Shafaq News/ The Ministry of Planning denied on Saturday that the name "Israel" appears on the list of countries in the census form set to take place on the 20th and 21st of this month.

"the rumors circulating on some social media platforms are completely unfounded, and aimed at creating confusion around the census project. The government, represented by the Ministry of Planning and all supporting entities, has successfully completed all requirements and phases for the implementation of the census, which is a vital project for building Iraq's future," the ministry clarified in a statement.

It further explained that the countries listed in the census form are in accordance with the United Nations guidelines, but the Statistics and the Iraqi Geographical Information Authority did not include "Israel" among the recognized countries.

In its statement, the Ministry of Planning reaffirmed its commitment to proceed with the census as scheduled, urging citizens not to believe the rumors that aim to “mislead the public and undermine the census initiative.”

Notably, Iraq does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state. The Iraqi constitution explicitly prohibits the normalization of relations with Israel, and public sentiment is generally against any form of engagement with the Israeli government.