In comments at a Saturday meeting of Iraqi elites and syndicate leaders, Hakim made it clear that normalization of ties between Iraq and the Zionist regime of Israel will not take place.

“The issue of Palestine is not going to be over. It is broadly complicated,” he added.

He was referring to Bahrain’s decision to normalize ties with Israel as part of a diplomatic push by the US.

In a joint statement, the United States, Bahrain and Israel said the agreement was reached after Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Friday.

The agreement comes only a month after the United Arab Emirates became the first Persian Gulf Arab country to reach a deal on normalizing relations with Israel.

Bahrain is the fourth Arab nation to reach such a deal with Israel after Egypt, Jordan and the UAE.