize Kurdish State - Hamodia Jewish and Israel News,” Hamodia, June 26, 2014, http://hamodia.com/2014/06/26/israeli-ready-recognize-kurdish-state/. Anshel Pfeffer,
“Kurdistan Independence: One Day in September Could Wreak Havoc in the Middle East,” Haaretz, August 28, 2017, http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iraq/1.808730.
 “Kurds Enlisting Israel in Independence Drive - Hamodia Jewish and Israel News,” Hamodia, August 16, 2017, http://hamodia.com/2017/08/16/kurds-enlisting-israel-independence-drive/.