Watan-A video was circulated of Emma Tsourkov, the sister of Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsourkov, who was abducted shortly after her arrival in the Iraqi capital. In the video, Emma criticizes Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani and demands him to disclose the fate of her sister.
Elizabeth was abducted after her arrival in Baghdad using her Russian passport, not the Israeli one, in March 2023.
Emma Tsourkov appeared interrupting the speech of the Iraqi Prime Minister at the Atlantic Council during his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Joe Biden.
Emma demanded to disclose the fate of her sister after 13 months of her disappearance, stating that Al-Sudani does not control his country’s security forces.
The family of the Israeli researcher is afraid for her life
Emma, Elizabeth’s younger sister, had previously spoken about the circumstances of her sister’s abduction in Iraq and the family’s fears for her life.
إيما تسوركوف، شقيقة أليزابيث تسوركوف التي اختطفت بعد وقت قصير من وصولها إلى العاصمة العراقية مستخدمة جوازها الروسي وليس الإسرائيلي، تقاطع كلمة رئيس الوزراء العراقي في المركز الأطلسي مطالبة بالكشف عن مصير شقيقتها بعد ١٣ شهرا من اختفائها، وتقول ان السوداني لا يسيطر على قوات بلاده… pic.twitter.com/oQVvuxsVGY
— ZaidBenjamin زيد بنيامين (@ZaidBenjamin5) April 19, 2024
She said in an interview with Channel 11 in Hebrew that she knows her sister is alive, and that means a lot. Emma also spoke to the Israeli newspaper “Maariv” and confirmed that she was in contact with her sister every day.
Messages from the Israeli researcher
Activists had previously circulated a video, allegedly attributed to the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq”, in November 2023, featuring the first appearance of the Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsourkov, who was announced to have been abducted in Iraq.
Accounts affiliated with Iranian-backed armed factions in Iraq shared a video claiming to be of the Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsourkov.
Tsourkov (37 years old) was filmed calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza and requesting action for her release. The Israeli academic appeared to be in captivity.
#شاهد | قناة عراقية تنشر تسجيلاً مصوراً لاعترافات أسيرة إسرائيلية أَسرتها جماعة مسلحة في #العراق قبل عدة أشهر، واتهمتها بالعمالة للموساد وCIApic.twitter.com/UZyPa1Vu7L
— عربي بوست (@arabic_post) November 13, 2023
The Israeli academic said in her video: “I left Israel and went to the United States, worked for the CIA and Mossad, and worked in Syria to establish relations between Israel and the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
She added: “I visited Syria in 2022 as an agent of the Mossad and the CIA, and worked in Iraq by fueling disputes through organizing protests in Iraq to create a Shiite-Shiite battle in Iraq.”
She continued: “I closely follow what is happening in Gaza, I follow the events daily in Gaza from the killing of children, women, and men and the bombing of hospitals. This policy leads to hatred between us and the Palestinian people in Gaza, and does not lead to peace with Gaza. This is a foolish management on the part of Netanyahu.”
She continued: “I call on the families of the prisoners in Gaza to always act to stop the war on Gaza for your daughters and sons. This war waged by Netanyahu will lead to the killing of your sons and daughters. I have been in captivity for 7 months, and no one has moved to release me. I served Israel. I’m in a difficult situation. To my family and friends, work to release me as soon as possible to return to them.”