A Jewish museum that was recently inaugurated in Baghdad has already drawn threats from Shiite groups in Iraq. Muhammad Naji Muhammad, head of the Shiite terror organization Badr, has declared, "Baghdad is not a testing ground for the projects of the Zionists, and its identity is a red line."
Video: At the legendary school: Jewish museum established in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital | Social media
In a post on social media, Muhammad wrote, "The enemy is gaining a foothold in Baghdad! The museum was opened on the ruins of the Jewish 'Shams' school after its restoration on al-Mutanabbi Street, in the center of the capital. Baghdad residents were surprised to find a Jewish museum that displays photos of rabbis, Jewish heritage and folklore to visitors as if it were an innocent event with no risks. This activity is presented as a cultural and heritage event, but we hear that Zionist and Israeli media outlets are publishing reports on the opening of this museum and taking pride in it."
He added, "This is also being circulated on social media pages belonging to Jewish groups. We therefore hold responsible all parties that agreed to the opening of this museum, which is part of normalization. This is a security and cultural breach that harms our national identity and existence. It cannot be treated as a cultural activity."
The Shams museum opened in Baghdad and is dedicated to the Jewish community that has lived in Iraq since the destruction of the First Temple. According to reports in local media, more than 1,000 people have visited the site so far.
The museum has a single hall displaying documents, school certificates and portraits of prominent community figures, among them Sasson Eskell, who served as the first finance minister of modern Iraq, and Dr. Fuad Eliyahu, a physician. Fewer than 50 synagogues and Jewish sites remain in Iraq.
Most of the community left Iraq after the 1941 Farhud (Arabic for violent dispossession), in which hundreds of Jews were murdered in pogroms by the Arab mob.
