To my understanding, Israel has had a good 'under the radar' relationship with the Kurds for a long time. I am almost certain the relationship will be more formalized with the establishment of a Kurdish state in current day Northern Iraq. Give it a few years, you'll see. There is just no strong central govt to unify Iraqis and things will break down after the US leaves along ethnic and religious lines. And the ones who stand to benefit the most in this are the Kurds who actually have all thei sh-t together already and have a functioning govt. and a peshmerga army which is exceptionally professional. I welcome the Kurds who will someday be free.

No matter whether the government is officially involved in those activities, it remains an very very good initiative. Establishing good relationships with kurds which obviously are a responsible and decent people (unlike close neighbors...) will not only pay off but is also the way to go on the issue of realpolitik. Dealing with kurds over the head of Turkey (or even the USA) is definitely NOT realpolitik, it's helping a good people taking hold of its future and who deserve more than federalism. A bit of idealism in the israeli policies is good, it shows that not all move are dictated by the struggle to exist that occupies too much the spirit of Israel.

I met a few at University and they told me Jews and Kurds are close. I was not aware of any relationships but upon further reading i understand that when Iraq made it difficult for Jews of Iraqi origin to make aliyah to Israel the Iraqi Kurds helped them escape! Thanks to them they saved many Iraqi Jewish lives! Kol Hacavod for supporting a people who've been oppressed by Saddam and by all the other despots in the middle east! They truly are good people! They're not the ones blowing themselves up in Iraq and killing other Iraqis!

A new study by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem reveals: the Kurds are the people closest to the Jews genetically. Scientists who carried out the study, including Prof. Ariella Friedman and Dr. Marina Fireman, say that according to the findings, the Jews and the Kurds share common ancient forefathers, who lived in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent (a part of contemporary Iraq and Syria). Some moved southward in pre-historic times and settled along the eastern seaboard of the Mediterranean. The researchers say that they were surprised to find that the Jews were closer genetically to the Kurds (and to the Turks) than to their Arab neighbors.

Kurds! But regardless, I think the establishment of a Kurdish State in Northern Iraq highly unlikely especially that it would be against the will of many nations such as Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran who all have a Kurdish population in them! And please if you help anyone next time, keep it off the records that is of course if you do not mean to hurt those you are helping!

Nothing of that kind was ever made ( and is not made) without the full knowledge ( and blessing) of some Israeli key players IN Israel. Obviously the Israeli government is not "aware" of these moves but it is also fine with me. It demonstrate clearly the business abilities and an interesting political sense. Kurds know very well what official terror is...and I am convinced that they do feel good about aricultural experts coming into Kurdistan ESPECIALLY through the Turkish border !!! BUT let's not take readers for complete idiots.....there are at least 4 MK who know about this initiative....!!!! Guess who ? God bless them for facilitating this move anyway !

Ahlan Wa Sahllan, Why not a kurdish state ? It might be better for all . Kurds getting their own nation, foes getting rid of them (!!!) with a little push from UN, I believe it is feasible. Some other nations have done the same in the past you know ? ( smile !!)

And please lets not forget how the Kurds subject the indigenous Assyrian people to daily harrasement, discrimination and violence. During the Turkish genocide against the Armenians AND Assyrians(most people forget this point in history), Kurdish militias allied themselves with the Turks and carried out numerous atrocities, massacres, rape, looting, against Assyrians. Even today in the so-called "Kurdistan" which is the original homeland of the Assyrian nation(who exist to this very day and speak an ancient form of Aramaic) and who pre-date the Muslim Arabs and Kurds in the region, Assyrians continue to suffer from public international neglect and ignorance. Its quite ironic that the Kurds who have indeed suffered and continue to suffer from persecution under Arabs and Turks, they in turn victimize the Assyrians of Northeren Iraq. During the regional elections in North Iraq, Kurdish militias surrounded Assyrian villages and towns and prevented any Assyrians from leaving and partaking in any elections...... Perhaps some people need to delve a little bit deeper into the realities of Iraq and tghe various people who constitute it, the Assyrians being an often forgotten component.

In reply to Yoav Ben, I am not sure if you have ever been in Iraqi-Kurdistan recently or not, but your facts regarding the current situation of “Assyrians” is completely wrong. I believe you will find that most “non-Arabs” including Assyrians are leaving the rest of Iraq towards the Kurdish area. I am from Koya (East of Erbil) and since 2004 more “Assyrians” have come back to this town than Kurds from Europe because “non-Arabs” including Assyrians fear for their lives in the rest of the country. I am not saying the Kurdish administration is perfect (they are not, give them time), and I am not saying the Kurds were not involved in the Armenian genocide, because “shamefully” they were (thanks to our Turkish friends). Furthermore, if you look at the political parties in the Kurdish alliance list I think you find several Christian groups. So in the future Please Keep To The Facts! With respect to this article, I do not think it will serve the Kurdish people any good. It will only fuel the Arab hatred towards the Kurds, and accuse the Kurds of being the “fifth column”. I am very sympathetic to the Israeli cause but some things are better left alone and “quite”.

For pointing that out.

The armenian genocide was commited by the turkish and not by the kurdish. Armenian lived with the kurdish like brother and many kurdish have tried to protect Armenians. Kurdish people are not violent but they suffer since centuries by the countries around them. But now i hope it has to change and Kurdish people will optain they freedom. Peace!

I want first of all to tell you, that those who call themselves Assyrians are fake, the Assyrians were destroyed by the Medes. These guys are Aramaic Syrians, and have nothing to do with the old Assyrians. About Armenians, only two tribes contributed!!should the whole Kurdish nation be responsible?? There ere even some mercenary tribes cooperating with Saddam???How about that?? KUrds live their at least a millinium before Armenians, For The ISraelis Sarai who married Abraham(Braim in Kurdish) was from Kurdish decent!!!

To the Editors: I am a firm believer in the freedom of expression, especially when it concerns political publications concerning government activities. It keeps government agencies in continuous check, and thus protecting it’s citizens. However, the publication of this article by your news agency left me in complete dismay. How can a respected Jewish media agency, run by ethnic Jews, who a have a deep history of persecution by others, and taking the consideration of the fact, that it is surrounded by enemies from all corners of the region, not to mention anti Semitic Europeans, publish such irresponsible article. Not only this article may endanger your own fellow countrymen, not to mention Israel’s interest in the region, but to those few TRUE allies that she has in the region, that share similar fate of hate atrocities with their fellow Jews. I must congratulate you, for the good job you have done as a mouthpiece for those extremist terrorist (those terrorist could not have done better). They only dream to have such irresponsible articles to be delivered to them on a GOLDEN plate, so that they can justify their mad terror killings against Iraqi people, specifically Kurdish and their allies in the Iraqi Government. Although I believe the Iraqis will eventually crush the terrorists in the coming months or years. However, this article will only help those terrorists to intensify, and increase the recruitment of Jihadist, to fight and undermine the legitimacy of an elected Iraqi Government, and their US allies. I hope that you are proud of your article. And I hope that you can sleep with a clear conscious mind, knowing that your article may be the cause of more innocent deaths, specifically to those who are allied to your nation.

Concerning Kurdish oppression of Assyrians You have a very distorted information concerning the Kurdish, Assyrian relationship. The Assyrians have several representative in the Kurdish Government, Francois Al Hariri was one of those famous Leading Assyrians that was a minister, a peshmerga, and a member of Kurdistan democratic party. He fought side by side with his Kurdish brethren during his life, and gave his life as a martyr. Not to forget the famous Assyrian Peshmerga woman (Margaret) that fought side by side with other Kurds (in sixties) against the repressive Baghdad government. In the Kurdish psyche and social life, there aren’t any discrimination or bigotry against the community. Sometimes there, may were some feuds in the past between some individual Assyrian and Kurdish tribe, but this is a normal incident of feuds between two tribes as was the same story between other Kurdish – Kurdish feuds in the region. And does not come close to define it as persecution. In the contrary the Kurdish Government has built for them many Schools, Churches, cultural clubs, and this is attested by Assyrian community themselves, and many of there organization are running now in the same platform as (Kurdistan Alliance). Some extremist Assyrian organizations who are located outside Kurdistan and overseas who are known for their devious Agenda and propaganda either for the reason of Jealousy or other factors, most often portray the community as under persecution. One of the instances; they published about a specific area that was under ethnic cleansing as was proclaimed by them. The Kurdish Government at that time invited European delegation that were in the official visit to the area and refuted their claim, and thus exposing their lies. Now Noav concerning what you have mentioned the So called “Kurdistan” Now let us not go way back in history to say who came first, many nowadays recognized countries would have a weak evidence of their continuo existence at the same area. Including Israel itself. Not to forget, that the land that God promised to Israelite belonged to Canaanites who were in the area before the arrival of the Hebrews. But if want to be specific regarding the Kurds, you can go back to history, and will find that it was the Assyrians who were the new comers from the Arabian desert not the Kurds. (you can make a search for this in the internet) There were a people living in the zagros region during Halaf period 6000 or 7000 thousand years ago. they created a homogenous culture from the evidence of pottery, cylindrical seals, and other archeological findings. later they were named Hurrians that created many Kingdoms, they spoke a language akin to Caucasian language that is related to modern Chechen and Georgian languages. And were in the area before the Assyrians. The Assyrians then subjugated those people, and conqured the area. Then the Medians settled in the area who were Indo Europeans and conquered the region including the wicked Assyria (as was described in the bible) this was Gods Judgment to punish the Assyrians against their transgression as you know form the new or old testament. they left their language, where the Kurdish came from. Nowadays, it is recognized that Kurds are amalgam of these elements that created the Modern Kurds, that is why you may notice in many Kurdish families, some members are blond, and others Caucasian (dark). It is interesting to note as well, that there is now many evidence of the old Hurrian religion that archeologist found similarities between Hebrew and Hurrian religious practices.(you can get more detailed readings form some web pages concerning that)

As to Armenian Genocide and Armen. There was a genocide committed by Turks not the Kurds, however there was Al hamidiya Regiment that was created by Sultan Abdel Hamid personally as a last resort to save the Khilafa. They were mainly comprised by Kurds. The Turks used these regiments in the killing of Armenians. However, these regiments not only killed Armenians, but killed during their reign many Kurds as well. However there were many Kurds that protected the Armenian at that time, one of them was my Grand Father, which gathered at that time many tribal chiefs in the area of Zakho that were allied to him and fought against Turkish troops to save them. Many died saving the Armenians. The Kurds then helped the survivors to build their own quarters, for which they exist until today, many of them became peshmergas and were and are the most loyal to the Barzanis and are considered by Kurds of Zakho as their brothers and sisters. Therefore Armen, I do not think you can generalize and say that Kurds as a nation helped in the Genocide, the same as I can not say and blame that it was the Armenians who persecuted the Kurds of Lachin and Kelbajar in the recent outbreak in Nagorno Karabakh (in the nineties). During the history of region, of course there must have been some feuds here and there between Kurdish and Armenian tribes as was between Kurdish - Assyrian , even between Kurdish- Kurdish tribes, but not a systematic policy of Kurds exterminating the Armanians as the Turkish policy was based. Not to forget also, what the Henchak party accompanying the Russian army did to some Kurdish villages. that were massacred during the Russian occupation of eastern Ottoman villayete. I do not claim that the Armenians as a nation did that. I consider Armenians as our brothers, our Family Have many Armenian Friends, not only that my cousin as well is an Armenian. Therefore peace to you and to Noav

Kurdish people - over 40 000 000 settled in a strategic spot of the Middle East called "Kurdistan"- just as all the other peoples over the world have the right to have an independent state on their land. Kurdish people have their own land, occupied by Arabs, Persians and Turks. Kurdish people have all the principles to build a successful State in the region, such as land, leading personals, etc. the surrounding peoples and countries should bear in mind that they cannot overrun the Kurdish people and steal their lands riches. It will be better for Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Persia and all the other resistant countries to know that the time to an independent Kurdistan is approaching. If they be cooperative, Kurd is a loyal people; otherwise, Kurdistan will become another Israel to its enemies.

At last my dreams are being fulfilled. Fantastic feelings to hear that Israelis are their in my country of origin. Hope to hear the Israelis r also doing business in Libanon. Wow that will be my day too. It will be the last nail into the coffin of Arab nationalism and Islamic fascism.

The Assyrian nation has existed for thousands of years in the land known as Mesopatamia. This was way before the notion of the "Kurdish" nation existed. Unlike the Kurds, the Assyrians do not call for an autonomous land, because Iraq is their land. We do not betray our country, nor do we ally with Western governments in order to satisfy our selfish interests. Unfortunately due to the rise of Islamism, even amongst Kurds no matter how secular they claim to be, has marginalized the Assyrian presence. In fact there were documented reports that about 200,000 Assyrians were prevented from voting by Kurds in order to diminsh their representation in the new government. I have family in Iraq and we have been living there with a distinct language and culture, which is more than I can say for the "Kurdish" nation. The Kurds should be calling for a homeland in Turkey - their numbers are more there and their oppression is greater. They can't even name their children with Kurdish names, in Iraq even under Saddam this never happened. I'm not saying everything was rosy and dandy, but the only reason why Kurds are fighting for a land in Iraq is because Turkey won't give them any concessions and we all know how tight the relationship between the USA and Turkey is. On a final note I just want to emphasize one thing - most of the names of the cities and towns in Northern Iraq are of Assyrian origin - not Kurdish despite what they claim. They're attempting to Kurdify the region in blatant disregard of the history of the area. Sort of like what the Arabs did with the whole Middle East when they conquered it - ethnic and cultural genocide. So before you claim that Assyrians do not exist, please verify your illegitimate arguments.

This article does not illustrate anything new. Kurds and Israelis have had long and successful cooperation on many matters since Israel supported Massoud Barzani's father in his quest for arms with which to fight Iraqis bent on their destruction over 40 years ago. It is a fact that many Kurds are targets of arab nationalistic and Shiite-led attacks. It is also a fact that Israel and Kurdistan have mutual friendship and strong support for each other's identity and right to exist. Whenever these groups feel threatened by cooperation bwetween Kurds and Israelis, the arab and Shiite press whip up a frenzy of paranoia and fear and anti-Semitism and anti- Kurdish remarks. We have cooperation with Kurds because they are like us, freedom-loving and democratically-inspired peoples. They are our only true brothers and sisters in the entire Middle East. If others feel threatened that is just too damn bad for them.

And by the way Abraham came from Ur, in ancient Kurdistan. He spoke a Kurdish dialect, not Hebrew. And Noah landed his ark on Mt. Ararat, also in Kurdistan. Who says the Kurds are not our brothers?

If you love kurds so much why not take them to your country and live together and watch as they ruin your country.

"And by the way Abraham came from Ur, in ancient Kurdistan. He spoke a Kurdish dialect, not Hebrew. And Noah landed his ark on Mt. Ararat, also in Kurdistan. Who says the Kurds are not our brothers? " Where did you get that from? Assuming that the Biblical account is "accurate", Ur was in the land of the CHALDEES, not the "Kurds" or "Kurdistan". And the language he spoke was the language of the Chaldees. If you knew anything of Jewish biblical history you would know that Abraham obviously didn't speak Hebrew because the Hebrew nation still hadn't existed and! and the Chaldeans were a Semitic people who settled in southern Mesopotamia in the early part of the first millennium BC. Their language is assumed to be related to Aramaic, probably what Abraham spoke, not a dialect of "Kurdish"

http://www.aina.org/releases/20050131003708.htm By the way, my mother's family is from Zakho, in Northern Iraq, and to this day we still speak a dialect of Aramaic at home, so i'm not that disconnected from Iraqi "kurdistan". To call it "Kurdistan" and only Kurdish is to wipe away all the history of the numerous peoples who lived and continue to live there like the Assyrians/Chaldeans, Armenians, Arabs,Turkoman, and Jews(most of whom no longer reside there anymore) and yes the Kurds too. Names like Nineweh, "Arbil" (Urpa-eelu which is original aramaic name, meaning the 4 G-ds), "Tikrit" (Tikriti originally), "Kirkuk" (originally Kirkha d' beit Suluk or Arrapa), "AlQosh" (is originally Alquoushtu), "Mosul" (is originally Mespilla), all Assyrian names.

what happened to jews? Up to very recent times Turks were most valuable to you, weren't they? You anounce them as the 13. tribe... thanked them for rescuing you from inqusition os spain etc... But now a few kurdish tribal man becomes hero to you and you can seriously talking as real about a fictive brotherhood and history! İt is sheer nonsense to fight against you real brothers Arabs and championing a fictive kurdish relative... Don't forget Turkey will not remain only a spectator to all these... Turks are not "ideal" enemies for jews... Please, don't play with fire...

So, if your mothers parents are from Zakho, it means, we have a specialist in Kurdish affair ???!!!!. When was the last time did you visit KURDISTAN ??? I have difficulty acknowledging where this hate, and lies against a Kurdish nation is coming from. Knowing that you are a Kurdish Jew. Most Jews that I know (99.99%) from Zakho, are in complete love with their place of birth, and Kurds. Shared by the Kurds as well, in return. In addition, what nonsense is your notion of "so called Kurdistan" in your previous article it is KURDISTAN, whether you like it or not ??! and why it is Kurdistan !!!!!!??? because more than 90% of the population are Kurdish, and this was the case at least since the Arab conquest of the area in the 7th century.. Is that difficult to digest, it is common sense. Except for Turks, of course, and other hate mongers, like you. When Khalifa Omar Bin Khatab, invaded Ahwaz (which is way back in the south than the present borders of KURDISATN), he was fighting Kurdish Tribes. There was at one point in History an area known as historical Assyria, that included Kurdistan, stretching to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, and part of Iran and Turkey. Why you are specifically targeting the Kurds, go and campaign for those lost Assyrain lands as well. Five of these countries can not even stomach you existence as people. You will have more noble cause. Instead targeting those who have no such hate. as the word "historical" indicates, it is history "period". Assyrians are a minority living in disconnected geographic areas in a sea of native Kurds. thus it is KURDISTAN- it is time for you and others accept this fact, instead of your useless worthless prejudice against the Kurdish nation. Historically speaking- the Kurds have been living in this area for thousands of years, much earlier than the Assyrians did. however under different name. At that time it was Hurrians. These Hurrians indigenous population lived in the same geographical area as the Kurds nowadays do (i.e. right side of the Tigris river) intermixed with the Medes (relatively new comers to the region than Assyrians). They conquered wicked Assyria as (described by the bible), Babylonia and vast other areas, and imposed their Aryan Language. And thus the birth of Modern Kurds with their Indo-European Language. It is beautiful to have dreams, but it is important to be realistic. If the Assyrians were in Majority, then that’s fine. Let the region be Known as “Assyria”. However, the fact on Ground is different, “isn’t”. By the way, many place names in Mesopotamia are of Summerian (Non semitic), and Hurrian (Non semitic) origin. Get yourself busy reading, instead of hating peace

A quick search for the Hurrians revealed one thing: The Hurrians were a people of the Ancient Near East, who lived in northern Mesopotamia and areas to the immediate east and west, beginning approximately 2500 BC. The Assyrians had been around thousands of years before that . All you had to do was a simple search - and I found no connection between Kurds and Hurrians anyway - but even if there is the Hurrians still came after the Assyrians according to many online encyclopaedias. Regarding the rest of your argument, you cannot claim a homeland for your people based on having a majority. It's all a part of Iraq and that's how it should remain. If you want to use to the history argument to win, that won't happen because Kurds came after the Assyrians (well known fact here). Secondly regarding population demographics - it's easy to be greater in number when you rape/kill/convert/intimidate Assyrians - just like what happens now, and what happened in the early twentieth century. And by the way It doesn't take much to verify your facts before posting them...

There is no doubt in my mind that you are not a Jew despite choosing a Jewish name. However even if you are one you must be an idiot one (I recommend you move out from Dimona, too much radiation):). Let us forget the hospitality Kurds offered the Jews through out history and least we forget saving thousands of Jews from Sadam’s Arab Baath Party. It’s very irrational to blame Kurds for crimes committed by others (Turks). Isn’t enough Kurdistan regional government recognises a group of people living in Kurdistan by the name of Assyrians! Under Sadam’s Arab regime they were all recognised as Arabs.

For Sardar in Turkey There are over 160000 Kurdish Jews living in Israel today. We did welcome them and will always welcome them to live here as they are part of what makes Israel a great nation. They have "ruined" nothing in Turkey, and as you are part of a people who took their land from them after World War I, I suggest you get your facts straight before making the assertion you did.

As I said in my previous post, Abraham did not speak Hebrew, nor was he a "Chaldean" as you claim. The land comprising Kurdistan in ancient times was vast stretching for millions of miles. Kurds revere Abraham because they could understand his dialect, their own. Noah is also revered among Kurds since he landed his ark there and they were the first people he saw when he emerged from the ark, according to their oral history. The oral history and tradition of the Kurds goes back a lot longer than that of the Biblical Jews.