Dies ist die Fortsetzung von Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 709, Teil 1 / This is the sequel of Yemen War Mosaic 709, part 1:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-709-yemen-war-mosaic-709
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
Kursiv: Siehe Teil 1 / In Italics: Look in part 1
Klassifizierung / Classification
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp1a Am wichtigsten: Coronavirus und Seuchen / Most important: Coronavirus and epidemics
cp1b Am wichtigsten: USA stufen Huthis als Terroristen ein / Most important: US terror designation against Houthis
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
cp6 Separatisten und Hadi-Regierung im Südjemen / Separatists and Hadi government in Southern Yemen
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
cp9 USA
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Tensions at the Gulf
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
cp12b Sudan
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
cp13b Wirtschaft / Economy
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp18 Kampf um Hodeidah / Hodeidah battle
cp19 Sonstiges / Other
Klassifizierung / Classification
***
**
*
(Kein Stern / No star)
? = Keine Einschatzung / No rating
A = Aktuell / Current news
B = Hintergrund / Background
C = Chronik / Chronicle
D = Details
E = Wirtschaft / Economy
H = Humanitäre Fragen / Humanitarian questions
K = Krieg / War
P = Politik / Politics
pH = Pro-Houthi
pS = Pro-Saudi
T = Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
Siehe / Look at cp1
(A P)
[Hadi] Government accuses Houthis of carrying out Daesh-style executions
Yemen's internationally recognised government on Friday accused the Houthi group of carrying out Daesh-and-Qaeda-style executions of civilians after raiding the area of Al-Haymah in Taiz province.
Minister of information, culture and tourism Muammar Al-Eryani said the group executed civilians, dismembered their bodies and hanged them on trees.
This hideous crime reminds us of the terrorist Al-Qaeda network which executed and crucified dentist Mutahar Al-Yuosfi at a medical center in the district of Al-Sawma'ah in Bayda province last year, he wrote on Twitter.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22497.html
(* B P)
Who are the three Houthis the US has designated ‘Global Terrorists’?
Three Houthi commanders will be designated “Global Terrorists” by the outgoing Trump administration on January 19, Washington announced this week.
Notorious for their individual roles in hindering the peace process and choreographing military campaigns and offensives that have resulted in significant civilian loss of life and the targeting of vital institutions in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the trio was also sanctioned by the UN Security Council after the Houthi takeover of Sanaa in 2014.
US sanctions on Abdulmalik Al Houthi, his brother Abd Al Khaliq Badr Al Din Al Houthi and Abdullah Yahya Al Hakim in conjunction with the UN move cite their use of “violence and other means, [to] undermine the political process in Yemen and obstruct the implementation of its political transition.”
Here is a look at who the three men are, and the roles they played in the Yemeni conflict leading up to their classification as Global Terrorists.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/who-are-the-three-houthis-the-us-has-designated-global-terrorists-1.1145505 = https://republicanyemen.net/archives/26813
My comment: With a fierce anti-Houthi bias.
(B P)
Rights groups: As many as 320 women are held in secret prisons run by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia.
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1349404652123598849
(* B H P)
Thread. Just a reminder who greatly benefits from food aid. “I’m asking the #Houthi authorities in Sana’a to take immediate action to end the diversion of food assistance & ensure that it reaches those people who rely on it,” WFP exec. drctr Beasley said.
“Since #Houthis came 2power, looting has bn on a large scale,”said Abdullah al-Hamidi, who served as acting educ mnstr in the Houthi-run govt in the north be4 defecting 2 the coalition side earlier this yr. “This's why the poor get nthng. What really arrives 2 ppl is vry little.”
"Half of the food baskets that the U.N. food program provides to Houthi-controlled areas are stored and distributed by the ministry, which is chaired by the brother of the rebels’ top leader."
A senior U.N. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the issue, told the AP that enough aid is coming into the country to meet the demands of the hunger crisis, but much of it is stolen. “If there is no corruption,” he said, “there is no famine.”
https://twitter.com/Alsakaniali/status/1349882983302500353
(B P)
Film: Graphic. Watch how @ChrisMurphyCT's "bad guys" stabbing and beating citizen Mujahid Qashirah to death in #Yemen's northern Amran Raidah a year ago. #Houthis
https://twitter.com/Alsakaniali/status/1349891789684146177
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
(A P)
UAE-backed separatist mercenaries forcibly expel dock workers
The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) militias have on Wednesday stormed workers’ dwellings in Mualla port, in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden, and expelled the workers, local sources said.
The workers were expelled along with their families, and were replaced with people from Dhalea and Yafea areas by the armed militias.
This comes after employees, workers, retirees, and families of deceased workers at the port of Aden demanded that they be recompensed for the land they were robbed of by the STC militia.
(A P)
Yemeni gov't forms committee to develop humanitarian mechanism
The Yemeni UN-recognized prime minister, Maeen Abdulmalek, has decreed the formation of a committee tasked with developing a plan to deal with the humanitarian crisis and facilitate aid agencies' work in the war-torn country, the Aden-based Saba said Wednesday.
The committee will be chaired by minister of planning and international cooperation
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22471.html
(A P)
Interior ministry calls for implementation of military, security part of Riyadh agreement
The ministry of interior on Wednesday called for intensifying efforts to implement the military and security part of the Riyadh agreement signed by Yemen's internationally recognised government and the southern transitional council.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22457.html
(A P)
Taiz: Dozens of people protest at Houthi massacres in their villages
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44481
(A P)
Large demonstrations hit Aden in protest against economic misery
The port city of Aden, southern Yemen, has on Wednesday witnessed angry demonstrations in protest of the delay in salary payment and the closing of money exchange shops.
The demonstrators blocked the streets and burned tires in Al-Mansoura and Sheikh Othman districts, the sources said.
The move comes as a result of the continuing devaluation of Yemeni riyal currency in the provinces under the control of the Saudi-led coalition, and the complete inability of the Hadi government to address the situation
(A K P)
A Saudi military committee moved from Shaqra town in southern Yemen’s Abyan governorate to Yemen’s de facto capital Aden on January 12. [ii]
(A P)
Shabwa governor launches first phase of Qana oil, commercial port
Governor of Shabwa Mohammed Saleh bin Adyo on Wednesday launched the first phase of the Qana oil port on the Arabian Sea in southeast Yemen.
He attended the the offloading of the first fuel cargo, 17.000 tons of diesel, which arrived at the port days ago.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22456.html
ansd also (photos) https://twitter.com/Ibrahim4Yemen/status/1349395504950607872
(A P)
It is inspiring to see what Aden governor has been doing trying to revive local authority functions and provide services. In my opinion, donors should focus on supporting local authorities including in training police and security forces.
https://twitter.com/Ndawsari/status/1349391227158982657
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
Siehe / Look at cp1b
(A K P)
Ten [Sanaa gov.] Yemeni soldiers freed in prisoner swap deal
The head of the [Sanaa gov.] National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtadha, has revealed on Friday the liberation of ten Yemeni prisoners in a prisoner exchange won through local mediation in Jawf front.
https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/01/15/ten-yemeni-soldiers-freed-in-prisoner-swap-deal/
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-22496.html
(A P)
Abdulsalam Criticizes Griffiths' Performance, a Postman Between Riyadh, Abu Dhabi
The head of the [Sanaa gov.] National Delegation, Mohammad Abdulsalam said in a tweet, on Twitter, "The UN Envoy's poor performance, blessing of the Hadi's- pro US-Saudi aggression- government and adopting its goals, is a deviation from his International Mission in Yemen. Griffiths now act as postman between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi reconciling differences between their mercenaries."
and also https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/01/15/mohammed-abdulsalam-criticises-un-envoy/
(A P)
[Hadi gov.] Yemeni officials attack UN envoy over calls for reversing US blacklisting
Officials in the Yemeni internationally-recognized government on Thursday criticized the UN and its Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, over calls on the US to reverse move blacklisting the Houthis as a terrorist group for humanitarian reasons.
Yemeni activists launched a social media campaign accusing Griffiths of backing terrorism.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22489.html
(* A P)
Yemen's Houthis won't abandon peace efforts over U.S. designation, says chief negotiator
Yemen’s Houthi movement will not walk away from peace talks with the United Nations and Saudi Arabia despite the U.S. decision to designate the Iran-aligned group as a foreign terrorist organisation, the Houthi chief negotiator told Reuters.
“These (peace talks) have nothing to do with the (U.S.) decision which will not limit our movements nor our international relations,” Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Thursday, adding this applied to both U.N. efforts and ceasefire talks with Riyadh.
“We will not stop our efforts to reach peace in Yemen ... it is our responsibility to talk, to end the war and the blockade,” said Abdulsalam, who is also a Houthi spokesman.
Abdulsalam said any agreement on a nationwide ceasefire should include “humanitarian solutions” allowing fuel imports, reopening of airports and ports, and “make room for political talks”.
(* A H P)
UN-Sonderbeauftragter für Jemen: USA sollen ihre Entscheidung gegen Ansarullah zurücknehmen
Laut dem katarischen Nachrichtensender Al-Jazeera betonte der UN-Sonderbeauftragte für den Jemen, Martin Griffiths, am Donnerstag, die US-amerikanische Ausweisung der Ansarullah-Bewegung als terroristische Organisation werde verheerende Auswirkungen auf alle Konfliktparteien haben.
Griffiths forderte die US-Regierung auf, ihre Entscheidung gegen die Ansarullah-Bewegung aus humanitären Gründen so bald wie möglich rückgängig zu machen.
und
(* A H P)
UNO warnt vor Hungersnot im Jemen und übt scharfe Kritik an US-Terrorliste
Nach dem Beschluss der US-Regierung, die Huthi-Rebellen im Jemen auf ihre Terrorliste zu setzen, befürchten Helfer katastrophale Folgen für Millionen Menschen. In der von den Huthis kontrollierten Hauptstadt Sanaa zeigt sich das Leid in erschreckendem Ausmaß.
UN-Nothilfekoordinator Mark Lowcock forderte die US-Regierung nachdrücklich auf, ihren Schritt rückgängig zu machen, sonst drohe eine Hungersnot in einem Ausmaß, das man seit fast 40 Jahren nicht mehr gesehen habe. Lowcock soll 15 Mitgliedern des UN-Sicherheitsrats mitgeteilt haben, dass ein US-Plan zur Erteilung von Lizenzen und Ausnahmen, wodurch Hilfsorganisationen weiterhin Hilfsprojekte führen, eine Hungersnot im Jemen nicht verhindern könne, da das Land fast ausschließlich auf Importe angewiesen sei, berichtete Reuters.
"Die Daten zeigen, dass 16 Millionen Menschen in diesem Jahr hungern werden. Bereits jetzt verhungern etwa 50.000 Menschen in einer im wesentlichen kleinen Hungersnot. Weitere fünf Millionen sind nur einen Schritt hinter ihnen", warnte Lowcock.
https://de.rt.com/international/111775-uno-warnt-vor-hungersnot-im/
und
(* A H P)
Welternährungsprogramm: US-Terrorentscheidung zu Jemen "Todesurteil"
Nachdem die US-Regierung die Huthi Rebellen auf ihre Terrorliste gesetzt haben, befürchten Hilfsorganisationen große Probleme in der Versorgung.
Die Vereinten Nationen haben den Beschluss der US-Regierung, die Huthi-Rebellen im Jemen auf ihre Terrorliste zu setzen, erneut mit scharfen Worten verurteilt. "Wir haben schon jetzt große Probleme ohne die Einstufung. Mit der Einstufung wird es katastrophal. Es wird buchstäblich ein Todesurteil für Hunderttausende, wenn nicht Millionen unschuldiger Menschen im Jemen sein", sagte der Chef des Welternährungsprogramms, David Beasley, am Donnerstag vor dem UN-Sicherheitsrat in New York.
Die Entscheidung der Trump-Regierung müsse neu bewertet werden, "und ganz offen gesagt, umgekehrt zu werden", sagte Beasley. Wegen der Einstufung der Huthis als Terrororganisation befürchten die Vereinten Nationen und humanitäre Helfer, dass der bislang schon schwierige Import von Hilfsgütern unmöglich wird.
UN-Vermittler Martin Griffiths sagte vor dem Sicherheitsrat, er sei wegen der US-Entscheidung "extrem besorgt" um den Friedensprozess in dem Land. Er befürchte, dass es "unvermeidlich einen abschreckenden Effekt auf meine Bemühungen geben wird, die Konfliktparteien zusammenzubringen."
"Unsere Kinder blicken jeden Tag dem Tod ins Auge. Sie bekommen kein Essen, keine Gesundheitsversorgung und keines ihrer Rechte", sagte Fatma Ahmad der Deutschen Presse-Agentur. "Der Krieg hat uns alles geraubt", sagt Ahmad, Mutter eines stark unterernährten Mädchens. Es gebe "keine Gehälter oder Medizin" und auch kein "Essen, um den Magen zu füllen".
UN-Nothilfekoordinator Mark Lowcock schrieb bei Twitter: "Es könnte der Tropfen sein, der das Fass im Jemen zum Überlaufen bringt." Nun drohe "nicht nur eine kleine Hungersnot, sondern eine wirklich gewaltige".
https://www.rainews.it/tgr/tagesschau/articoli/2021/01/tag-jemen-hunger-welternaehrungsprogramm-us-regierung-trump-huthi-auf-terrorliste-millionen-menschen-koennten-sterben-an-hunger-41319e8b-5d1e-43ce-947e-ebfdbe947205.html = https://www.volksblatt.li/nachrichten/International/Politik/sda/6292609/welternahrungsprogramm-us-terrorentscheidung-zu-jemen-todesurteil
(* A H P)
UN officials fear US terrorist designation will hasten famine in Yemen
Briefing the online meeting, UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths said Yemen was going through dark times following a deadly attack last month on its newly-formed Cabinet, and with millions facing potential famine, but emphasized that peace is still possible.
Mr. Griffiths condemned the 30 December attack at the airport in Aden, which targeted the Government officials who had just arrived from Saudi Arabia. Dozens of civilians, aid workers and a journalist were also killed.
On Sunday, the United States announced it will designate the group a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under domestic law. Mr. Griffiths expressed serious concern over this prospect.
“We fear in my mission that there will be inevitably a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together. We all hope to have absolute clarity on far-reaching exemptions to be able to carry out our duties”, he said.
Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Some 16 million people will go hungry this year, and 50,000 are already essentially starving to death, amid a shortfall in aid. Preventing a massive famine is the most urgent priority, the UN Humanitarian Affairs chief and Emergency Coordinator told ambassadors.
Mark Lowcock called for the FTO designation to be reversed, which Mr. Griffiths also supported, outlining its potential impact on aid relief in a country that overwhelmingly relies on food imports.
He explained that humanitarian agencies provide food vouchers or cash to needy Yemenis so they can shop at markets.
“Aid agencies cannot, they simply cannot, replace the commercial import system,” he stressed. “What this means is that what the commercial importers do is the single biggest determinant of life and death in Yemen.”
Mr. Lowcock reported that Yemenis are already rushing to markets to stockpile food, while commercial traders fear the designation will affect their operations.
“Some suppliers, banks, insurers and shippers are ringing up their Yemeni partners and saying they now plan to walk away from Yemen altogether”, he said. “They say the risks are too high. They fear being accidentally or otherwise caught up in US regulatory action which would put them out of business or into jail.”
Although the US plans to introduce licences so that some aid and imports can continue, the relief chief said further details will not be available until 19 January, the day the designation takes force.
The head of the World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley, gave a blunt assessment of the prospects, putting aside his prepared remarks to speak “heart-to-heart”.
“We are struggling now without the designation. With the designation, it’s going to be catastrophic. It literally is going to be a death sentence to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of innocent people in Yemen,” he said.
Mr. Beasley, an American, also removed his “UN hat” for a moment, to speak about his engagement with Washington, which allocated $3.75 billion to WFP last year.
“I’m very grateful for that”, he said. “But this designation, it needs to be re-assessed, it needs to be re-evaluated, and, quite frankly, it needs to be reversed.”
Mr. Beasley added that Yemen is among several countries facing famine, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these crises.
The WFP chief called for Gulf States “to pick up the humanitarian financial tab for this problem in Yemen”, and urged the Council and world leaders to apply pressure on the warring parties to end their fighting.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082082
and also https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14410.doc.htm
and a shorter AFP survey: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210114-fearing-famine-un-calls-on-us-to-reverse-huthi-terrorists-label
and a more detailed UN report, adding all ambassadors’ statements, including the Hadi government Foreign minister: https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14410.doc.htm
and the briefings, more detailed:
(* A H P)
Briefing to United Nations Security Council by the Special Envoy for Yemen – Martin Griffiths, 14 January 2020
2020 ended on a harrowing note for Yemen. On 30th December, a vicious attack targeted the newly formed Cabinet of the Yemeni government upon their arrival at Aden’s international airport. Dozens of civilians were injured or killed, including government officials, humanitarian relief workers and a journalist. I should note that deliberate attacks on civilians or civilian objects are prohibited by international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime.
I condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible. I offer my most sincere condolences for all those who lost their lives, and my hopes for a full and speedy recovery to the injured.
The Government has launched an investigation into the Aden attack and has made its conclusions public earlier today that Ansar Allah was behind the attack.
The attack cast a dark shadow over what should have been a moment of hope in the efforts to achieve peace in Yemen.
I am extremely concerned about the impact of the decision from the United States to designate Ansar Allah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. We fear in my mission that there will be inevitably a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together. We all hope to have absolute clarity on far-reaching exemptions to be able to carry out our duties. In any event of course, you can be clear that I remain committed to engage with all parties, including Ansar Allah, designated or not, to end the conflict in Yemen.
However, Mr. President, none of this, none of this is the slightest bit as important as the humanitarian consequences
The path to peace in Yemen was never easy. And I believe that it is now a great deal more difficult than it was a month ago. There is a way out. We must remember that, even after all the tragedies that Yemenis across the country have suffered, peace is possible where there is the will to make it happen.
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/briefing-united-nations-security-council-special-envoy-yemen-%E2%80%93-martin-griffiths-0 = https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/briefing-united-nations-security-council-special-envoy-yemen-martin-griffiths-14
(* A H P)
Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, Briefing to the Security Council on humanitarian situation in Yemen, 14 January 2021
The most urgent priority in Yemen right now Mr. President is to prevent a massive famine.
The data show that 16 million people will go hungry this year. Already, about 50,000 people are essentially starving to death in what is essentially a small famine. Another 5 million are just one step behind them.
Every decision the world makes right now must take this into account.
On Sunday, the United States announced it will designate Ansar Allah as a specially designated terrorist entity and foreign terrorist organization (or FTO) under US domestic law.
For months, aid agencies have unanimously opposed this designation. They believe it will accelerate Yemen’s slide into a large-scale famine.
The reasons agencies believe that are not well enough understood in some quarters, so I am going to use most of my time today explaining them.
Many of you will recall that I told the Security Council last month that Yemen imports 90 per cent of its food. Nearly all that food is brought in through commercial channels. Aid agencies give people vouchers or cash to buy commercially imported food in the market. Aid agencies cannot – they simply cannot - replace the commercial import system.
What this means is that what the commercial importers do is the single biggest determinant of life and death in Yemen.
I also told the Council last month that we had been talking to the commercial traders and asking them what impact the mooted US designation, as it was then, would have on them. They told us – and I told you – that they were not sure they would be able to continue importing food into Yemen in those circumstances.
They thought the suppliers, bankers, shippers and insurers they do business with could decline to do business with them if the designation proceeded.
You and I may think that the suppliers, bankers, insurers and shippers should behave differently. That does not matter. What matters is what they decide to do.
So we went back to the commercial traders over the last few days to ask what they now think, given that the designation has now happened.
Already, Yemenis are crowding into to markets and shops to stockpile whatever they can afford. Families are terrified that no more food or other supplies will make it into the country.
The Yemeni companies who bring in most of the food are using words like “disaster”, “havoc”, and “unimaginable” when they describe to us what they fear is coming.
For years, these companies have been moving mountains to sustain their very risk-averse global supply chains – including the suppliers, banks, insurers and shipping lines.
Some suppliers, banks, insurers and shippers are ringing up their Yemeni partners and saying they now plan to walk away from Yemen altogether. They say the risks are too high. They fear being accidentally or otherwise caught up in US regulatory action which would put them out of business or into jail.
Some of the Yemeni traders’ suppliers, bankers, shippers and insurers are saying they are hoping they can keep going. If they can, they say, their best-case estimate is that costs could go up by 400 per cent. That will make it too expensive for many importers to keep doing business. And in any case, hardly anyone in Yemen could afford to buy food brought in at those prices.
The United States has said it will introduce licences so that some humanitarian aid and imports can continue.
Would that help? Well, first, those licences do not yet exist.
and WFP chief: https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-chief-warns-un-security-council-imminent-famine-yemen
(A P)
UN envoy: Saudi's commitment to political settlement in Yemen 'crucial'
The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, on Monday described Saudi Arabia's commitment to finding a political settlement to the conflict in Yemen as "crucial".
This came after a meeting with the Saudi Deputy Defence Minister, Khalid Bin Salman, in the capital Riyadh on Sunday.
Later on Monday, Griffiths tweeted that during his meeting with Bin Salman he had discussed ways to overcome obstacles facing prospects for peace in Yemen
(B H P)
A document of the provision of destruction fees to the Public Works Office in Hodeidah. It shows that the World Food Programme (WFP) destroyed approximately 7 tons and 790 kilograms of green peas and date biscuits unfit for human consumption during the month of December 2020
https://twitter.com/baseem_aljenani/status/1350427672346767360
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
Siehe / Look at cp12a
(A P)
Now Public: #SaudiArabia's response to a letter on the sad death of #HRD Abdullah Hamid al-Hamid and concerns for imprisoned #WHRDs @LoujainHathloul, Mayaa al-Zahrani, Nouf Abdulaziz, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sadah and others.
https://twitter.com/MaryLawlorhrds/status/1350011759868989440
Letter: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=35473
(* B H P)
Forced to work long hours and subjected to abuse
Saudi Arabia has a terrible reputation when it comes to the rights of migrant workers, who are forced to work long hours and invariably subjected to abuse.
In October 2020, the Saudi authorities announced that they were working on the notorious Kafala or sponsorship system, described by critics as "modern day slavery".
Under the Kafala system, the legal status of migrant workers is controlled by their employers, leaving them prone to abuse and exploitation.
Presently almost one thirds of the kingdom's 34 million people are composed of migrant workers and almost half of this number work as drivers.
It's hard to believe that these drivers of luxury cars are among the most vulnerable people in Saudi Arabia, but that's the infrequently reported reality.
While Riyadh has promised to roll out the Kafala reforms in March this year, these reforms don’t apply to 3.7 million domestic workers as they are excluded from the kingdom's labor laws.
“I think they are a cosmetic exercise, because the fundamental relationship doesn't change, the laborer is still tied to the sponsor. Only after 12 months of working there can they change jobs and they have to do that process through the Saudi authorities so there's no real change. It looks very cosmetic.” (Jahangir Mohammad, Director, Centre for Muslim Affairs)
This means that these workers will remain at the mercy of their employers with very little, if any, legal protection.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/14/643038/www.presstv.tv
(B E P)
Saudi Arabia 2020 inflation rises to 3.4% after VAT tripled
Saudi Arabian inflation rose to 3.4% in 2020, lifted by the tripling of value-added tax last year as the kingdom sought to boost state revenues hit by the coronavirus crisis and lower oil prices, government data showed.
(* A P)
Saudi Arabia using coronavirus detection apps to spy on its citizens, residents: Report
Technology experts have warned that Saudi authorities are exploiting coronavirus fears to trick the kingdom’s citizens and residents into installing two apps developed by the regime, which claim to test and keep track of the virus infections, but are spying on their users instead.
The London-based and Arabic-language Nabaa television news network, citing the unnamed experts, reported that Tawakkalna and Tetamman applications are actually spyware specifically designed to collect real-time geolocation data, monitor the movement of their users, and spy on private communications.
The applications have reportedly been developed by Saudi Arabia’s National Information Center and the Health Ministry, respectively.
A groundbreaking investigation by The Guardian in late March last year revealed numerous Saudi attempts to hack into its citizens' phones during their stays in the United States.
According to The Guardian, Saudi cyber experts were exploiting weaknesses in the global mobile telecom networks to keep monitoring the movements of those citizens, who used Saudi registered phones while abroad.
(A P)
Film: As I explained on @trtworld's program @The_Newsmakers, Salman al-Odah was imprisoned in 2017 after tweeting that he hoped Saudi Arabia & Qatar could reconcile Now that they have, Saudi Arabia must release him & drop charges against him Instead, Saudi Arabia plans to execute him
https://twitter.com/AnnelleSheline/status/1349778766059483137
(A P)
Film (Arabic): Our own religious reformer Dr Hasan AlMaliki speaks about “Worshiping Public Opinion” The #Saudi Monarchy wants to kill him.
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1349913359349592068
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
(A P)
Washington D.C. Council: Pass the Jamal Khashoggi Way Designation Act of 2021
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), the organization founded by Jamal Khashoggi before his brutal murder, urged the D.C. Council to pass the Jamal Khashoggi Way Designation Act of 2021 which will be introduced by Councilmember Brooke Pinto today. The resolution would rename the street in front of the Saudi Arabian Embassy as “Jamal Khashoggi Way.”
“Renaming the street in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC not only honors Jamal Khashoggi’s legacy as a brave journalist who paid the ultimate price for his commitment to free expression but will also daily remind Saudi government officials that their heinous crimes will not be forgotten,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN’s executive director. “The Saudi government’s assault in murdering a Washington D.C. resident was an assault on all of the people of this great city, founded on the principles of freedom and democracy.”
https://dawnmena.org/washington-d-c-council-pass-the-jamal-khashoggi-way-designation-act-of-2021/
(A P)
D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) introduced plans to introduce laws that will designate the highway in entrance of the Saudi Embassy, on New Hampshire Avenue between Virginia Avenue and F Street in Northwest, as Jamal Khashoggi Way.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jamal-khashoggi-way-saudi-embassy/2021/01/14/ac61e298-568d-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html = https://www.pehalnews.in/opinion-naming-the-street-by-the-saudi-embassy-for-khashoggi-is-fitting-symbolism-we-need-policy-to-match/454534/
(A P)
Petition: Rename address of Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington into Jamal Khashoggi Way
cp9 USA
Siehe / Look at cp1, cp1b, cp8a, cp9a
(* A K P)
House Democrats introduce measures to oppose Trump's bomb sale to Saudis
House Democrats on Friday introduced resolutions opposing the Trump administration’s sale of millions of dollars of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced measures expressing congressional opposition to the sale over the kingdom’s role in Yemen’s brutal civil war, which has sparked the worst humanitarian crisis in modern history.
“There is no justification for the Trump administration’s decision to rush through the sale of thousands of bombs to Saudi Arabia—especially after last year’s sham ‘emergency’ sale of 60,000 munitions,” Meeks said in a statement, referencing a 2019 “emergency” arms sale to the Saudis that Democrats allege circumvented congressional oversight.
“Yemen has already been described by the UN as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, and that crisis is worsened when weapons sold by the United States are being used recklessly, costing the lives of civilians," he added. "I strongly support the incoming Biden administration's pledge to conduct a thorough policy review.”
The resolutions of disapproval were co-sponsored by Reps. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and James McGovern (D-Mass.).
and
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HRW calls on Biden to stop arms sales to Saudi, UAE
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the administration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday to stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in order to have a positive impact on the situation in Yemen.
The organisation stated in a report published on its website: "The parties to the armed conflict in Yemen have continued to violate the laws of war over the past year, including committing what appear to be new war crimes."
The report quoted Afrah Nasser, a researcher on Yemen at HRW, stating: "Years of violations have shown that parties to the conflict in Yemen have no incentive to stop their violations, without a real possibility of holding them accountable."
"The concerned governments should publicly support calls for international accountability measures," the researcher added.
The report continued: "The Biden administration has the opportunity to make a positive impact in Yemen by stopping arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, at least until stopping unlawful attacks and conducting a credible investigation into previous violations."
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210116-hrw-calls-on-biden-to-stop-arms-sales-to-saudi-uae/
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Pompeo Aggressive Policy at Work Until His Last Breath in Trump's Administration
In the last moments, and a few days before leaving his post, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decided to present his last gift to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which was announcing that "Ansarullah" is on the list of terrorism.
This decision is not new. Last November, the Foreign Policy newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying that "the Trump administration has been thinking about it for a while, but Pompeo wants this fast track." The newspaper added that this step appeared to be part of a broader effort, by the White House and Pompeo, to increase pressure on Iran and its allies in the Middle East.
Pompeo considered satisfying Saudi Arabia and the UAE one of his priorities. He fulfilled all their demands, and likewise he did with "Israel". He appointed himself the godfather of reconciliations, using his unlimited support for Israel in order to satisfy the US evangelical base, to fulfill his future dreams represented by announcing his candidacy for the presidential elections in 2024, according to what was announced in 2019 that "it is not excluded that he will run for the US presidential elections someday in the future."
Moreover, Pompeo had previously refused to support an investigation into Washington’s arms sale to Riyadh, initiated byFormer Inspector General of the Department of State, Steven Alan Linick, who was subsequently removed from his post.
Pompeo is also trying to block the way for US President-elect Joe Biden, after the latter received a petition signed by about 80 American organizations, calling on him to end the war on Yemen as soon as possible. The petition included anti-war bodies, human rights committees, and religious groups, reminding him of his previous pledges to put an end to war.
(A P)
TWITTER'S YEMEN CENSORSHIP!! The English account for #Yemen's Foreign Office in Sanaa @ForeignYemen has been shut down on Twitter. No explanation has been provided and appeal ignored. Yemen is already besieged in land, sea and air but now online too... #DigitalColonialism (image)
https://twitter.com/Bob_cart124/status/1350102188052402179
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Naming the Street by the Saudi Embassy for Khashoggi is Fitting Symbolism. We Need Policy to Match.
With the inauguration of Joe Biden as president on Jan. 20, the United States has an opportunity to honor Khashoggi’s life in additional substantive methods as nicely. Mr. Biden and lots of of his incoming officers have spoken clearly about the reckless amorality of the crown prince. They can reorient U.S. policy to clarify that no wholesome, regular relationship is potential with Saudi Arabia till it punishes these accountable for Khashoggi’s homicide; frees the ladies’s rights activists and others who’re being held and had been tortured for peaceable protest and expression; stops holding hostage the relations of Saudi dissidents overseas; and ceases its warfare crimes in neighboring Yemen.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jamal-khashoggi-way-saudi-embassy/2021/01/14/ac61e298-568d-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html = https://www.pehalnews.in/opinion-naming-the-street-by-the-saudi-embassy-for-khashoggi-is-fitting-symbolism-we-need-policy-to-match/454534/
(A P)
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in Yemen (via VTC)
I think, though, that given what we’ve just heard, it’s important that I begin by saying the United States remains committed to working with our international partners and the Yemeni government to bring peace and security to Yemen. We must not allow this war to continue indefinitely, and I know the Council fully agrees that this conflict cannot, and must not, become normalized. There’s no military solution to the conflict, and we definitely support all efforts to bring the parties to a political consensus.
I have to say, though, that the U.S. view is that it is sad, but true, that the political process, which has now been ongoing for many years, has produced limited results – despite the heroic efforts of the Special Envoy and his team. That compelled the United States to believe it had to look at additional steps to further the political process, without which, we agree, there will be no resolution in Yemen.
So, as we’ve heard, to that end, Secretary Pompeo on January 10 did announce his intent to designate Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under U.S. law. The Secretary took these actions because Ansarallah engages in terrorist activity, terrorism, including attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure, and commercial activities. Members of this Council, I know, are well aware of these reprehensible acts.
The United States is the largest global humanitarian donor
My comment: The US’ propaganda remarks at UNSC.
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Trump Angers U.S. Allies and Enemies with Foreign Policy Parting Shots
The cascade of developments has angered American allies and enemies, who are awaiting Trump's departure and preparing for a new administration led by President-Elect Joe Biden. But Trump's activities since his election loss look set to hamper Biden's efforts abroad.
One unnamed U.S. official speaking with Foreign Policy described the actions as "fire sale diplomacy."
Sunday's announcement to list the Iran-backed Houthi movement—officially called Ansar Allah—as a terrorist group prompted concern at home and abroad over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, where after years of war more than 10 million people are on the edge of famine, according to the United Nations.
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-angers-us-allies-enemies-foreign-policy-parting-shots-1561158
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Lawsuit threatens $23B weapons sale to UAE
A small, 2-year-old nonprofit think tank has taken a step that most advocacy organizations never dare try: It has sued the U.S. State Department to derail a $23 billion arms sale to the United Arab Emirates.
In a legal claim announced last month, the New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs asserted that the Trump administration failed to provide a reasonable explanation for its decision to sell F-35 fighter jets and other weapons to the UAE, which places it in breach of the Administrative Procedure Act. It has asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to find the sale invalid.
The case is unusual, as is the theory of the case, but so is the Trump administration’s approach to the sale, said Brittany Benowitz, a legal expert on human rights and arms trade.
Such legal challenges rarely succeed, but if this one does, it could halt the deal even if Washington and Abu Dhabi follow through with plans to sign contracts in the waning days of the Trump administration.
“If you can say this deal was executed improperly and the contractor was on notice of that, which they are, then I think you can say it’s possible to stop the sale before delivery,” Benowitz said.
In the U.S., there has not been a successful court case of targeting government-to-government sales in recent years, according to Benowitz. What’s also unusual about the New York Center For Foreign Policy Affairs’ approach is that it doesn’t rely on a human rights argument but rather points to aberrations in the process ― particularly past end-use violations that ought to have have disqualified the UAE, she said.
“There have been court challenges to arms sales in the past on human rights grounds, but this challenge on national security grounds under the Administrative Procedure Act is unprecedented,” she said. “It’s rare because we have never had a record of irregularities like the one we have now.”
By Benowitz’s reckoning, if a finalized deal is invalidated in the courts and it is found that the deal never should have been entered in the first place, its unlikely the U.S. could be penalized financially by the UAE.
“To get a remedy, or damages, under contract law, you have to have ‘clean hands,’ so it would be difficult for the Emiratis to recoup,” she said.
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/01/12/lawsuit-threatens-23b-weapons-sale-to-uae
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New York Says No: End U.S. Support for the War on Yemen
The U.S. has supplied the Saudis with critical material and logistical support throughout the war, such as bombs, targeting assistance, and midair refueling for their bombing runs. Many experts believe the coalition would not be able to continue its operations alone, and that ending U.S. support would effectively end the war.
There is bipartisan support in Washington for doing exactly this. Yet the Trump administration has been a major obstacle to peace in Yemen, blocking legislative efforts like the War Powers Resolution of 2019 (S.J.Res.7) and suppressing findings on the U.S. role in war crimes. With a new administration entering office, we finally have an opportunity to remove U.S. fuel from the flames of this five-year-long conflict.
To: Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY 5th District), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
From: [Your Name]
Representative Gregory Meeks has called for ending U.S. support for the war on Yemen in the past and cosponsored the Yemen War Powers Resolution (H.Con.Res.142) in 2018. As the newly appointed head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, we are asking Representative Meeks to take a leading role in ending all U.S. involvement in the conflict.
We ask that Representative Gregory Meeks, as the new Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/nyc-says-no-end-us-support-for-the-war-on-yemen
(A P)
TPS for Yemen Extended Through September 3, 2021
The Trump administration has recently announced that it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen for another 18 months, taking this designation through September 3, 2021.
This will affect an estimated nearly 1,500 Yemeni TPS holders who are already here in the United States and who arrived before January of 2017.
https://www.nolo.com/legal-updates/tps-for-yemen-extended-through-september-3-2021.html
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Tensions at the Gulf
Siehe / Look at cp1
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With Washington In Chaos, Let’s Steer Clear Of War With Iran
The Trump administration is escalating tensions on its way out and few things could be more foolish.
It is nigh impossible to look away from the chaos in Washington, but U.S.-Iran relations in the waning days of the Trump administration deserve a wary glance.
Official language was similar: “Potential adversaries should understand that no nation on earth is more ready and capable of rapidly deploying additional combat power in the face of any aggression,” said CENTCOM Commander General Frank McKenzie, who described the bomber mission as an exercise in readiness for a conflict “[w]e do not seek.”
But what if this isn’t mere readiness? What if it’s saber-rattling more likely to result in escalation than deterrence? What if it brings that unsought conflict closer? Escalation has been the enduring theme of U.S.-Iran relations during the Trump years, and particularly with turmoil and presidential transition at home, we should not be courting more conflict abroad.
But courting conflict with Iran is exactly what the Trump administration is doing. Beyond the flight missions, a redeployment of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from the Persian Gulf was reversed on Sunday, and Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said he did not know “how long that extension will last.” Other U.S. ships, bristling with missiles, arrived in the region last month, making a deliberate show of force. President Trump reportedly explored options including “a military strike” against Iran in November, and his administration planned a “flood” of new sanctions on Iran before the end of their term.
Iran has responded in turn with new provocations
That very context should be a lesson that pushes us toward greater prudence. U.S.-Iran tensions are as high as they are because the Trump administration capped three years of needless diplomatic rupture and proxy conflict with a killing that easily could have escalated beyond Iran’s retaliatory and nonfatal missile barrage of a U.S. base in Iraq. “If Iran had killed the commander of U.S. Central Command, what would we consider it to be?” asked Douglas Silliman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq from 2016 to 2019, shortly after the Soleimani strike. The answer is obvious, and our brush with open conflict this time last year was far too close.
We are still too close to conflict now, and the U.S. military build-up on Iran’s doorstep makes that conflict more likely, not less.
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US calls Bahrain, UAE ‘major security partners’
The United States called Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates “major security partners” early Saturday, a previously unheard of designation for the two countries home to major American military operations.
A White House statement tied the designation to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalizing ties to Israel, saying it “reflects their extraordinary courage, determination and leadership.” It also noted the two countries long have taken part in U.S. military exercises.
It’s unclear what the designation means for Bahrain, an island kingdom off Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, and the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, while the UAE’s Jebel Ali port is the busiest port of call for American warships outside of the U.S. Bahrain hosts some 5,000 American troops, while the UAE hosts 3,500, many at Al-Dhafra Air Base.
Already, the U.S. uses the designation of “major non-NATO ally” to describe its relationship with Kuwait, which hosts the forward command of U.S. Army Central. That designation grants a country special financial and military considerations for nations not part of NATO. Bahrain also is a non-NATO ally.
(A P)
Scheidende US-Regierung verhängt weitere Sanktionen gegen Iran
Die scheidende US-Regierung hat weitere Sanktionen gegen den Iran verhängt. Betroffen seien zwei dem iranischen Verteidigungsministerium untergeordnete Organisationen - die Marine Industries Organization (MIO) und die Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) - sowie die staatliche Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), teilte US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo am Freitag mit. Sie sollen nach Angaben Pompeos am Verkauf und an der Lieferung von Waffen vom oder an den Iran beteiligt sein. Weitere Sanktionen verhängte die US-Regierung gegen die staatliche iranische Reederei (IRISL) sowie gegen ein chinesisches Unternehmen, das mit der Reederei zusammenarbeiten soll.
https://de.nachrichten.yahoo.com/scheidende-us-regierung-verh%C3%A4ngt-sanktionen-171907935.html
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U.S. imposes fresh sanctions on Iran in final days of Trump presidenc
The United States on Friday imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities as Washington continues to step up pressure on Tehran in the final days of U.S. President Donald Trump's term before it ends Jan. 20, Reuters reported.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in statements said Washington blacklisted seven entities and two individuals in sanctions related to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and Iranian shipping entities, as well as slapping sanctions on Iranian entities for activities related to conventional arms proliferation.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180928
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Iran’s naval drills aim to promote sustainable peace, security: Navy cmdr.
The commander of Iran’s Navy said the main goal of two-day large-scale maneuvers held by the country's naval forces is to promote sustainable peace and security in the region while projecting the power of the Iranian nation and its scientists to extra-regional forces present in the Persian Gulf.
and
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State media: Iran fires cruise missiles during naval drill
and
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Iran tests missiles under apparent watch of US nuclear sub
Iran fired cruise missiles Thursday as part of a naval drill in the Gulf of Oman, state media reported, under surveillance of what appeared to be a U.S. nuclear submarine dispatched to the region amid heightened tensions between the countries.
Helicopter footage of the exercise released by Iran’s navy showed what resembled an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, the USS Georgia, which the U.S. Navy last month said had been sent to the Persian Gulf — a rare announcement aimed at underscoring American military might in the region.
and
(A K P)
Iranian Guard drones in drill mirror those in Saudi attacks
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard conducted a drill Friday that saw “suicide drones” crash into targets and explode, triangle-shaped aircraft that strongly resembled those used in a 2019 attack in Saudi Arabia that temporarily cut the kingdom’s oil production by half.
Iran has long denied launching the attack on the sites of Abqaiq and Khurais while Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels initially claimed the assault.
However, the United States, Saudi Arabia and U.N. experts believe the drones were Iranian
https://apnews.com/article/iran-guard-drones-drill-f418d005cd53c6dd7a479214dab110cc
(A P)
Russia: Iran Pioneer in Fight against Terrorism
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Saturday rejected the US allegations of Iran's link with al Qaeda, saying that the Islamic Republic is a victim of terrorism itself and a pioneer in the fight against terrorism.
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2021/01/16/2433925/russia-iran-pioneer-in-fight-against-terrorism
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Pompeo: “Al-Qaida hat neuen Basisstützpunkt im Iran” – Teheran spricht von Kriegstreiberei
Der scheidende US-Außenminister Pompeo behauptet wenige Tage vor seinem Abgang, Iran sei der neue Basisstützpunkt der Terrororganisation al-Qaida. Der iranische Außenminister Sarif nennt Pompeos Äußerung “kriegstreiberische Lügen”, auf die niemand mehr hereinfalle.
US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo behauptet, die islamistische Terrororganisation al-Qaida habe im Iran einen neuen Basisstützpunkt errichtet. Beweise dafür legte er jedoch nicht vor.
“Wir müssen das zur Kenntnis nehmen, wie müssen dem entgegentreten (…) wir müssen es vernichten”, sagte Pompeo am Dienstag in einer Pressekonferenz. “Wir ignorieren diese Iran-al-Qaida-Verbindung auf eigene Gefahr”, fügte er hinzu…
Der US-Außenminister bezeichnete den Iran zudem als eine “perfekte Wahl” für das mutmaßliche neue Versteck der Terroristen. Er fügte hinzu, dass einige al-Qaida-Agenten schon seit Jahrzehnten Verbindungen innerhalb des Landes unterhielten…
https://de.rt.com/international/111700-pompeo-al-qaida-hat-neuen/
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Pompeo’s Iran/al-Qaeda delusion
With just days left for the Trump administration, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared this week that Iran is the “new home base” for al-Qaeda and announced an additional round of sanctions on the country. Pompeo accused the nation of harboring and supporting the terrorist group’s forces, claiming it operated “under the hard shell of the Iranian regime’s protection”. The incoherence and hypocrisy of these claims, which were supported by no evidence, are laid bare upon basic examination of the history of al-Qaeda in relation to both the United States and Iran.
The United States and al-Qaeda: Not always enemies
Al-Qaeda’s very existence is intrinsically connected to U.S. foreign policy. Founded in the late 1980s, al-Qaeda emerged in Afghanistan amid the war against the Afghan socialist government and their Soviet allies. To combat the emergent socialist government’s land reforms and progressive policies, the CIA began funding and arming groups of religious fundamentalists and disgruntled landlords, which included the drafting of religious extremists from neighboring regions to fight in what would become known as the Mujahideen forces.
Iran an arch-enemy of al-Qaeda
Iran, on the other hand, has been active in fighting against al-Qaeda and its offshoot, the so-called Islamic State, for years. Al-Qaeda emerged in Iraq following the 2003 U.S. invasion of the country and subsequent divide-and-rule colonial occupation designed to foster deep sectarian tensions. Instead of fighting the United States, al-Qaeda in Iraq spent much of its energy fighting against allies of Iran that were resisting the occupation.
Mohammed Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, told Liberation News, “It seems that Pompeo is trying to gather support from neoconservatives and Zionists for [the election in] 2024”. Marandi also pointed out that “Biden’s incoming National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan wrote to Clinton on Feb 12, 2012 that al-Qaeda is on the same side with the U.S. in Syria. So it’s clear the real link is between the U.S. and al-Qaeda”.
Not only do these latest accusations reflect the United States’ denial of its own role in creating al-Qaeda, but these flailing last attempts by the Trump administration also reveal its undying commitment towards war-mongering against Iran.
https://www.liberationnews.org/pompeos-iran-al-qaeda-delusion/
(A P)
Iran’s precondition for US to return to JCPOA tangible sanctions relief, not empty signatures: Zarif
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says -- as per Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s assertion -- Iran has to effectively feel the results of any potential sanctions relief from the United States, not merely a toothless signature, in case Washington decided to return to its obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement.
(A P)
U.S. imposes new sanctions on Iranian foundations in last days of Trump term
The United States on Wednesday blacklisted two Iranian foundations controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and their subsidies, saying the institutions enabled Iran’s elite to sustain a “corrupt” system of ownership over large parts of the economy.
The designations announced by the U.S. Treasury Department target Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) and Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), their leaders and subsidies. They are the latest action to reinforce the “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran pursued by President Donald Trump’s administration.
(A P)
UN watchdog confirms another Iranian breach of nuclear deal
The United Nations’ atomic watchdog agency confirmed Thursday that Iran has informed it the country has begun installing equipment for the production of uranium metal, which would be another violation of the 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers.
Iran maintains its plans to conduct research and development on uranium metal production are part of its “declared aim to design an improved type of fuel,” the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency said.
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Iran Is Assembling Gear Able to Produce Key Nuclear-Weapons Material
Tehran has taken a new step toward possible atomic-weapons production, U.N. inspectors said
Iran has taken a new step toward possible atomic-weapons production by starting work on an assembly line to manufacture a key material at the core of nuclear warheads, United Nations inspectors said in a confidential report, raising the stakes in Tehran’s standoff with Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration
The International Atomic Energy Agency, in a report for member states viewed Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal, said Iran told the watchdog that it would install equipment to produce uranium metal at a site in Isfahan over the next four to five months. Uranium metal can be used to build the core of a nuclear weapon.
The IAEA said that in January 2019, Iran informed the agency it intended to produce more advanced fuel for its Tehran Research Reactor. After being repeatedly pressed by the agency, it set out a plan in mid-December saying it would make uranium metal to make an advanced fuel for the Tehran reactor.
Iran hasn’t made uranium metal so far, senior Western officials said. The IAEA said Tehran had given it no timeline for when it would do so.
Still, the development brings Iran closer to crossing the line between nuclear operations with a potential civilian use, such as enriching nuclear fuel for power-generating reactors, and nuclear-weapons work, something it has long denied ever carrying out.
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
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Taking swift action on the economy, humanitarian funding and humanitarian access in Yemen
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on Yemen
I want to be clear that the United Kingdom strongly condemns the appalling attack in Aden on the 30th of December. The deaths and wounding of so many civilians and the targeting of the newly formed cabinet is unacceptable. Amongst the dead was a deputy minister, three members of the International Red Cross and a journalist who was there to document a positive moment. Our condolences to all of their families.
The UK assesses that it is highly likely that the Houthis were responsible for this cowardly and craven attack.
The Houthi attack casts a dark shadow over a group who claims to be committed to pursuing peace in Yemen.
We’ve taken note of the US decision to designate the Houthis and welcome the US commitment to work with the UN, with NGOs, and donors on implementation.
As we’ve heard, too, rapid economic decline is driving this crisis, compounded by severe humanitarian access constraints, particularly in the Houthi-controlled north. Aid and humanitarian workers must be able to reach those in need and do so safely.
Swift action is needed now - before it’s too late - on the economy, humanitarian funding, and humanitarian access in order to avert catastrophe in 2021.
My comment: Another hypocritical PR statement by a government which had supported slaughter and destruction in Yemen by many means. It’s just blaiming the Houthis, saying nothing about the saudis, just “taking notice” of the horrible US policy all UN officials had rejected and warned of, miming care for humanitarian needs.
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
(* B K P)
Audio: Ramstein, Drohnen, der Krieg im Jemen & Das Recht auf Leben im Ausland lebender Ausländer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YV26-zf7RI
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
(A K P)
Verbot in Saudiarabien: Etappensieg für «Pilatus»
Welche Interessen sind höher zu gewichten – eine Heraushaltung aus dem Krieg in Jemen oder Arbeitsplätze und der Technologiestandort Schweiz? Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht hat entschieden
Das Eidgenössische Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA) hätte den Pilatus-Werken in Stans nicht ohne eine vorgängige Konsultation des Bundesrats Wartungsleistungen in Saudiarabien und den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten verbieten dürfen. Dies hat das Bundesverwaltungsgericht entschieden.
Beim Erlass des Verbots hat das EDA gemäss einem am Freitag veröffentlichten Urteil des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts verkannt, dass auch das öffentliche Interesse an der Wahrung der Unabhängigkeit der Schweiz und deren Wohlfahrt hätte berücksichtigt werden müssen.
Die Pilatus Flugzeugwerke in Stans seien ein wichtiger Arbeitgeber in der Innerschweiz. Zudem gehöre das Unternehmen wegen seines Wissens und seiner Kapazitäten im Flugzeugbau zur Technologie- und Industriebasis der Schweiz.
Stehen hohe Staatsinteressen auf dem Spiel, können für Tätigkeiten, die laut dem Bundesgesetz über im Ausland erbrachte private Sicherheitsdienstleistungen (BPS) verboten sind, ausnahmsweise bewilligt werden. Das Gesetz sieht eine entsprechende Ausnahmeregelung vor. Die Bewilligung muss durch den Bundesrat erteilt werden.
https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/verbot-in-saudiarabien-etappensieg-fuer-pilatus-260430976296
Mein Kommentar: Stark. Das ist Realpolitik – wenn es mir nützt, ist der Tod anderer in Kauf zu nehmen. Das ist die Logik des Gerichts.
(A P)
France envoy to UN: Yemen: the much-needed political process and humanitarian response are under threat
We are very concerned by the worsening situation in Yemen, that was already catastrophic. The much-needed political process and humanitarian response are under threat.
France strongly condemns the attack on December 30 in Aden against the new government of Yemen, to which we express our full support, attack which caused the death of more than twenty civilians.
We therefore urge all parties, in particular the Houthis, to renounce the escalation of violence, to move on from the military approach and to engage in good faith in direct talks under the leadership of Special Envoy Martin Griffiths
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, as Mark Lowcock and David Beasley have aptly described. With each passing day, the famine is becoming an even more implacable reality for many Yemenis.
In this context, the parties must ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. In this regard, we are extremely concerned about the serious humanitarian consequences that could result from the recent U.S. decisions.
My comment: More hypocrisy by one of the main supportes of the Yemen war.
(A P)
India urges all Yemeni parties to work towards inclusive, peacefully negotiated settlement of conflict
(* B K P)
Why Does Saudi Media Promote Israeli Fears of Iranian Attacks Coming from Yemen?
The Saudi newspaper "Elaph" hosted two officials in the Israeli military establishment, the Israeli army spokesman, Hidai Zilberman, and the official of the political and security department at the Israeli Defense Ministry, Zohar Palti, to talk about Iranian threats to their country from Iraq and Yemen, and fears of developing drones and smart missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv in both countries, within a month.
In both meetings, these officials say that their forces are ready to respond to these threats, which they considered a common threat to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel, as Iran is the common enemy that Israel is fighting in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE are fighting in Yemen.
Israeli officials did not conceal the presence of their forces in Yemen, as the official of the political and security department of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Zohar Palti, confirmed that the Israeli F-15, F-16, F-35 warplanes and other weapons, reached everywhere, and reached farther than Yemen, in a clear reference to Israel's participation in the Saudi-led war on Yemen, not only by intelligence, but also militarily, through its warplanes.
Observers believe that there are Israeli preparations for a greater presence in Yemen after their important allies, as Zohar Balti described, granted them the right to military presence on the Yemeni coasts and islands, including the island of "Socotra".
According to observers, Saudi Arabia today aspires the Israeli participation in its war, and views it as the hand that will pull it out of the quagmire in which it sinks in Yemen. That is why it promoted the Israeli concerns in its media to legitimize any upcoming Israeli military move in Yemen.
Israel, which for decades has been dreaming of finding a foothold in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, sees that the opportunity comes after its Arab allies granted it the right to exist in Yemen.
(* B P)
Israel seeks to limit Biden criticism of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt
Israel is lobbying the incoming Joe Biden administration to hold back on confronting the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt over human rights issues and the ongoing war in Yemen, a recent media report has claimed.
Israel fear that US harsh criticism of Gulf states' human rights records and their bloody role in the war in Yemen could affect regional efforts to counter Iranian influence.
Cooperation with Gulf countries and Egypt is central to Israel's security ambitions in the region, which is aimed primarily at countering Iran.
The Israeli official claimed that the recent normalisation agreements with Arab states have allowed them to encourage Saudi Arabia and Egypt to improve their human rights records, although there is no proof to back up this.
Israel also has no official relations with Saudi Arabia.
The official warned that if relations deteriorate between Riyadh, Cairo and Washington, it could lead to a pivot towards Russia and China.
The issue of human rights was a tenet of Biden's foreign policy ambitions and throughout his election campaign was critical of Saudi Arabia, and in particular, its role in the devastating war in Yemen.
Following Biden's electoral victory, former US Ambassador to Tel Aviv, Martin Indyk, highlighted the unease at which Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia view the policies of the incoming president.
"When they look at Joe Biden they don't see him as the incoming president, but as Barack Obama's Vice-President. And they had a real problem with Obama's policy," he told the US think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2021/1/14/israel-to-push-biden-to-limit-criticism-of-uae
cp12a Katar-Krise / Qatar crisis
Saudi to reopen Qatar embassy in coming days - Saudi minister
Saudi Arabia expects to re-open its embassy in Qatar in the coming days, Saudi’s foreign minister said on Saturday, following a U.S.-backed detente last week in a three-year-old dispute between Arab states.
It is just a matter of logistics, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan told journalists in Riyadh when asked about embassy reopenings.
cp12b Sudan
(A P)
President of South Sudan offers mediation to solve difference between Khartoum and Addis Ababa
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180764
(A P)
Sudanese protesters rally, demand detention centers closed
Dozens of Sudanese rallied in the capital, Khartoum, on Thursday to demand the closure of illegal detention centers following the alleged torturing and killing of a man by a paramilitary force whose members once formed the backbone of a militia accused of war crimes in Darfur.
https://apnews.com/article/sudan-cairo-khartoum-crime-war-crimes-3281df341be5b79649fa653af1d3aa07
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe / Look at cp9, cp12
cp13d Wirtschaft / Economy
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* A E P)
Central Bank of Aden takes emergency measures as Yemeni riyal value plummets
The Central Bank in Aden, southern Yemen, has on Wednesday directed the Money Exchange Association to close all exchange shops, starting Thursday.
The move comes after the recent rapid collapse of the Yemeni riyal value compared to foreign currencies.
Informed sources said that the decision is an attempt by the bank to save the currency, after it collapsed again in light of the complete inability of the Saudi-backed Hadi’s government to address the financial situation.
It is noteworthy that the dollar exchange rate crossed the 800 riyal barrier per dollar during the past hours.
(A E P)
Exchange firms closure triggers protests in Yemen's Aden
Exchange firms on Wednesday closed in the Yemeni southern port city of Aden and other provinces under the official government's control following a decline in the national currency, sparking angry protests.
The Aden-based Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) asked all exchangers to close as of Wednesday, in a bid to curb the rapid depreciation of the Yemeni rial that decreased to 779 for one US dollar.
The rial saw relative recovery following the new government's arrival in Aden on 30 December.
The exchange firms closure led fury protestors to block streets and set fire since they are paid their salaries vie these agencies.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22447.html
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
(B T)
Thabat's #Yemen data (68 ops) differs from formal #AQAP claims. It undercounts Jan-June & overcounts July-Dec. Possible explanations -Weak AQAP comms fail to record all ops -AQAP disowned some local splinters -Distinguishing who is/isn’t AQAP is hard -Thabat methods are sloppy
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/1349731688042045441
(B T)
Film: Here is AlQaeda leader #Yemen saying that they worked with #US #UK backed forces #Yemen. This is an open secret
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1349726884146409472
cp15 Propaganda
(A P)
Muslim Brotherhood adopts disruptive strategy in Yemen
Reconciliation between Qatar and four boycotting Arab countries has not yet been reflected in the Yemeni file.
Another Arab coalition camp in the Balhaf area of Shabwa was hit by a similar attack, in conjunction with a media campaign against coalition forces.
Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated governor Muhammad bin Adiu took part in the media campaign as news broke that he was slated to be replaced, in line with the political part of the Riyadh Agreement.
The agreement also includes the withdrawal of Muslim Brotherhood groups from the governorates of Shabwa, Abyan and Hadramout.
Informed sources revealed to The Arab Weekly that coalition camps had been targeted in attacks similar to those against the coalition’s military committee’s headquarters in the Shakra area of Abyan, which monitored the truce and supervised the redeployment of government forces and STC fighters.
The sources said that the Giants Brigades in southern Yemen are taking over positions in former battlefronts, in light of the stability of the military and security situation following the announcement that a government would be formed from the Riyadh Agreement.
However, parties, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Qatar-backed camp are continuing to push back by holding armed meetings in the region of Qarn Al-Kallasi, near Shaqra, aimed at challenging coalition forces and demanding their departure from Abyan.
Informed sources revealed to The Arab Weekly that the suspicious military activities are being carried out by Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated forces funded by Doha in the Tor Al-Bahah area in Lahj, north of Aden, where elements of the forces of the so-called Popular Mobilisation Forces in Taiz have been mobilised to join new military formations, as Taiz faces relentless attacks from the Houthis.
https://thearabweekly.com/muslim-brotherhood-adopts-disruptive-strategy-yemen
My comment: Pro-separatist propaganda against Islah Party (labeled “Muslim Brotherhood”).
(A P)
Int’l community halted Hodeidah operation ‘using same pretexts’ of today: Presidential advisor
Presidential advisor Abdulmalik al-Mikhlafi said the international community stopped the government’s efforts to liberate Hodeidah some years ago using the same pretexts and argument that the UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock and UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths used in the Security Council’s session today.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44503
(A P)
The conspirators’ resolve is so strong: Houthi terror designation will be revoked
I am not a prophet of gloom and doom. But we as Yemenis know what prolonged the conflict and expanded the Shia Houthi militia’s control in our country: The conspiracy of the United Nations and a broad section of the western media outlets and think-tanks.
These conspirators, known for their strong resolve, always turned a blind eye to the Houthi terrorism for six years, for all the magnitude of the terrorism. They instead used the consequences of the “humanitarian crisis” which Houthis triggered as a tool of pressure to stop the army’s advance in Houthi-held cities, shake the legitimate army’s defense of its held cities, scale back the aerial attacks on Houthi targets, expand the Houthi control, provide all sorts of financial and technical support to them, help them expand and consolidate their rule, and finally legitimize them in effect as the de facto authority.
So it is no surprise that the UN Special Envoy, other UN officials and many western media platforms rose up in a united voice condemning the designation. The picture of the conspiracy, however, becomes clear when one sees an odd polarization the US State Department’s designation caused
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44502
(A P)
Biden Doesn’t Need a New Middle East Policy
The Trump Administration Got the Region Right
As with the past eight U.S. presidents, much of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy was dominated by the broader Middle East. Despite talk of ending “forever wars” and pivoting to Asia, core national interests have repeatedly drawn the United States back to the region.
THE IRANIAN CHALLENGE
The task of containing Iran put the Trump administration’s new paradigm to the test. Trump believed that the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement brokered by the Obama administration was a bad deal; its duration was limited, and regional allies complained that it failed to address Iran’s destabilizing behavior. Eventually, after seeking tougher terms from Iran for 18 months, the United States left the agreement. Although Tehran retaliated by rapidly increasing its enrichment activity, it did not leave the agreement entirely.
Despite rhetoric to the contrary, the administration’s subsequent policy was not regime change, although some policymakers eyed that possibility. Instead, Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign was designed to compel Iran to negotiate a broader deal that encompassed its nuclear activities, missile program, and regional behavior. U.S. policy had a real effect on both the Iranian economy and its regional adventurism. Although Tehran continued to smuggle oil and gas out of the country at discount prices, sanctions limited the financial assistance it could provide to its allies in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. Neither China nor Russia was willing to bail Iran out, and the Europeans could do little to retaliate, despite their opposition.
Although the administration’s opponents argued that Iran would never make expansive concessions, Trump’s demands differed little from those of the early Obama administration. In both cases, they were maximalist initial negotiating positions. Trump, like Obama, wanted to negotiate a deal, but with a fundamental difference: Trump’s central priority was to deter Iran’s regional adventurism and limit its nuclear capabilities as much as possible—regardless of diplomatic limitations. If a deal was possible within those parameters, then so be it.
A MODEL FOR THE FUTURE
Over the last four years, the Trump administration scored two major successes in the Middle East—the Abraham Accords and the destruction of ISIS’s territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria. It also managed to counter Russia’s further expansion in Syria and elsewhere, grasp Iran’s enduring and multifaceted threat to regional stability, and mobilize a coalition to counter Tehran’s malign behavior. Although Trump did not solve the Iranian nuclear challenge, neither did Obama. The original nuclear agreement’s limits on unrestricted Iranian enrichment would have faded rapidly in just over five years.
By recent Middle East standards all this together is a respectable policy outcome. Trump managed to reduce direct U.S. commitments and expenses, all while working closely with regional allies. Still, it may be difficult for the next administration to maintain that approach while refocusing on the Iran nuclear deal. At present, many regional allies want continued U.S. pressure on Iran’s economy and regional adventurism more than an immediate return to the deal. Biden will need to balance those priorities carefully – by James F. Jeffrey
My comment: No, there are no US “core national interests” in the Middle East, Just another US nneocon article taking US worldwide hegemony and claimed “interests” for granted. Look who the author is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Franklin_Jeffrey
(A P)
Yemeni Government: Riyadh Agreement is A Model to Be Followed for Achieving Peace
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180885
(A P)
Terrorist Houthi militia responsible for Yemen humanitarian crisis: State Department
The United States recently designated Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia as a terrorist organization, a move criticized by the United Nations as having the potential to impact innocent civilians.
Officials in Washington will not budge, but they will ensure that needed caveats are put in place for humanitarian aid to continue to flow to the most vulnerable in Yemen
On Thursday, UN Yemen mediator Martin Griffiths, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock and UN food chief David Beasley issued their warnings during a Security Council meeting on Yemen. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres backed the call by his officials for Washington to reverse the designation, a UN spokesman said.
Asked for comment, a State Department spokesperson said that the US continued to support the UN Special Envoy’s efforts, “but we recognize that his efforts have been at an impasse for some time due in large part to Ansarallah’s refusal to engage with him productively.”
Pompeo said the designations were intended to advance efforts to achieve a peaceful, sovereign, and united Yemen free from Iranian interference and at peace with its neighbors.
As for the years-long Yemen war, Pompeo voiced frustration with the “those responsible for obstructing peace” and calling for them to be held “accountable for their actions.”
Yemen’s Houthis continue to attack Saudi Arabia with rockets and missiles on a near-daily basis. The militia is trained, armed and funded by Iran
My remark: As the Saudis tell the story.
(A P)
Yemen
The Yemen war presented the Trump administration with few good options. Withdrawing U.S. support would have meant abandoning one of America’s most important Middle Eastern partners and risking the consolidation on Saudi Arabia’s doorstep of a Houthi proto-state beholden to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones – in essence, another Lebanese Hezbollah. Supporting the Saudis, however, meant U.S. complicity in the kingdom’s inept prosecution of a costly and messy war that has resulted in large numbers of civilian casualties, widespread humanitarian suffering, and the increasing erosion of congressional support for Saudi Arabia and the U.S.-Saudi partnership.
For all its downsides, Trump’s willingness to stand by the Saudis built trust with the kingdom and contributed to Riyadh’s willingness to advance his policies in other important areas, including support for the historic peace treaties that its two Gulf neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed with Israel in September 2020.
Unfortunately, Trump’s public handling of the issue made matters worse. Rather than focus on the threat posed to U.S. interests and values by Iranian and Houthi aggression, massive human rights abuses, war crimes, anti-Americanism, and anti-Semitism, Trump tended to explain his approach in purely transactional terms, repeatedly citing the fact that the Saudis spent billions of dollars on U.S. weapons.
Recommendations
Intensify U.S. diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire and political settlement.
Take seriously congressional concerns with the war and Saudi behavior, without abandoning Yemen to Iran or sabotaging the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The Biden administration needs to work closely with Congress to recalibrate U.S. strategy. It should highlight the threats posed to critical U.S. interests by Iran and the Houthis, and the importance of the United States serving as a reliable ally that stands by longtime partners like the Saudis in containing Iranian imperialism. The administration should also emphasize Saudi Arabia’s genuine interest in ending the war and promoting U.S. diplomacy to support a political settlement.
Increase efforts to improve Saudi targeting and reduce civilian casualties. Though progress on this front has been woeful, the effort should continue. The shortcomings of the current U.S. program should be evaluated and necessary changes made to improve its effectiveness. The White House and U.S. military leaders should send a strong and consistent message to Saudi leadership that their efforts to prevent civilian casualties need dramatic improvement.
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2021/01/14/yemen/
My comment: A typical neocon viewpoint taking US worldwide hegemony for granted. Recommendation; Stand by Saudi Arabia and support the air raids going on.
(A P)
Saudi minister denounces in Moscow Iran's "interventions" in Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday denounced Iran’s “interventions” in the Middle East region, after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
My comment: By a country which leads a desastrous war (Yemen) and fueled others (Syria, Libya) this is ridiculous.
(A P)
Houthis prevent UN envoy from visiting Sanaa, says [Hadi gov.] Yemeni official
An advisor to Yemen's president on Wednesday said the Houthi group is preventing the UN envoy Martin Griffiths from visiting Sanaa.
Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi also revealed that the group attempted to assassinate the former UN envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed in May 2017.
The UN and the EU know about the attempted assassination of the former UN envoy and preventing Griffiths from visiting Sanaa, he wrote on Twitter.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22458.html
(A P)
Iran’s man in Yemen is a high-ranking IRGC officer
This is a new phase in Iranian activity after the assassination of Soleimani: Iran stepping up control of northern Yemen with the close supervision of its new “ambassador,” who specializes in manufacturing and launching ballistic and anti-aircraft missiles. His presence and activities in northern Yemen pose a danger to Saudi Arabia and Israel, which resulted in the Trump administration announcing in Dec. 2020 the inclusion of Irlu on the list of international terrorist operatives.
https://www.jns.org/irans-man-in-yemen-is-a-high-ranking-irgc-officer/
(A P)
Afraid of Houthi terrorists, social media users hesitate to share graphic contents
Since Houthis control Yemen’s telecommunication network and population centers, Yemeni social media users usually avoid sharing graphic videos or images of violence attributed to the theocratic terrorist militia. The online activists don’t dare to post the media content that reveal Houthi terrorist acts public on their Facebook or twitter.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44482
(A P)
Albukhaiti: Intl Crisis Group’s report on Houthi Terror Designation is shockingly unprofessional
“The @CrisisGroup’s report that calls on @JoeBiden to reverse Houthi terror designation is so shockingly unprofessional that I thought it was a statement released by #Houthis. This shows how CSOs and research centers are shamefully biased. the Group failed to prove that #Houthi 1.”
“militia is not a terrorist organization. It focuses its claim on consequences civilians will face & at the same time says the U.S. administration can take mitigating steps to avoid the suffering of civilians, which means the designation can remain effective, given the fact that 2.”
“#Houthis do commit terrorist acts, such as blowing up homes. However, the @CrisisGroup’s main focus is on reversing the designation of Houthis as a terrorist group, not on how to avoid the suffering of people. The report has exposed the effect of friendships that Houthis have 3.”
“with members of the Int’l Crisis Group. They shouldn’t have called on @JoeBiden to reverse #Houthi terror designation. They should’ve only called for steps to avoid the consequences of the designation, which #Houthis deserve for being the reason for the suffering of Yemenis 4.”
“This is a blatant, rude intervention in political matters as they could not deny the Houthis are terrorists. It seems the @CrisisGroup sees Yemenis as if they were a group of animals that deserve to be ruled by an ignorant, reactionary group, like the #Houthis. 5.”
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/26826
Film: https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1349521473615126528
(A P)
Sec. Pompeo: The #MaximumPressure campaign extended far beyond Iran. We fought Tehran's malign influence all over the region, from Afghanistan to Yemen. (image)
https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1349446121463156739
Comments: https://twitter.com/mamashami/status/1349469713995362305
https://twitter.com/mamashami/status/1349477151993700355
(A P)
IRAN VERWENDET WEITERENTWICKELTE “SELBSTMRDDROHNEN” IN JEMEN -BERICHT
Der Iran habe seinen Verbündeten im Jemen, den Huthis (Ansar Allah), fortschrittliche „Selbstmorddrohnen“ geschickt, berichtete Newsweek am 14. Januar.
Dem Bericht zufolge wurden die Drohnen, die als „Shahed-136“ identifiziert wurden, in der nördlichen Provinz al-Jawf eingesetzt. Die Provinz liegt direkt an der Grenze zu Saudi-Arabien.
Ein namentlich nicht genannter Militärexperte, der die iranischen Aktivitäten in der Region verfolgt, erklärte gegenüber Newsweek, dass die Selbstmorddrohnen eine Reichweite von 2.000 bis 2.200 Kilometern haben.
“Sie (der Iran) setzen diese Drohnen vorwärts positionieren ein, um Angriffe gegen eine Vielzahl von Zielen zu starten, die sie in Reichweite haben”, sagte der Experte gegenüber Newsweek. “Was sie erreichen wollen, ist plausibel leugnen zu können, da sie in der Lage sind, entweder US-Ziele iin der Region, Saudi-Arabiens, des Golfs oder Israels zu treffen, den Angriff dann auf den Jemen zurückführen zu lassen um auf diese Art vor Vergeltungsangriffen geschützt zu sein.”
Ähnliche Selbstmorddrohnen wurden zuvor von den Huthis im Jemen eingesetzt. Dennoch wurde dieses spezielle Modell, “Shahed-136”, im Iran noch nicht entdeckt.
https://de.southfront.org/iran-verwendet-weiterentwickelte-selbstmrddrohnen-in-jemen-bericht/
(A P)
Exclusive: Iran Positions 'Suicide Drones' in Yemen As Red Sea Tensions Rise
Iran appears to have sent deadly drones to its allies in Yemen as Middle East tensions heat up across the Red Sea, another major flashpoint where rival forces operate, Newsweek has learned.
Imagery seen by Newsweek and confirmed by an expert who follows Iranian activities in the region indicate the presence of Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munitions, also called "suicide drones," deployed to the northern Yemeni province of Al-Jawf, an area of the country controlled by the Ansar Allah, or Houthi, Zaidi Shiite Muslim rebel movement.
"The Iranians have delivered to their Houthi proxies in Yemen advanced UAVs," the expert, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Newsweek. "They are forward deploying or prepositioning these drones in order to stage an attack against a variety of targets they have within range."
The unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are weapons assessed to have an effective range of 2,000 to 2,200 kilometers, or roughly 1,240 to 1,370 miles, drawing a massive radius across the region in which a potential attack is suspected to be in the works.
"What they're trying to achieve is plausible deniability," the expert said, "as in being able to strike either a U.S., Saudi, Gulf, or Israeli target and then having the strike traced back to Yemen, and hoping for deniably against any kind of retribution."
The latest developments come amid an apparent spike in Red Sea activity, where Iran's top general, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, revealed Wednesday he was to send warships to patrol.
"We are once again in the region of the Red Sea, where the Islamic Republic's merchant vessels have faced some limited aggression in recent times," Bagheri said. "We will deploy our naval patrol and establish full security for our oil and commercial fleet in that sea."
https://www.newsweek.com/iran-suicide-drones-yemen-red-sea-tensions-1561395?piano_t=1
My comment: Whatever this is: It’s an attempt to inflate the various Middle East conflicts, taking an anonymous “expert”, who (exactly when outgoing Sec. Pompeo once again tries to heat these conflicts) triggers US and Israel by a claim of Iranian 2000-miles-missiles in Yemen.
(A P)
Yemenis Relieved by US Blacklisting of Houthis
Washington’s decision to blacklist the Iran-backed Houthi group as a terrorist organization has brought about widespread relief in Yemen, with many urging the government in the country to invest the label in restoring power to legitimate state institutions.
Yemeni politicians, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, have stressed the significance of the designation, adding that the Yemeni government must do the political work needed to get other countries to follow suit.
This will succeed in isolating Houthi militias and forcing them to comply with peace efforts, they argued.
“This firm American step was widely welcomed by Yemenis and ordinary citizens who are eager to be liberated from the Houthi group which has turned their lives into a living hell,” said Ibb province’s first deputy governor, Muhammad Abdul Wahid Aldaam.
Aldaam relayed the frustration being felt across the country over the Houthis’ aggressive attempts to destroy the traditional Arab Yemeni identity, citing popular discontent towards Houthis playing the Iranian national anthem at most of their rallies and events.
“The government must change the way it deals with Houthis now that they have become criminals in the eyes of the most powerful country in the world,” Aldaam emphasized, adding that authorities must not be deluded by weak arguments made by suspicious international organizations.
https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2739026/yemenis-relieved-us-blacklisting-houthis
(A P)
More Saudi coalition „We are benefactors“ propaganda
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180686
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180661
http://en.adenpress.news/news/31989
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
(* A K pH)
Saudi coalition air raids and shelling day by day
Jan. 14: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1912284222255267/
Jan. 13: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1912283435588679/
Jan. 12: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1912282902255399/
Jan. 11: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1912282288922127/
(A K pH)
More Saudi coalition air raids
https://english.almasirah.net/post/17217/US-Saudi-Aggression-s-Daily-Update-for-Friday%2C-Jan-15%2C-2021 Hajjah p., Marib p., Saada p.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3124462.htm Sanaa airport
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3124460.htm Marib p.
https://en.abna24.com/news//saudi-led-coalition-warplanes-target-3-yemeni-provinces_1105856.html / https://english.almasirah.net/post/17193/US-Saudi-Aggression-s-Daily-Update-for-Thursday%2C-Jan-14%2C-2021 / https://english.almasirah.net/post/17194/US-Saudi-Aggression-Launches-Series-of-Raids-on-Sana-a%2C-Marib%2C-Sa-adah%2C-Amran Several prov.
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
Siehe / Look at cp18
Im Jemen herrscht ein militärisches Patt. Eine größere Offensive mit größeren Erfolgen und Geländegewinnen für eine Seite bleiben seit der Offensive der saudischen Koalition gegen Hodeidah im Jahr 2018 aus. Kleinere Offensiven, ständige gegenseitige Angriffe und Gefechte mit Toten auf beiden Seiten und Opfern unter der Zivilbevölkerung gibt es aber ständig. Besonders betroffen sind die Provinzen Hodeidah, Taiz, Al Bayda, Al Dhalea, der Bezirk Nehm in der Provinz Sanaa, die Provinzen Al Jawf, Marib, Hajjah und Saada.
There is a military stalemate in Yemen. A larger offensive with greater successes and territorial gains for one side has been absent since the Saudi coalition's offensive against Hodeidah in 2018. Smaller offensives, constant mutual attacks and skirmishes killing fighters of both sides and causing victims among the civilian population are constant. The provinces of Hodeidah, Taiz, Al Bayda, Al Dhalea, the district of Nehm in the province of Sanaa, the provinces of Al Jawf, Marib, Hajjah and Saada are particularly affected.
(A K pS)
A civilian has been injured by a landmine explosion in Taiz/Alharf 28
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44500
(A K pS)
The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of (3) Bomb-Laden UAVs Launched by the Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia From Hodeida Towards the Kingdom
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2180848
(A K pH)
Seven wounded in Saudi shelling of Saada
https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/01/13/seven-wounded-in-saudi-shelling-of-saada/
(A K pS)
Mines cleared from 7-km-area field in Yemeni Jawf
The [Hadi gov.] Yemeni National Demining Action's (NDA) engineering teams have removed Houthi-planted mines from fields in the northern governorate of Jawf.
The teams removed and defused mines planted in an area of 7 kilometers on the public dusty road in al-Ryan, a part of Khab & Shaaf district in Jawf, NDA director said.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22448.html
(A K pH)
Dozens of aggression mercenaries killed in Marib
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3124522.htm
and also https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/01/15/yemeni-army-scores-new-victory-in-marib-front/
(A K)
Yemeni gov't, Houthis deploy more troops in Marib
https://debriefer.net/en/news-22449.html
(A K pS)
Fighting continues between Houthis and govt forces south Marib
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/26812
(A K pS)
Yemen: Tribal forces take key Houthi supply route in Marib
cp18 Kampf um Hodeidah / Hodeidah battle
Seit dem Abkommen von Stockholm vom 13. Dezember 2018 gibt es einen Waffenstillstand für Hodeidah. Zwar bleiben größere Offensiven aus, kleinere Gefechte gibt es aber laufend, und beide Seiten werfen sich ständig Verstöße gegen den Waffenstillstand vor.
Since the Stockholm Agreement of December 13, 2018, a ceasefire has been in place for Hodeidah. There are no major offensives, but smaller battles are going on and both sides constantly are accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.
(A K pS)
Yemen [= Hadi gov.] says dozens of rebels killed, injured in Hudaydah
There was no comment from Houthi group on report
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/yemen-says-dozens-of-rebels-killed-injured-in-hudaydah/2112209
(A K pS)
A man was killed and another man and his child were injured by Houthi landmine and sniper shooting in Hodeidah./Alsahwa Net
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-44500
(A K pS)
Houthi mines killed two civilians in less than 24 hours in Hays district, south the key port city of Hodeidah
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1349790400916189188
(A K pS)
Man killed by Houthi laid-mine in Hodeidah
http://en.adenpress.news/news/31990
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-22451.html
(A K pH)
Daily violations
cp19 Sonstiges / Other
(A E P)
Ship insurers primed to raise rates after Red Sea attacks
Insurers are set to raise the cost of providing cover for merchant ships through the Red Sea after a series of incidents that have hit vessels around Saudi Arabian waters, industry sources said.
(A H P)
Yemeni Parasitic Twins Arrive in Saudi Arabia
In implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Yemeni parasitic twins arrived at King Salman Airbase today, accompanied by their parents, coming from Mukala, in Hadramout, on a medical air-evacuation plane Saudi Press Agency said.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/31986
and (?)
(A H P)
[Sanaa gov.] Health Ministry: UNICEF agrees to transfer Siamese twins to Jordan
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3124264.htm
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Film: Please take two minutes to visit Beautiful #Yemen from your own home. Yemen is a magical country and I pray that soon, people can visit and learn about its history, culture and people.
https://twitter.com/AishaJumaan/status/1349452256475705344
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-708-yemen-war-mosaic-708
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-708 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-708:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose oder / or http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
Der saudische Luftkrieg im Bild / Saudi aerial war images:
(18 +, Nichts für Sensible!) / (18 +; Graphic!)
http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
http://yemenwarcrimes.blogspot.de/
Liste aller Luftangriffe / and list of all air raids:
http://yemendataproject.org/data/
Untersuchung ausgewählter Luftangriffe durch Bellingcat / Bellingcat investigations of selected air raids:
Untersuchungen von Angriffen, hunderte von Filmen / Investigations of attacks, hundreds of films:
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