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Ibrahim Hesqel | |
|---|---|
| Trade Commissioner andCommercial Attaché ofIraq | |
| In office September 15, 1988 – April 09, 2003 | |
| President | Saddam Hussein |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Minister | Muhammad Mahdi Salih |
| Deputy | Tariq Aziz |
| In–charge of mission | |
| In office January 3, 1984 – August 20, 1988 | |
| President | Saddam Hussein |
| Vice President | |
| Advisor in Charge of Investments of Iraq | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 January 1950 (1950-01-03) (age 76) |
| Party | Ba'ath Party |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Ba'athist Iraq(1980–1988) |
| Branch/service |  Iraqi Ground Forces |
| Battles/wars | |
| Alliance | Ba'athist Iraq |
Ibrahim Hesqel (born 3 January 1950) is an Iraqi chemist and diplomat. He served in theMinistry of Trade in thegovernment of PresidentSaddam Hussein until the2003 invasion of Iraq. Ibrahim held roles such asbusiness envoy,commercial attaché andtrade commissioner of Iraq. He was sent as part of numerous trade missions from Iraq by the government, especiallyChina.[1]
A graduate of theUniversity of Basra, Ibrahim was one of the fewJews, who held positions in the Iraqi government, when the majority of theJews emigrated. Ibrahim was an opponent ofIsrael and supportedPalestine. He was also an active member of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews. Ibrahim was sole Jewish to hold such positions in thegovernment of Iraq, which seen as a pride among the remaining Jews of Iraq. He was one of the last prominent Jews of Iraq, during the Ba'ath era and before 2003.
Ibrahim Hesqel was born in 1950 in Basra, Iraq, into an Iraqi Jewish family. His father worked at thePorts Authority in thePort of Basra, contributing to the city's bustling trade industry. Ibrahim spent his childhood in theJewish Quarter of Basra, near the historicTweig Synagogue, which was the largest synagogue of the city.[2]
At that time, Iraq's Jewish community facedpersecution by the Iraqi authorities, due torising tensions in the region.[2] He experiencedriots and violence among Jews and Muslims.[2] It was the time of the Ba'ath Party, whenrepressive policies against Jews were removed.[2] Ibrahim attended the Jewish School of Basra.[2] After completing his primary education, he pursued higher studies and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from theUniversity of Basra in 1973.[2]
After his graduation, Ibrahim joined the workforce as a chemist, working in a factory in Basra.[2] He also helped his father in his businesses.[2][3] His success soon caught the attention of local leaders. Ibrahim's work and reputation within the industry led to his involvement with theBa'ath Party.
During theIran–Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, the government implemented mandatorymilitary service, requiring many young men to serve in the armed forces.[3] This included both regular conscription and additional recruitment drives during the war.[3] Despite being part of the Jewish community, Ibrahim, like many other Iraqi Jews, was drafted to serve in the armed forces.[3] Ibrahim served alongside other prominent Jewish Iraqis, including Emad Levy, who later became Iraq's last rabbi, and Solla Levy, members of a well-known Jewish family in Baghdad that had been prominent in trade.[3] Ibrahim's fluency in global trade practices and his deep understanding of international markets made him a crucial asset to Iraq's diplomatic efforts, particularly as the country sought to strengthen its ties with China, a key trading partner during the Iran-Iraq War.[3]
Ibrahim's diplomatic abilities and professional background were recognized bySaddam Hussein. He was appointed asCommercial Attaché for Iraq, tasked with developing international trade relationships.[3] In 1988, he was sent as a part of delegation on a high-profile trade mission toChina, where Iraq aimed to solidify its economic position amidst the ongoing conflict.[3][4] At that timeChina was one of the biggest exporters of weapons to Iraq.[3][4] Ibrahim's role asTrade Commissioner allowed him to play a central role inIraq's foreign economic strategy, especially in fostering strongertrade ties with China.[3] He had access to key Iraqi officials, such asMuhammad Mahdi Salih, Iraq's Trade Minister, under whom Ibrahim worked.[3][4] Ibrahim issued trade agreements between China and Iraq and promotedexport trade programs on behalf of the government. Hesqel worked under the authority of Iraqi ambassador to China at the Iraqi Embassy in China.
Before that, Ibrahim also held post ofConseiller chargé des investissements, where he worked under the trade commissioner.
However, followingIraq's invasion ofKuwait in 1990 and the subsequentGulf War, Iraq's international relations drastically shifted.[5][6] As a result,China condemned the invasion and severed trade relations with Iraq in alignment with theUN sanctions.[6] Even amid these challenges, Ibrahim's role remained significant.[6][7] He navigated the complexities of Iraq's diplomatic isolation, particularly during theOil-for-Food Program, which permitted Iraq to export oil in exchange for humanitarian aid underUN supervision. Ibrahim was instrumental in facilitating Iraq's resumption of some trade under this framework.[7]
In the aftermath of the Gulf War and Iraq's deteriorating international standing, Ibrahim was forced to navigate complex diplomatic waters.[7] While trade with many countries was suspended, Iraq's relationship with China gradually resumed under the Oil-for-Food framework, and Ibrahim worked tirelessly to restore these connections in the face of global isolation.[3]Naim Dangoor, an Iraqi Jewish businessmen residing in the United Kingdom, donated a large amount of money to Iraqis living under sanctions and Ibrahim may have facilitated the flow of humanitarian aid from him.
Ibrahim was one of the most prominent Jewish figures in Iraq. His works were highly acclaimed and satisfied by the Jewish society of Iraq and were also reported in Jewish magazine "The Scribe". Ibrahim worked for the government and was loyal to it. Several statements made by Jewish leaders of Iraq were followed by him:
President Saddam Hussein is our leader. May God grant him victory. May God defeat the enemy of Iraq.
— Ibrahim Hesqel, 1990
Ibrahim condemned the 1998 shooting incident at the headquarters of the Jewish community in Baghdad.[8] He also stated that Jews were treated well and protected by the government.[8] Ibrahim was an opponent of Israel and supported Palestine, the main foreign policy of Iraq in regard toIsrael–Palestine conflict.[8] Naji Salman Salih said, in a follow-up statement that Israel is theenemy of Arab countries and if there is a war between Israel and Iraq, the Jews will support Iraq.[9] He also said in 1981, whenIsrael destroyed the nuclear reactor of Iraq in Osirak, which was built for peaceful purposes, Jews didn't face any problems in Iraq.[9]
In March 2003, theUnited States-ledcoalition forcesinvaded and occupied Iraq, overthrowing Saddam's regime.[10] As a result of theorder by theCoalition Provisional Authority, Ibrahim lost his job and was expelled from the government.[10] Though his name was on the list of most-wanted Iraqis, nevertheless, Ibrahim was fear of getting attacked, due to rising sectarian and communal tensions in Iraq. He was one of the last Jews, who remained in Iraq. Seizing the opportunity, Ibrahim escaped and settled abroad. He also said that:[10]
What is built on falsehood is falsehood. Since 2003, the political process in Iraq has been shaped not by the will of the people but by theAmerican andPersian invaders.[10] This parallels theFascist government installed in France byNazi occupiers duringWorld War II.[10] That regime signed agreements that made France dependent on Germany, with harsh conditions if not fulfilled.[10] WhenCharles De Gaulle became president, he canceled those agreements, recognizing them as invalid under an occupier's rule.[10] Similarly, Iraq and its people had no say in the agreements made by the governments under American and Persian occupation.[10] As Basra, a key economic hub, asserts, any agreements made under these occupations are void and worthless.[10]
China must recognize that much of its global standing is shaped by Jewish Musawi capital, with 80% of it originating from Basrawi Musawi Iraqis, especially Jews from Basra.[10] If China challenges the Jews of Basra in Iraq, Basra is prepared to remind them of the consequences.[10] Basra's history is pivotal to the technologies China now claims, with 60% of the scientists responsible being Jewish Musawi Indians from Basra,Maysan, andNasiriyah.[10] The rest wereEnglish,Scottish, andRussians, while the Chinese mainly executed tasks under a Jewish-driven mentality.[10] China should avoid repeating America's economic humiliation.[10] Theoil and gas in Iraq belong to the Iraqi people, not corrupt figures likeAdel Zawiya, theIranian regime, or American-backed agents.[10] China is warned that future Iraqi political systems will reject agreements imposed by external powers.[10] China's rise was made possible by the contributions of Iraqi Musawis, particularly Basrawis.[10] China should avoid putting its vast population between the Musawis and the destructive grip of the British monarchy.[10]
— Ibrahim Hesqel
Hesqel is married and has fathered six children. He lived in Basra. But being a government official, he had to reside inBaghdad. During the 1980–1988 war between Iran and Iraq, Basra was anactive battleground, which prompted many Jews like Hesqel's family to flee. His family arrived in Baghdad and lived with him at his home in Rusafa. During the war, some of the rockets fired from Iran landed dangerously close to his area of residence. After the end of the war, his family returned to Basra and gained there house. However, after the Gulf War and the 1991 uprisings, his family came to Baghdad.