Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqi insurgents to attack U.S. troops in Iraq over Washington's support to Israeli war against Gaza, a statement of Sadr office said.
"I call for the honest Iraqi resistance to conduct reprisal attacks against the United States, the biggest partner of the Zionist enemy," Sadr said in a statement issued by his office and obtained by Xinhua on Thursday.
Sadr also called for "all countries which host Israeli embassies to close down those missions immediately in order to lift immunity from those sources of terrorism on the territories of the Arab and Islamic countries."
However, it is unclear whether Sadr, who believed to be in Iran, has enough influence among his followers who were under fierce attacks by U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces over the past year.
Given that one of the reasons of U.S.-led invasion to Iraq was to protect Israel from Saddam regime, Gaza war has provoked outrageous reactions among Iraqis, raising questions about relations between Iraq and Israel as the two remain at war practically.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on Arab and Muslim nations to "abolish diplomatic relations" with Israel over the Israeli offensive on Gaza Strip.
He also called for "halting all public and clandestine relations with this criminal regime."
The anti-U.S. cleric led two uprisings against U.S. troops in Iraq and has been a staunch opponent to the presence of foreign forces in the war-torn country.
Source: Xinhua
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