Dies ist die Fortsetzung von Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 728, Teil 1 / This is the sequel of Yemen War Mosaic 728, part 1:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-728-yemen-war-mosaic-728
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
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp2a Allgemein: Saudische Blockade / General: Saudi blockade
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
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
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
cp13b Kulturerbe / Cultural heritage
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp17a Kriegsereignisse: Schlacht um Marib / Theater of War: Marib battle
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
(A P)
The Houthi militia are imposing financial extortions against the traders of Yareem./The Arab Network for News.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45794
(A P)
Houthis set up false missiles in neighborhoods to draw Arab airstrikes on civilians
The Houthi militia have set up false missiles in residential places in northern Yemen’s Hajjah province to deceive the Arab Coalition to strike them and cause civilian casualties which the militia want to exploit politically on the international arena.
Human rights sources said Iran-backed militia “is seeking to … draw the warplanes to attack these dummies, made of wood, as military targets.”
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45769
(A P)
Yemeni National Team for Foreign Outreach hosts seminar honouring activists around the world
The so-called National Team for Foreign Outreach has organised a seminar in the capital Sana’a, under the auspices of President Mahdi al-Mashat, discussing the importance of the role played by the activists and free people of the world in exposing the crimes committed by the Saudi-led coalition against Yemen.
During the seminar, Mohammed Saleh al-Nuaimi, a member of the Supreme Political Council, stressed the importance of the role assigned to the activists and free people of the world.
Al-Nuaimi indicated to the efforts being made at the local and external levels to show the oppression of the Yemeni people and expose the crimes of aggression in international forums.
With regard to the results achieved by the National Team for Foreign Outreach, he said the team was able to “confront the Gulf petrodollar, which sought to buy positions and silence the voice of truth in various media.”
(A P)
National Quran Competition Underway in Yemen
The start of the competition coincided with the anniversary of martyrdom of Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a senior Yemeni commander, Saba.net reported.
Some 200 Quran memorizers from different governorates of the country are taking part in the competition.
Organized in separate sections for men and women, it will run for 20 days.
https://iqna.ir/en/news/3474265/national-quran-competition-underway-in-yemen
(A P)
Parliament condemns arbitrary measures against northern people in Aden
The Parliament condemned on Wednesday the arbitrary measures that the people of the northern provinces are subjected to, represented in the looting of commercial stores and the confiscation of the property of street vendors by Hadi's government in Aden province.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132885.htm
and also https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132832.htm
(* A P)
Yemen Huthis voice 'deep regret' over migrant deaths, say 44 killed
Yemen's Huthis expressed "deep regret" Wednesday over the deaths of dozens of migrants in a fire which Human Rights Watch said started when the rebels fired projectiles into a detention centre.
A senior official in the rebel movement, which is locked in a six-year campaign against the internationally recognised government, said that an investigation into the March 7 incident was under way.
"We express our deep regret over the accidental incident at the migrant detention centre in Sanaa," said Huthi official Hussein Al-Azi, according to the rebels' Al-Masirah television.
"The victims are 44 migrants and the wounded are 193, most of whom have gone to hospital, and there is an investigation into the reasons for the incident."
The United Nations called Tuesday for an independent investigation into the blaze, shortly after Human Rights Watch blamed it on "unidentified projectiles" fired by the Huthis.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210317-yemen-huthis-voice-deep-regret-over-migrant-deaths-say-44-killed-1 = https://www.rfi.fr/en/middle-east/20210317-yemen-huthis-voice-deep-regret-over-migrant-deaths-say-44-killed
and also https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56428694
https://thearabweekly.com/yemen-houthis-admit-responsibility-migrant-deaths
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
(A P)
US-Saudi Mercenaries Kidnapped and Killed Child in Marib
A child was killed as a result of being tortured in the prisons of the US-Saudi aggression in Marib governorate.
https://english.almasirah.net/post/18382/US-Saudi-Mercenaries-Kidnapped-and-Killed-Child-in-Marib
and also https://www.saba.ye/en/news3133111.htm
(A P)
STC pauses protests in Yemeni Aden
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Thursday declared suspension of public protests recently seen by the Yemeni interim capital Aden and other southern cities, to allow for the government to handle the situations there.
The Emirati-backed STC agreed with the "southern security and army higher body to pause protests, the STC, which has three seats in the government, said in a statement.
The suspension aims to give the sharing government a chance to find serious, sustainable solutions, particularly payment of salaries, provision of services and reformation of fiscal policies, the statement read.
Earlier on Thursday, the STC acting chairman met with the southern security and army higher body's chairman and other officials to discuss "urgent issues," namely salary payment and service improvement, it added.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23887.html
(A P T)
Yemeni minister unharmed after explosion targets his convoy
Yemen’s internationally recognized government said a Cabinet minister survived an attempt on his life in the southern city of Aden on Thursday, escaping unharmed from an explosion that targeted his convoy.
A government statement said Minister of Civil Service and Insurance Abdel Nasser al-Waly was not harmed, describing the attack as “sinful and terrorist.” It was not known if anyone was hurt in the explosion.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast. Yemen’s new prime minister, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, ordered an investigation.
and also http://en.adenpress.news/news/32499
(A P)
Yemenis protest poor living conditions for second day in Aden
Hundreds of Yemenis took to the streets of the southern port city of Aden for a second day Wednesday to protest poor living conditions and rising prices in the war-torn country.
They marched through the de facto capital, where the internationally recognised government is based, chanting: "With our soul, with our blood, we sacrifice for you, the South."
Some carried flags of the country's southern separatist movement and others flashed the V peace sign, as they gathered near the United Nations office.
Protestors told AFP they were angry over a lack of services and delayed salaries, urging the UN to pressure the government into implementing economic reforms.
"The general situation is bad," Mohammed al-Ataf, a retired officer, told AFP.
"Electricity and services are all cut off. People are suffering and mourning from hunger and distress in their lives."
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210317-yemenis-protest-poor-living-conditions-for-second-day-in-aden = https://www.barrons.com/news/yemenis-protest-poor-living-conditions-for-second-day-in-aden-01615992907?tesla=y
(A P)
Only political, consensual solution can end crisis in Yemen, government official
Advisor to Yemen's president Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi has said only a political, peaceful and consensual solution based on the Gulf Initiative, the outcomes of the national dialogue conference and the UN resolutions can the crisis in Yemen.
Dialogue not armed, chaos or authoritarian groups can bring this solution, he said on Wednesday.
"It seems that those responsible for storming the Al-Maashiq Palace have no goal. They are just exploiting the people's deteriorating living conditions and suffering due to bad basic services to spread chaos," he wrote on Twitter.
Hence, the implementation of the military and security part of the Riyadh agreement is the only guarantee for avoiding more attacks on the presidential palace and for Aden to be a stable capital of Yemen, he said.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23881.html
My comment: And he claims a “peace” based on the Hadi government’s old “three references”, which claim the Houthis must capitulate. And this will not be a “consensual” peace.
(A P)
STC voices support for govt, condemns brutal crackdown on protests
The STC Presidency affirmed its support for the power-sharing government in addressing the deteriorated situation in the country, especially the dramatic collapse of the economy and public service.
The meeting touched on the statement issued by the Saudi foreign ministry and welcomed the Saudi call for meeting in Riyadh with a view to fully implementing the Riyadh Agreement.
They also reviewed the situation in Seiyun of Wadi Hadramout where a number of protesters were seriously injured on Monday, after the Yemeni armed forces of the first military region used live bullets in a bid to disperse them.
The STC expressed its firm condemnation regarding the violent suppression of protests and arbitrary arrests of protesters in Seiyun.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32495
(A P)
SBF: Three drones destroyed in Aden
The [separatist] southern air defense forces shot down in the early hours of Thursday, three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) while flying over the city of Aden, the Security Belt Forces (SBF) said in a tweet without giving further details.
Earlier, the sound of anti-aircraft guns was heard throughout the city of Aden in what is believed to be a bid to target booby-trapped drones fired by the pro-Iran Houthi militia at the seat of government in the southern capital.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32498
and also https://twitter.com/mohammedalqadhi/status/1372314747480182785
and
(A P)
Drone attack on presidential palace, other government, coalition sites foiled in Aden
Four drones flew over the Presidential Palace, Al-Maashiq, the defence ministry and other sites, including the headquarters of Saudi-led forces, in Yemen's interim capital Aden on Wednesday.
Anti-aircraft guns fired on the drones, shooting down one, local sources said, adding that the drones also flew over the Zait port.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23882.html
and
(A K P)
Southern Yemen forces shoot down 'Houthi drones' flying over presidential palace in Aden
Suspected Houthi drones were shot down by pro-Yemeni government forces after appearing briefly above the presidential palace in the de-facto capital Aden on Thursday morning.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) said it also shot down three drones in the Khormaksar district - a hilly area in Aden that was once used as a military base by British forces.
Witnesses told The New Arab’s Arabic language service, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that heavy gunfire was heard in the Sirah district, where the presidential palace is located.
No group claimed responsibility for the drones but activists close to the Yemeni government accused the Houthi group of being behind the operation.
and
(A K P)
Two soldiers and two civilians were injured while shooting fire at a Houthi drone flying over Mualla Seaport in Aden. The injury was caused by the bullets on their descent./Aden Alghad.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45794
and
(A P)
Sound of anti-aircraft guns heard throughout Aden
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32496
(A P)
Saudi calls Riyadh pact parties for urgent meeting over raid into palace
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday strongly condemned the protestors' raid into the presidential palace, and called Yemen's UN-recognized government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) for urgent meeting in Riyadh.
On Tuesday, angry demonstrators stormed into the Yemeni government seat in the Aden-based presidential palace to call for payment of their overdue salaries and improvement of services.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23862.html
and
(A P)
Yemeni gov't hails Saudi statement on palace raid
The Yemeni UN-recognized government on Wednesday welcomed the Saudi statement that condemned the protestors' raid into the presidential palace in Aden, reiterated the Kingdom's support to Yemen's government and highlighted the need to give it full opportunity to serve the Yemeni people amid the ongoing hard conditions.
In a statement carried by the Aden-based Saba, the government expressed gratitude for this stance harmonizing with Saudi efforts to bridge rift, prevent bloodshed, unite Yemeni ranks in the face of Houthi coup, restore the State and maintain Yemen's security and unity.
"Completion of the Riyadh Agreement military part should be given high priority to protect this achievement that was obtained only by Saudi efforts, the statement read.
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23863.html
and
(A P)
STC welcomes Riyadh calls for urgent meeting
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) welcomed the urgent meeting with the Yemeni government in Riyadh called for by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
The STC spokesman, Ali al-Kathiri said in a statement today that the Council highly valued the joint keenness for security stability and decent life in the country.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32489
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-23875.html
and
(A P)
Yemen: Public anger grows as protesters storm the Presidential Palace in Aden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIar9U6AAK8
(A P)
Yemen military court continues prosecution of Houthi leaders
Yemen’s military court held its fourteenth session in the prosecution of Houthi figurehead Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi and other leaders of the Iran-backed militia for various criminal cases lodged against them.
The Marib court is hearing charges against the Houthi leadership for “carrying out a military coup against the republican system and legal and constitutional authorities, spying for a foreign country (Iran) and committing military and war crimes,” state news agency Saba reported.
The session heard testimonies from witnesses.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827396/middle-east
My remark: One of these “ghost” court sessions in absentia, as both sides of the conflict organize them.
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
Siehe / Look at cp 1
(A P)
SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON YEMEN
The Members of the Security Council condemned the escalation in Marib, which places one million internally-displaced persons at grave risk and threatens efforts to secure a political settlement when the international community is increasingly united to end the conflict. They condemned the cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia, and expressed concern about military developments elsewhere in Yemen. They stressed the need for de-escalation by all, including an immediate end to the Houthi escalation in Marib. They condemned the use of child soldiers in Marib.
The Members of the Security Council called for a global ceasefire, as detailed in resolutions 2532 (2020) and 2565 (2021), which would facilitate COVID-19 vaccine distribution. They called on all parties to come together and work with the UN Special Envoy to negotiate, without preconditions, a nationwide ceasefire and a Yemeni-led and owned, inclusive, political settlement, which includes the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women, as well as the participation of youth, in accordance with past resolutions. They expressed concern over the dire economic and humanitarian situation, and emphasised the importance of facilitating humanitarian assistance as well as the movement of fuel ships into Hudaydah port. They expressed concern that a lack of progress in the peace process could be exploited by terrorists in Yemen. They called for accountability for human rights violations and abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law. They reiterated their support for Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity.
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/security-council-press-statement-yemen-3
(* A K P)
No ceasefire in Yemen unless blockade lifted, rebels say
The Saudi-led blockade of Yemen must be lifted before a ceasefire agreement can be reached, a Huthi rebel spokesman has said amid UN calls for an immediate halt to fighting.
"The humanitarian side must be separated from the military one," Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said in an interview broadcast on Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
"We were asked for a comprehensive ceasefire... but the first stage is to open the sea ports and airports, then go towards the process of a strategic ceasefire, which is stopping the strikes, missiles and drones.
"When the sea port and the airport open, we're ready to negotiate."
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210318-no-ceasefire-in-yemen-unless-blockade-lifted-rebels-say = https://www.rfi.fr/en/middle-east/20210318-no-ceasefire-in-yemen-unless-blockade-lifted-rebels-say
and also https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/yemen-houthis-ceasefire-end-saudi-blockade
and
(* A P)
US-proposed ceasefire plan for Yemen offers nothing new: Ansarullah spokesman
The Spokesman for Yemen's Ansarullah movement, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, says the US-proposed plan for a nationwide ceasefire in the conflict-stricken West Asian country does not offer anything new, stressing that the policies of the administration of new US President Joe Bidemn are not much different from those of his predecessor Donald Trump.
“Biden’s administration is following the same policies as those of former [US] president Donald Trump. The United States has not offered a new plan for peace in Yemen. Washington has rather presented, through Oman, an old plan for the resolution of the [Yemeni] conflict,” Abdul-Salam said in interview with Qatar-based and Arabic-language al-Jazeera television news network on Wednesday evening.
He noted that the US ceasefire plan is nothing new as a similar proposal had already been presented by the United Nations.
“Through the Omani mediator, we have offered our vision plan for a solution [to the Yemeni crisis]. We are waiting for the US response.
“Yemen’s National Salvation Government is ready to engage in negotiations only if the humanitarian issue is separated from military and political matters. They (Americans) have set out conditions for the opening of Hudaydah port and Sanaa's International Airport in the proposed plan, which are unacceptable,” Abdul-Salam pointed out.
The Ansarullah spokesman underscored that the Saudi-led coalition waging a war against Yemen has rejected his movement’s peace proposal for Ma’rib.
“We are in the position of defense. When our fellow fighters tightened the noose on Saudi-led coalition forces and their mercenaries, the international community started voicing concerns. We have not heard their concerns about the sufferings of Yemeni people,” he said.
Commenting on Saudi Arabia’s intention to purchase armed Turkish drones, Abdul-Salam said, “Saudi Arabia buys weapons from countries around the world, but has been unable to make any progress [on the battleground]. Turkish-made, Chinese-made, American-built and other drones are being shot down by Yemeni air defense units.”
Abdul-Salam stressed that Yemeni armed forces and their allied fighters from Popular Committees will continue to launch retaliatory missile and drone attacks as long as the Saudi-led aggression and siege continues.
and also https://english.almasirah.net/post/18370/-US-Proposed-Ceasefire-Offers-Nothing-New
(* B K P)
The Case for More Inclusive – and More Effective – Peacemaking in Yemen
International efforts to end the war in Yemen are stuck in an outdated two-party paradigm, seeking to mediate between the Huthis and their foes. As it pushes for renewed talks, the UN should broaden the scope to include Yemeni women’s and other civil society groups.
Important constituencies, including women and civil society, are currently excluded.
Why does it matter? Women and civil society organisations play a key role in local mediation and peacebuilding. Their support will be critical to supporting any ceasefire and subsequent stabilisation efforts. Leaving them out of talks dramatically reduces prospects for longer-term peace, even if the warring parties do agree on a ceasefire.
What should be done? Whether or not the warring parties agree to a ceasefire, UN peacemaking needs to involve other actors, including women’s groups steeped in local peacebuilding. The UN can achieve inclusion by imposing quotas on the warring parties’ delegations, combined with a parallel process that links civil society actors to political talks.
Executive Summary
U.S. President Joe Biden’s election has given UN-led efforts to end the Yemen war a shot in the arm. Biden has cast Yemen as a pillar of his administration’s Middle East policy, throwing Washington’s weight behind stalled UN efforts to broker a ceasefire and reboot national-level political talks. The war stands at a critical juncture: Huthi rebels are at the gates of Marib, the last northern stronghold of forces allied with the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Preventing a battle for Marib city urgently requires a nationwide ceasefire. Whether reinvigorated U.S. diplomacy can convince the parties to stop fighting remains to be seen. But whatever happens in Marib, Washington and the UN need to rethink the international approach to ending the war, in particular the knotty question of who should participate in a nationwide ceasefire and national-level political talks. To improve prospects for both a truce and an eventual settlement, the UN should create space not just for a broader array of armed and political factions, but also for women and civil society groups who have made their mark in local peacebuilding.
UN-led efforts are built around a framework that was adopted in part on the assumption that it would lead to a quick return to an inclusive political process but has instead become an all-encompassing constraint on inclusion. As the war has dragged on, it has become increasingly clear that prevalent interpretations of UN Security Council Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015, have unhelpfully limited the UN envoy, Martin Griffiths, to two-party negotiations to end the fighting and lay the foundations for a new political order, with Saudi Arabia afforded an unspoken but powerful veto over proceedings. But to continue to restrict negotiations to the Yemeni government and the Huthis (aka Ansar Allah) is to misunderstand the premise of early UN diplomatic intervention in Yemen, which was to return the country to inclusive political talks. It has also proven an impediment to peace.
The Huthis and Hadi government do not hold a duopoly over hard power, territorial control or political legitimacy among Yemenis, as dominant readings of Resolution 2216 suggest. The Hadi government remains unpopular even after a reshuffle brought the pro-independence Southern Transitional Council (STC) under its umbrella in December 2020, while the Huthis’ status in talks is a direct by-product of their having seized territory by force. Neither the Huthis nor the Hadi government can credibly claim to represent the full range of groups and interests that have sustained both the fighting and Yemeni lives over the course of the conflict, now in its seventh year.
Yemenis not aligned with the two sides have long asked whose interests and what purpose a nationwide ceasefire and political settlement between them would serve. They wonder why they should buy into a process that seems unlikely to reflect their perspectives in the substance of its eventual conclusion. Many armed groups that oppose the Huthis threaten to fight on if external powers force a settlement upon them that they believe will only empower the rebels. Diplomats working on the Yemen file, exasperated by the two main parties’ intransigence and worried about a two-party settlement’s sustainability, have started to ask similar questions about the UN framework.
Yet while adding other political and armed actors is critical, it may not suffice. Armed groups’ acquiescence will doubtless be needed to stop the fighting, but building peace is something else entirely. Power, influence and local legitimacy in Yemen are diffuse; a broad range of actors will be needed to end the war for good. Inclusion should not be limited to those who have waged and fanned the flames of conflict. Local organisations have become influential advocates for peace and stability over the course of the war. Women’s groups in particular have made important contributions to providing social stability as the country’s social fabric has come apart. Women’s insights into local dynamics and their practical experience in brokering local truces, reopening roads and freeing prisoners have been invaluable to the UN in its work to date. The UN will continue to need to draw on Yemeni women’s knowledge as it attempts to hammer out a ceasefire and initiate national-level political talks.
The UN is receptive to arguments for expanded inclusion but faces a predicament. Griffiths is working to steer the Huthis (who control the capital, Sanaa, and much of north-western Yemen) and the now Aden-based Hadi government toward a ceasefire, confidence-building measures and political talks. His team, meanwhile, has begun planning a process for implementing that ceasefire and is asking what role other political and armed factions as well as civil society organisations might play in sustaining it. The answer matters because local and national groups will attach conditions to their support for a ceasefire, likely including a say in the UN-led process. But the two main parties and Saudi Arabia have thus far resisted any suggestion of expanding the talks to include a wider array of armed and political factions, let alone women and civil society groups. The few women who have attended UN-led talks since the war began were token representatives who were given no real say in negotiations.
For talks to be credible and stand a greater chance of success, they need to include a wider range of participants. If more Yemeni parties with consequential constituencies, including political parties and civil society groups, are directly involved in talks, it will encourage both the Huthis and the government to start making deals with local friends and foes to improve their overall negotiating power. Under pressure from Saudi Arabia, the government has begun heading in this direction by bringing the STC into the cabinet in December. But it needs to go farther. Importantly, including influential local peacebuilders, women in particular, will help generate much-needed local buy-in for the national-level process.
(A P)
The UN Refugee Agency in #Yemen, @UNHCRYemen, implicitly thanks #Houthis for not attacking #migrants who peacefully took to the streets, demanding justice after the Houthi militia had intentionally caused a fire that killed dozens of them.
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1372260478446108684
(A P)
Yemen welcomes all calls for peace
Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Ezzi has affirmed the Government and the national parties' welcome to the voices calling for peace in Yemen.
He made the statement at a press conference held on Wednesday in the capital Sana'a on the international and UN approach to bring peace to Yemen.
Al-Ezzi reiterated the Yemen's rejection of a partial peace, but a full and comprehensive peace spread throughout Yemen, adding: "We were supposed to see this international orientation in dealing with issues related to peace in Yemen."
He expressed regret over the traditional and usual method of the United Nations and the international community that produced all failed negotiation experiences during the last period.
He touched on the current developments in Marib province as it is the biggest event in the speeches of the international community and the United Nations, saying they "talk about Marib front as if it is the only front in Yemen."
"Marib front is old and it went back to the beginning of the aggression on Yemen, and it posed a threat to the security of the Yemeni citizen,"
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132973.htm
(A P)
[Sanaa gov.] Deputy Foreign Minister to United Nations: War on Yemen is external aggression, not a civil war
Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Ezzi has on Wednesday confirmed that Sana’a has not received a true vision for peace until this moment.
“The United Nations’ request to Sana’a only for a ceasefire is unrealistic because the war is between two parties and the call must be made to both parties,” Al-Ezzi said, in a press conference held in the capital Sana’a.
Al-Ezzi pointed out that Sana’a did not fire the first shot and did not use its full right to respond, and said that the United Nations must understand this fact.
“The United Nations is missing the reality in Yemen, because the war in Yemen is an external aggression supported by mercenaries at home, and not a civil war,” he said.
and also https://debriefer.net/en/news-23872.html
and film: https://twitter.com/ForeignMinistr/status/1372274850279133190
(* A P)
Russia uses UN Security Council veto power to stop British resolution targeting Yemen
Russia has on Wednesday vetoed a British draft resolution at the UN Security Council, after its special session on Yemen.
The statement, according to diplomatic sources, called on the National Salvation Government in Sana’a to stop what the UK described as an “attack on Ma’rib.”
Russia’s representative to the Security Council said the British project was “unbalanced and unprofessional.”
This is the first time that the Security Council has emerged divided on Yemen. The veto comes as a relief to Sana’a, whose officials have criticised the British and Us talk of an “attack on Ma’rib” as a propaganda attempt pretending that Yemen was the instigator of this war.
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
(B E P)
Luxury oasis draws elite Saudis locked in by pandemic
Well-heeled Saudis frolic in an artificial oasis built on salmon-coloured dunes, splashing the cash after a year-long pandemic lock-in that dovetails with efforts to discourage citizens from splurging overseas.
Coronavirus hobbled Saudi Arabia's plans to boost tourism and entertainment, new sectors central to a strategy to diversify the oil-reliant economy.
But cushioning the blow is a lucrative market of Saudis forced to spend their money at home.
The Riyadh Oasis -- a high-end desert retreat with palm-fringed pools, pop-up restaurants and luxury tents -- seeks to lure Saudi high-rollers barred since the start of the pandemic from their usual overseas escapades, amid some of the world's most stringent coronavirus measures.
The sprawling retreat, billed as a "five-star winter sanctuary", marks the latest government attempt to reverse a decades-old trend of Saudis spending billions of dollars abroad annually.
"Water, palms, sand," said a Saudi guide, ushering in guests arriving at the retreat on the outskirts of Riyadh, in a fleet of luxury cars, from Bentleys to Maseratis. "The oasis has everything."
Unveiled in mid-January for a three-month season, the oasis -- whose pricey tickets have spurred resentment among the less affluent -- is the first in a series of entertainment offerings since the pandemic.
"The oasis caters to Saudi HNWs (high net worth individuals), targeting those who could not visit the US or Europe for their annual jaunts," a Riyadh-based banker told AFP.
https://news.yahoo.com/luxury-oasis-draws-elite-saudis-015158878.html
(A P)
#Saudi Grand Mufti assails #Muslims celebrating 15th of #Shabban, which marks the birth of Imam Mahdi 12th imam of #Shia Muslims. Some Sunni Muslims celebrate the day as well. Foreign backed #Saudi is deeply sectarian against most Muslims
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1372560511812911104
(A K P)
A #Saudi account run by the royal court assails #UAE over what it says smuggling weapons to #Ansarrulah & transferring bullions to #Iran, driving out the Hadi govt out of #Aden days ago. This account account is close to #MBS
https://twitter.com/AliAlAhmed_en/status/1372527338051792903
referring to https://twitter.com/MBS_SAD/status/1371914763714838528
(B E P)
Saudi Arabia is on the Verge of New Phase in Space Industry, With its Global Investments are Estimated at More Than $350 Billion
Between 2000 - 2019, the Kingdom managed to launch 16 Saudi satellites into space under the supervision of KACST, the last of which was the Saudi Telecom satellite "SGS1", which was launched on February 6, 2019, bearing the signature of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense - along with the phrase: “High above the clouds” written on it.
The Saudi satellite (SGS1) serves the multiple modern satellite communications sector, which includes broadband communications and secure military communications, and provides communications to semi-remote and stricken areas for use in various fields of sustainable development such as: high-speed broadband communications and secure communications for government agencies. The satellite will be operated and managed through advanced ground control stations in the Kingdom.
In the near future, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expected to approve the National Space Strategy, which includes ambitious and realistic projects worth of the Kingdom's important position and depends on enablers including establishing a financing program for emerging and research projects, supporting small and medium enterprises as well as stimulating innovation and confirming the Kingdom's commitment to invest in this large economic sector.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2204535
(A E P)
Saudi Industrial Development Fund Approves USD 4.5 Billion in Projects for the First Time in Its History
The Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF), Saudi Arabia’s main financial enabler for its industrial transformation, has approved 212 loans that amounted to USD 4.5 billion in 2020 for 201 companies in the fields of industry, mining, energy, and logistic services. The approved loans covered different tiers, out of which %84 of total loans were dedicated to SMEs, ensuring the fund’s strong continuous support for the key contributors of the economic growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2204385
cp9 USA
Siehe / Look at cp1, cp2, cp7, cp9a
(* B P)
NOT AN ALLY: RECALIBRATING U.S.-SAUDI RELATIONS
CLOSE TIES TO SAUDI ARABIA UNDERMINE U.S. INTERESTS AND VALUES
U.S. interests in the Middle East are narrow and easily achieved: (1) defending against anti-U.S. terrorist threats and (2) preventing significant, long-term disruptions to the flow of oil. Neither requires unconditional U.S. support to Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. can best accomplish its objectives by allowing local regional players to balance each other’s power. Saudi dominance is just as threatening to this balance as Iranian dominance, neither of which is likely to occur.
The U.S. currently stations between 2,500 and 3,000 troops in Saudi Arabia—they serve no practical U.S. security purpose, but they provide the kingdom with an opportunity to drag the U.S. military into its conflicts.
As 9/11 demonstrated, stationing U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina nearby, can create new threats by giving radical Islamic extremists a potent grievance for terrorist recruitment: 15 of 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.
OIL IS NO REASON TO GIVE SAUDI ARABIA A BLANK CHECK
UNCONDITIONAL U.S. SUPPORT ENCOURAGES SAUDI ARABIA’S RECKLESS DRIVING
U.S. policy is sometimes premised on the notion Saudi Arabia is a bulwark of regional stability. If that assumption ever made sense, it no longer does, particularly since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) consolidated power several years ago.
Without fear of losing U.S. protection, Saudi foreign policy, relatively cautious for decades, has become reckless and destabilizing.
The war in Yemen, the embargo of Qatar, the forced resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister, and an oil price war against U.S. shale companies have exacerbated the Middle East’s security problems and directly harmed U.S interests.
U.S. support of the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in Yemen exacerbated a humanitarian crisis there, hindered diplomacy, and resulted in U.S. weapons falling into the hands of extremists. This entanglement undercuts U.S. interests and values.5
RESETTING THE SAUDI RELATIONSHIP WILL RESTORE U.S. LEVERAGE
https://www.defensepriorities.org/explainers/not-an-ally-recalibrating-us-saudi-relations
(* B P)
Liberals Grow Impatient With Biden's Foreign Policy Decisions
After seeing Biden deliver a transformational $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, progressives are asking why his foreign policy feels so conventional. They worry that Biden and his largely centrist team of national security officials will disappoint the liberal wing’s desires for a new U.S. foreign policy that relies far less on military power, de-escalates tensions with rivals like Iran and China, and places greater pressure — under threat of cooler relations — on allies like Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Biden administration officials dispute the criticism as unfair and premature.
The Middle East, which Biden officials hope to de-emphasize as they turn America’s attention to China, is the source of many complaints. Topping the list is Biden’s decision not to unilaterally rejoin the Iran nuclear deal by reversing harsh sanctions imposed on Iran by Trump after he abandoned the agreement in 2018.
Iran says it will not talk, much less scale back its advancing nuclear program and comply with the deal’s limits, until Biden acts.
Supporters of the original deal, including Obama administration officials who helped to design it, say the passage of time only allows for political opposition to build at home and for events in the dangerous region to trigger an escalation.
They also complain that Biden is maintaining the sanctions Trump applied on Iran when he exited the nuclear deal.
Further complicating the prospects for nuclear talks was Biden’s Feb. 25 airstrike targeting Iranian-backed militia fighters in Syria, a retaliation for militia rocket attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Iraq.
Compounding the frustration is a sense among liberals that Biden’s national security team is stocked with centrists who have supported past U.S. military interventions, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the president’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
https://news.yahoo.com/liberals-grow-impatient-bidens-foreign-195311045.html
= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/us/politics/liberals-biden-foreign-policy.html
(A P)
Will Senate Dems join Lindsey Graham’s effort to blow up the Iran nuclear deal?
Senate Democrats are considering signing on to a letter that critics say is meant to complicate President Biden’s plan to return to the Iran nuclear deal, and is led by a senator who has been calling for war with Iran for more than a decade.
JCPOA proponents warn that the letter — led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), and backed by AIPAC — establishes unachievable benchmarks and supports a continuation of President Trump’s failed “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran.
When news of the letter broke last week, pro-diplomacy groups aimed their fire at Menendez, as the letter mirrors an effort he helped lead back in 2014 when he sponsored a bill that would have imposed more sanctions on Iran while talks were ongoing leading up to the JCPOA.
A similar dynamic is at play with Menendez’s new letter, not just because it echoes past efforts at gumming up the works on diplomacy with Iran, but also because of who he’s teaming up with: Lindsey Graham.
Graham isn’t interested in diplomacy with Iran or reaching any kind of compromise. His position on the issue has always consistently been that Iran either capitulates to every American demand or faces the wrath of the U.S. military.
(* B K P)
The Impact of Biden's Policy on Yemen War
Summary:
-During the Trump’s term, the US administration had not any policy towards Yemen as his policy was "the absence of policy" and Yemen in his era remained to be linked to Saudi and Iran, which was and will remain one of the most important determinants of the US foreign policy towards Yemen. Yemen is at the end of its agenda and it is a hotbed of terrorist groups that threaten the US security.
-The Biden administration's policy toward Yemen reveals his policy in the Middle East. The region is not among the first three priorities of Biden’s administration. The priority areas now are Asia and the Pacific, then Europe and then the Western hemisphere due to the increasing presence of the great powers (Russia and China).
-The Biden’s decision to halt support for the coalition’s offensive operations in Yemen has not a significant military impact. The US administration stopped support for the Arab Coalition in its direct military attacks in Yemen years ago and it already stopped supplying fuel to warplanes in air in 2018, only training for Saudi pilots is left. However, the decision has a political impact. It sends a message to the Houthis and Iran that the United States is abandoning its ally, Saudi Arabia.
-Providing the US "defensive" assistance to Saudi Arabia is not limited to Saudi need alone, but it is related to the US interests. The United States has thousands of troops in the country and it seeks to increase the number of military bases in Saudi Arabia amid the growing Iranian tensions, including bases in the Red Sea coast that are geographically closer to the Houthis.
-The appointment of Timothy Lenderking as a special envoy for Yemen means that the Biden administration knows that ceasing support for the Arab Coalition in Yemen is not the main solution that will end the Yemeni war. Rather, it seeks to find an agreement between the Yemeni parties to the conflict, but this seems to be difficult to be achieved at the moment.
-There is no evidence of the US administration’s theory that the removal of the Houthis from the terror list will push them to change their behavior and negotiate with Lenderking in good faith. The Houthis did not respond to the American "goodwill." On contrary, they escalated their attacks against Marib and Saudi Arabia.
The US actions against the Coalition and the quick revocation of the Houthis terror classification sent a wrong message to the Houthis and Iran that Washington is abandoning its allies and practicing pressure on them to end the war.
The United States has already removed any pressure cards on the Houthis and weakened their rivals with its new decision against the coalition, so the Houthis have a little motive to negotiate for peace, because prolonging the fight, from their viewpoint, could increase their influence in future talks.
The US envoy's movements during the first weeks indicate that he is seeking to build a special role for the United States to create a swift end to the war in Yemen. But he will need to avoid direct involvement in talks on a political solution for reasons related to the lack of confidence by the local parties, so he may try to create an agreement through the United Nation. It is not clear that a deal to keep the Houthis in power would be welcomed by the Yemeni people.
In Yemen, the United States may revive an initiative similar to that of "John Kerry", the former US Secretary of State during the Obama's period with some adjustments appropriate to the nature of the initiative, which may begin with reviewing the Security Council’s resolution 2216.
https://abaadstudies.org/news-59875.html
(A P)
Exclusive: New GOP Bill Hits Back against Chinese Funding of U.S. Think Tanks
In Washington, money talks. Long aware of this basic fact of life in the U.S. capital, many an authoritarian regime has sought to build support for its government through well-placed gifts to think tanks. Often, such influence operations are designed to get the U.S. to give preferential treatment to foreign dictatorships, such as the Chinese party-state, often to the detriment of national security.
The law has yet to catch up to these efforts, but a group of House Republicans hopes to push back against these regimes with a bill that subjects think tanks and research institutions to stricter disclosure requirements. If their proposal, set to be announced this morning by Representative Lance Gooden and the Republican Study Committee — which initially called for these reforms in June — becomes law, it stands a chance at complicating these foreign-influence operations.
But China’s not the only player on the field. An abundance of reporting on the topic has also raised concerns about the ways in which Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and numerous other regimes advance their viewpoints, buying the cachet granted by the names of revered research centers, such as the Atlantic Council and the Brookings Institution.
(B P)
Audio: Post-conflict stabilization in Yemen should be locally-driven and have regional buy-in, says Denise Natali
Dr. Denise Natali, former Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations and Director of the Center for Strategic Research at the National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies, discusses the impact of the bipartisan Global Fragility Act on US policy; the challenges of re-integration of non-state armed individuals and groups in the Middle East; why post-conflict stabilization in Yemen will need to be locally driven and supported by its neighbors; and the prospects for common ground between the US and Turkish policies toward Syria and the Syrian Kurds….also, Andrew’s take on the Biden Administration’s policy, so far, toward Iran.
(* B H P)
Fixing “Material Support” — Lessons from the Houthi Terror Designation
Among the many foreign policy reviews and changes already underway in the new administration—from a review of the use of sanctions, to new limits on drone strikes, to cutting back U.S. support for the war in Yemen—the Biden team should work with Congress to implement another: a fix to the crude and cumbersome “material support” laws that make terror designations a nightmare for civil society groups operating abroad.
President Biden was right to reverse the designations. They were made over the strong objections of humanitarian aid organizations and foreign policy experts, who warned that the move would restrict the provision of aid to millions of people already facing war-induced famine in Yemen.
This experience illustrates the confusing and tenuous situation under which nonprofit organizations operate when it comes to implementing programs in conflict zones and politically fraught environments.
While the Biden team should be commended for its swift and decisive action with respect to Yemen, as well as its recognition of the impact the designations would have on the scale of the humanitarian disaster, revoking the designations was a temporary and palliative fix to a broader problem. The vagueness in the laws makes it impossible for aid groups to understand precisely what is and is not allowed, particularly for the majority of groups that lack the legal staff to help them navigate the Byzantine set of rules. Thankfully, with a new administration and leadership in Congress that has signaled the need to revisit a host of 9/11-era laws and policies, we have an unprecedented opportunity to solve this dire problem.
The material support statutes are embedded in the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Between Congress and the administration, these laws can and should be amended to remedy the problems they create for civil society groups and their life-saving programs.
Congress should amend AEDPA to ensure that interactions with designated groups that are customary, necessary, and incidental to the work of legitimate civil society organizations are exempt as long as they are carried out in good faith.
Until we address the underlying and fundamental flaws in the material support statutes, these laws will continue to hinder – and in some cases prevent – global efforts to care for people, reduce conflict, and protect human rights.
(A P)
Yemeni PM, US Envoy discuss peace efforts
US Special Envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking discussed on a phone call with the Yemeni prime minister, Maeen Abdulmalik the efforts to improve services and meet the humanitarian needs of all Yemenis, the US State Department tweeted on Wednesday.
http://en.adenpress.news/news/32494
(A P)
US Praises Saudi Commitment to End Conflict in Yemen
US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking stressed that he found a strong commitment from the Saudi leadership to end the Yemeni conflict.
In a television interview with the British BBC channel and the American PBS, Lenderking said, “what I hear is a consistent message from the Saudi leadership that they want to do their part to bring the conflict to a close … I'm confident that we're going to be able to count on Saudi Arabia to do its part.”
https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2864951/us-praises-saudi-commitment-end-conflict-yemen
My comment: LOL.
(* B P)
Audio: When Will the U.S. Exit Wars in Yemen and Afghanistan?
When will President Biden withdraw all support for the Saudi‐led war in Yemen? Does Joe Biden own the war in Afghanistan if he doesn’t stick to the current timeline for U.S. departure? Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California discusses the Biden foreign policy so far.
https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-daily-podcast/when-will-us-exit-wars-yemen-afghanistan
(*A P)
Biden defends inaction against Saudi crown prince in killing
President Joe Biden defended his decision to waive any punishment for Saudi Arabia’s crown prince in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, claiming that acting against the Saudi royal would have been diplomatically unprecedented for the United States.
Biden, in an ABC News interview that aired Wednesday, discussed his administration’s decision to exempt Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from any penalties for the Oct. 2, 2018, killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence, in a report released Feb. 26, concluded that the crown prince authorized the team of Saudi security and intelligence officials that killed Khashoggi.
“We held accountable all the people in that organization — but not the crown prince, because we have never that I’m aware of, when we have an alliance with a country, gone to the acting head of state and punished that person and ostracized him,” Biden said in his first extended public comments on his administration’s decision.
Biden was overstating the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia, however.
The United States has no treaty binding itself with Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom is not one of the Arab countries designated as a major non-NATO ally. The U.S. often refers to the kingdom as a strategic partner because of its oil production, its status as a regional counterbalance to Iran and its counterterrorism cooperation.
Biden’s inaction against the prince was a turnabout from his campaign, when Biden spoke scathingly of the royal family and said he wanted to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” for the killing and other abuses.
cp9a USA-Iran Krise: Spannungen am Golf / US-Iran crisis: Tensions at the Gulf
Siehe / Look at cp9
(A P)
Iran’s security chief says no solution to current impasse unless US removes sanctions
“Nothing will happen unless the #UnitedStates takes effective actions to lift the oppressive #sanctions. The current stalemate is not tactical and domestic, but related to the West's deceptive strategy. #DecisiveWord,”
(A P)
US economic terrorism, pressure failed to break Iranians’ ironclad resilience: Zarif
(* B P)
What It Will Take to Break the U.S.-Iran Impasse: A Q&A With Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif
Biden has acted more slowly than many expected—especially those eagerly watching his moves from inside Iran.
He might be buying time while he thinks through his options. Some U.S. officials have suggested the Biden administration may want to remake, or at least update, the Iran deal rather than simply revive the 2015 version. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged to “lengthen and strengthen” the deal. At Wendy Sherman’s confirmation hearing to be deputy secretary of State in early March, she also hinted at the need for a reworked deal. “The facts on the ground have changed, the geopolitics of the region have changed, and the way forward must similarly change,” she told lawmakers.
But Iranian leaders say they already have a deal they want: the existing deal, and it’s up to the United States to rejoin it. Iran has still been allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct inspections, a term of the 2015 deal. Iranian officials have hinted at one first move the United States could make if it were truly interested in breaking the impasse: access to funds frozen in South Korean banks by U.S. sanctions. Iranian officials say those funds, if released, would be used only for humanitarian goods, and it would jump-start the longer process of unfreezing U.S.-Iranian relations.
It’s a delicate dance of waiting for the other party to make a move, and trying to guess what, exactly, your foe—and, at the same time, partner—is thinking.
One central player in these discussions is Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, who brokered the deal in 2015.
We spoke with Zarif on Skype to hear more about what his administration is making of Biden so far, how domestic Iranian politics is affecting the possibility of a revived deal, where they’ll budge—and where they definitely won’t.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif: Well, I think we need to be clear about what needs to be done. Clearly when we agreed on the JCPOA in July of 2015, Iran implemented JCPOA, its obligations under JCPOA, the IAEA verified Iranian implementation in January 2016 and then the United States responded. That was the sequence of events in the beginning. Iran continued compliance; the United States during the Obama administration, more or less, less more than more, complied with JCPOA. And then the Trump administration came, and for four years the United States did not comply. And in the middle of those four years, the United States withdrew from the deal.
Now if the United States wants to go back to the deal, it has to follow the same order that we started. It has to now come back to compliance. As soon as the United States comes to compliance, Iran will comply. This is as easy as that. You see there is a cause-and-effect situation: The United States stopped complying and then after a year or almost 15 months, five IAEA reports indicated that Iran even continued to comply after the U.S. withdrew. And then Iran stopped and reduced its compliance; that’s within the terms of the JCPOA. [Iran still considers itself a party to the deal, though it has formally invoked a dispute-resolution mechanism, reduced its compliance and expanded its nuclear activities.] Now we want to go back to compliance. The party that has started this process has to go back and Iran will immediately go back.
Now, why don’t we talk? The reason for not talking is that there is nothing to talk about. We have an agreement; we talked about this agreement with the same people who are in the White House today, with the same people who are in the State Department today. So they know exactly what it takes to go back to compliance, unless they are not serious about what they’re saying. They want to use pressure and coercion in order to extract new concessions from Iran. That is what Wendy Sherman said in her confirmation hearing for deputy secretary of state and what others have said: that the situation in 2021 is not the same as 2015.
They want a new agreement, they want a wider agreement, they want something else, they want to talk about the sunset clause, they want to talk about missiles, they want to talk about other issues.
That will go nowhere because in the 12 years that we negotiated, from 2003 to 2015, and in the two years that we focused on negotiations, mostly with the Americans, we dealt with all these issues.... Now they want to reopen those discussions, which means another two years of unnecessary discussion. So there's nothing to talk about.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/03/17/iran-nuclear-deal-javad-zarif-qa-476588
(A P)
Scoop: Inside the U.S.-Israel talks on Iran
In the first round of U.S.-Israel strategic talks on Iran last week, senior national security and foreign policy officials laid down all they know about Iran's nuclear program, three senior Israeli officials familiar with the talks tell me.
Why it matters: Amid President Biden’s push for diplomatic reengagement with Iran, the U.S.-Israel strategic dialogue is intended to hash out differences in approach and coordinate on the path forward.
Israel’s first objective in the March 11 meeting was to arrive at a common baseline with the U.S. when it comes to intelligence on Iran.
As it happens, the intelligence pictures both sides presented about recent developments in Iran's nuclear program were almost identical.
“We are on the same page on the intelligence. There are small nuances but overall, they see data the same way. It was very positive, but it is only the beginning of a process. It will be a rollercoaster," a senior Israeli official told me.
(A P)
Iran’s final report on Ukraine jet crash blames human error
After a yearlong investigation, Iran’s civil aviation agency on Wednesday released its final report on the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane that killed 176 people last year, revealing no new details about the shootdown that has provoked outrage from affected countries and concerns from U.N. investigators.
Following three days of denial in January 2020 in the face of mounting evidence, Iran finally acknowledged that its forces mistakenly downed the Ukrainian jetliner with two surface-to-air missiles. In preliminary reports on the disaster last year, Iranian authorities blamed an air defense operator who they said mistook the Boeing 737-800 for an American cruise missile.
https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-dubai-iran-united-arab-emirates-d07e956a809f4a30ac0bdf00b1d8a6db
(A P)
New US administration did nothing to make up for past mistakes: Rouhani
President Hassan Rouhani says the former “criminal” US administration did great injustice to the people of Iran with its terrorist acts, and that the new leadership in the White House has so far failed to take any practical measure to make up for the past wrongdoings.
(A P)
No indirect diplomacy between Iran, US: Security source
A security source has dismissed recent remarks by White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan about ongoing indirect diplomacy between Iran and the United States over Washington's return to the JCPOA.
Speaking to Press TV on Tuesday, the source said on the condition of anonymity that the US officials’ claims about indirect talks with Iran are only meant to get President Joe Biden out of the crisis.
The source, which is close to the Supreme National Security Council, added that all Iranian authorities are obligated to implement the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions, a law passed last December by the Iranian Parliament.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/171168/No-indirect-diplomacy-between-Iran-US-Security-source
(* A P)
UN atomic watchdog confirms details of new Iran centrifuges
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Wednesday it has confirmed that Iran has begun operating a cascade of advanced centrifuges at an underground site.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi told member delegations on Monday that Iran has “begun feeding a newly installed cascade of 174 IR-4 centrifuges” to enrich uranium hexafluoride gas up to 5% U-235 uranium, the Vienna-based organization said.
The use of the advanced centrifuges in the Natanz facility is another violation of the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers in 2015, which allows it only to enrich with first-generation IR-1 centrifuges.
In his report to member nations, Grossi said an additional cascade of IR4 centrifuges has been installed in the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant near Natanz. Tehran also has indicated it plans to install a second cascade in the Natanz facility, although installation has yet to begin, Grossi said.
(B P)
Israel Concerned as Iran Provides Its Mideast Proxies With Better Weapons
Tehran is encouraging Hezbollah and Hamas to manufacture weapons independently
Despite Netanyahu's hawkish rhetoric, Israel is coming to terms with the prospect of U.S-Iran nuke talks (paywalled)
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
(A P)
Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
Parliament: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office written question – answered on 18th March 2021
Q: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are reducing the amount of humanitarian aid provided to Yemen.
A (Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Min. of State: The UK is facing the worst economic contraction in over 300 years, and a budget deficit of close to £400 billion. As announced last year, given the impact of this global pandemic on the economy and, as a result, the public finances, we will move to a target of spending 0.5% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2021.
On 1 March, the Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa announced that the UK will provide at least £87 million to Yemen
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2021-03-04.HL13916.h&p=10010
My comment: LOL.
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
(B H)
Audio: Hans-Christoph Buch: „Ich würde gerne mit einer Hilfsorganisation in den Jemen reisen.“
Hans-Christoph Buch ist als Schriftsteller die große Ausnahmeerscheinung der deutschen Literaturszene. In den 90er-Jahren hat er sich als Reporter in vielen Kriegs- und Krisengebiete herumgetrieben. Südsudan, Liberia, Tschetschenien - die dunkle Seite der Welt ist im vertraut. In den vergangenen Jahren hat er Neuland entdeckt, Essays und Romane geschrieben.
(A H P)
Statement by Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the Virtual High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/news/maas-pledging-event-yemen/2445084
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
(A P)
French Ambassador to Yemen: Marib’s Fall Would Trigger Political, Humanitarian Catastrophe
French Ambassador to Yemen Jean-Marie Safa, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, voiced his belief in Houthis seeking to take over Yemen by force. He noted that the Iran-backed militia is devoted to a certain ideology and marginalizes anyone who thinks differently.
The diplomat urged Houthis not to waste the opportunity found in peace efforts exerted by the international community and the UN envoy to Yemen.
My comment: For Leclerc tanks look at cp13a.
(A P)
Saudis Are Killing Women, Children in Yemen
Director of the Iranian President’s office denied Saudi Arabia’s allegations of interference in Yemen.
Mahmoud Vaezi said: “The Saudis are killing women and children in Yemen, and they have turned their country into rubble.”
Vaezi said: The Saudis are accusing others and evading clarifying the facts before the Islamic public opinion, which asks: Why are the funds related to Muslims used to buy weapons from US and the West and used in killing Muslims in Yemen?
https://english.almasirah.net/post/18369/Saudis-Are-Killing-Women%2C-Children-in-Yemen
and also https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/03/18/iran-vehemently-denies-saudi-claims-of-interference-in-yemen/
(B P)
Human Rights Report Exposes UAE's Discriminatory Measures Against Migrant Workers
Thousands of migrant workers have left the UAE after losing their jobs, as they were subjected to discriminatory measures during the economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic considering lack of appropriate government support measures, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor and IRDG said in joint speech at the Human Rights Council 46th session.
Making up about 90% of the total workforce in the country, migrant workers have been suffering from formal discriminatory practices in the field of health care and arbitrary labor laws, since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Delivered by Euro-Med Monitor researcher Thomas William, the speech said that while the state provides its citizens with high-level health care services to protect them from the virus, migrant workers struggle to obtain quality medical care. This is due to the many government-imposed restrictions on them and the exorbitant costs they pay for the services citizens enjoy for free.
The speech added that, in March 2020, the government allowed private companies to amend migrant workers' contracts, allowing them to impose unpaid leave and permanent or temporary salary cuts. This allows these companies to reduce the number of expatriate workers and permanently reduce their salaries, while Emirati workers enjoy legal protection, and receive their full wages.
(A P)
Despite ties, UAE stays clear of Netanyahu election maneuver
As Israel heads to the polls next week for the fourth time in two years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to capitalize on his new partnership with the United Arab Emirates in his desperate campaign to stay in power.
But the UAE has been mostly muted — and perhaps unimpressed — in response to Netanyahu’s ebullient descriptions of billions in Emirati commercial investments and promises of a historic meeting with the powerful Abu Dhabi crown prince. One Emirati official said the federation will not get involved in Israel’s electioneering, “now or ever.”
and
(A P)
Bin Zayed Angry at Exploitation of Normalization in Netanyahu's Election
Hebrew media revealed UAE anger over announcing the personal investments of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed, in Israel, by Benjamin Netanyahu.
The media reported that the UAE has suspended preparations for a summit with the participation of Netanyahu, a delegate from the administration of US President Joe Biden, and leaders of Arab countries that normalized their diplomatic relations with Israel last year.
(A P)
The European Parliament calls out Bahrain on its poor human rights record
(* B P)
What does Russia want in southern Yemen?Which has priority, geopolitical or political interests?
In recent months, the visit of officials from the “Southern Transitional Council” (STC) to Moscow shows the group's growing ties with Russia. Moscow's goal from the beginning of these relations is to secure its geopolitical interests and, of course, pursue economic and political goals along with geopolitical goals.
Russia's relations with Yemen are of long standing.
Russia seeks to achieve its geopolitical goals through close cooperation with the Transitional Council. In Yemen, it is trying to maintain its extensive relations with all parties involved in Yemen. Moscow's policy is not to side with any particular party in the Yemeni political-military scene.
Yemen was one of Moscow's main priorities in the Middle East during the Cold War.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is strategically important to Russia and is Russia's entry point into the Horn of Africa.
One of Russia's political goals in Yemen and, more broadly, the Middle East is to reduce US influence in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf sub-system. After the two countries of North and South Yemen united, the role of the Soviet Union and later Russia in Yemen and the Persian Gulf diminished, and the United States replaced Russia in the Persian Gulf region and the Arabian Peninsula. Russia is now seeking to revive its traditional influence in the Persian Gulf, particularly Yemen, with the "Persian Gulf Peace" plan.
Russia hopes to compete with the United States in Yemen by acting as a mediator between different groups in Yemen, something the United States could not do.
One of Russia's economic goals of its presence in southern Yemen is to increase its bargaining power in the oil war with Saudi Arabia
One of Russia's economic goals of its presence in southern Yemen is to increase its bargaining power in the oil war with Saudi Arabia
The key to Russia's active role in Yemen is in its intelligent neutrality. Russia acts as a mediator between the various groups involved in Yemen and has friendly relations with all the powers involved in Yemen, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Iran. It seems that Russia is pursuing geopolitical interests and an official military presence in Yemen and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait above all else, and this presence takes precedence over other Russian political and economic interests in Yemen.
(A K P)
Royal #Saudi Air Force F-15C Eagles conducted a joint orientation flight with the #Hellenic Air Force F-16 Block 50 over the Mediterranean Sea
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/1371885697389498368
My comment: Go to bed with a killer at night, you will awake pretty bloody in the morning. Greece, welcome to the club.
(B P)
Yemen, Iran and Oman: Reaching out to Peace through Food
Despite the second wave of Covid-19, the overall diplomatic air in Muscat is optimistic
In Oman, just north of Yemen, we feel the pain. However we conclude that the warlords have no more cards to play; there is no longer a winner takes all strategy.
The war does not promote anyone’s interest, locally or geo-strategically.
Oil has to find another way out. That will allow all parties to the violence to exit as well.
But how do we to get there quickly? Muscat's decades long experience in helping feuding parties to step back can be used. So since mid February, there have been increasing numbers of dignitaries visiting Muscat.
Oman is at Washington’s and Brussels’ disposal to assist. If there was a time for Europe to step in, it is now.
Oman’s Charitable Organisations are well targeted and connected in Yemen. With food and fuel together we can bring peace to the Yemeni nation, and, why not, an opening to other urgent peace issues for which we need Iran.
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe / Look at cp1
(* A K P)
France’s Leclerc Tank Earned Its Reputation Through Fire and Blood
And the UAE can’t get enough of them.
At the forefront is the UAE's armored corps of French-made Leclerc tanks
The Leclerc entered French service in 1993. The UAE is the only other country which has them, buying 388 Leclercs plus 36 armored recovery support vehicles to equip its own forces. The UAE purchase helped lower the cost of production.
The UAE has modified its Leclercs in a unique way. UAE Leclercs have been spotted wrapped with CLARA add-on armor packages designed by Germany's Dynamit Nobel Defense. CLARA is a type of explosive reactor armor that uses a combination of fibre plates that explode outward when impacted by a projectile, damaging the projectile and reducing its penetrating power.
It is difficult to analyze the Leclerc's combat performance in Yemen -- although they appear to have performed better than Saudi Abrams tanks without up-armor kits.
The Leclerc has performed well -- particularly in terms of leaving a small logistical footprint -- according to one study by the French Institute for International Relations, although the institute noted the Leclercs experienced problems with accumulated sand and dust in the engines.
cp13b Kulturerbe / Cultural heritage
(B H P)
Breaking Gender Barriers in Protecting Culture Heritage in Yemen
The project, “Cash for Work: Promoting Livelihood Opportunities for Urban Youth in Yemen”, employs Yemenis with a daily wage to safeguard cultural heritage in Yemen. Specifically, the intervention to remove Sesbania trees in the Oasis surrounding Old Shibam, involved 31 male and 21 female paid workers.
“We benefit from the firewood for our livelihood. We share it with our families, neighbors, and the needy,” said Awed. "We hope this work continues for us and the youth.”
Those interventions are mitigating the impact of climate change and constitute the first phase of the rehabilitation of the Oasis. What was once considered an ecological threat to the city is now providing residents a source of income and firewood for their houses. Unfortunately, the high wall of Shibam and mud-brick towers have already been damaged by the ongoing conflict and weather changes. Sesbania trees increased the level of torrents on mud buildings causing long-term water leakage and dampness. This led to the destruction of buildings dating back centuries.
“In Shibam, there are heritage landmarks such as Harun al-Rashid Mosque, Sultan al-Qu`aiti's Fort, and traditional houses,” said Awed. “Shibam is an open museum.”
https://en.unesco.org/news/breaking-gender-barriers-protecting-culture-heritage-yemen
(C)
Photo: The tomb of one of the kings of the Rasulid state - Al-Ashrafiya Mosque and School in Taiz
https://twitter.com/mohammedalqadhi/status/1372244397962715141
Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzG-iztxJp8
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
(* B E P)
The Panel of Experts Err on Yemen
My reflections here are limited to Part B of the report’s Section IX, “Economic context and overview of finance”,[1] and the associated Annex 28, “Case Study on the Saudi Deposit: embezzlement of 423 Million USD.”[2] These reflections do not in any way apply to other sections of the report.
The PoE report makes three main claims with regard to the use of the Saudi deposit. First, CBY-Aden and the government violated the former’s mandate and Yemeni laws by selling foreign currency to food importers below the market rate. Second, these preferred rates were not reflected in food prices and market exchange rates, hence the report determines these transactions to have constituted corruption and money laundering. Third, practically all food-importing companies in Yemen (91 in total) – particularly the largest importer, the Hayel Saeed Anam (HSA) Group – are party to a money-laundering and diversion-of-funds operation, representing a form of elite capture.
In the following sections, I will highlight the factual and methodological flaws in the report, as well as the potential repercussions on food security and the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
https://sanaacenter.org/publications/the-yemen-review/13365#POE
cp14 Terrorismus / Terrorism
(* A T)
Suspected jihadists kill 12 in Yemen attack: official
Four civilians and eight pro-government soldiers were killed in Yemen by suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen, who launched grenades and fired machine guns on a southern checkpoint on Thursday dawn, an official said.
The suspected jihadists escaped after opening fire in the southern province of Abyan, the official told AFP, asking not to be named.
“It was gunmen, believed to be from Al-Qaeda, who launched the attack with machine guns and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), killing eight soldiers and four civilians,” the official said.
The checkpoint in the coastal district of Ahwar was manned by members of the Security Belt, a powerful southern Yemen separatist force.
The militia is dominated by the Southern Transitional Council (STC)
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827706/middle-east
and also https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210318-yemen-al-qaeda-attacks-military-post-kills-12/
(* B P)
Myth of Batarfi’s Arrest Plays into Weakened AQAP Narrative
It’s the sort of embarrassing spectacle we’ve seen time and time again over the past 20 years. A terrorist leader is announced killed or captured, only to reappear days or weeks later, very much alive and free. This time it was the UN’s Al-Qaeda Monitoring Team that made the mistake.
In a report dated February 3, 2021, the UN team claimed that Khaled Batarfi, the head of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), “was arrested during an operation in Ghaydah city, Al-Mahra governorate, in October [2020].” A few days later, AQAP released a video that showed Batarfi enjoying his freedom; to clearly date the video, Batarfi referenced the January 6 storming of the US Capitol.
So, what happened? How did the UN get this so wrong, and what is happening with AQAP in Yemen?
Multiple security sources in Yemen confirmed to me that, despite the UN team’s claims, Batarfi was never arrested.
It appears that the UN team misreported this information on the basis of a mistaken identity. (The error may or may not have originated with the team, which does not have an investigative mandate and is instead dependent on information it receives from UN member states.) According to security sources I spoke with, one of the jihadis arrested in the October raid was named Aref Batarfi; the surname was enough to initially attract the attention of Yemeni and American officers. However, interrogations revealed that Aref was a recruit from Hadramawt who was not related to Saudi-born Khaled Batarfi.
This is not the first time Al-Mahra has been mistakenly reported to have witnessed an extremist leader’s capture.
There does appear, however, to be a growing jihadi interest in Al-Mahra. From 2011-2017, AQAP relied on its position in Hadramawt, Shabwa and Abyan to control smuggling routes. But, according to security personnel, after AQAP was pushed out of these governorates in 2016 and 2017, it activated sleeper cells in Al-Mahra, the entry point for most of the goods smuggled into eastern Yemen. According to multiple sources, Khalid Batarfi has visited Al-Mahra on more than one occasion in recent years.
AQAP appears to want to achieve two things in Al-Mahra. First, it wants to augment its sources of funding and arms. Second, it is looking to increase its organizational influence over Al-Qaeda’s branches in the Horn of Africa, particularly Al-Shabab, through the smuggling of weapons. AQAP remains the symbolic head of Al-Qaeda’s wings in West Africa and the Horn of Africa.
This is a result both of AQAP’s position in the jihadi universe and of Batarfi’s potential candidacy to one day succeed Ayman al-Zawahiri as head of Al-Qaeda.
Some analysts believe AQAP is weak and nearly defeated. The UN’s report of Batarfi’s arrest and Al-Awlaki’s death fits nicely into this narrative. The narrative around AQAP’s decline is based on two factors: the group’s recent inability to strike foreign targets and rumors of internal strife. Batarfi tried to refute this understanding in the video, by emphasizing that the organization is, first and foremost, at war with the US. Either way, as Batarfi’s re-emergence makes clear, AQAP is far from a disassembled entity – by Hussam Radman
https://sanaacenter.org/publications/the-yemen-review/13365#Batarfi
cp15 Propaganda
(A P)
Activists say presidential palace raid reveals UAE-Iran collusion in Yemen
Many Yemeni and other Arab activists have said that the storming of the presidential palace by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) gunmen in Aden on Tuesday when the army had just begun to make gains against the Houthi militia in the north confirms the relationship of collusion between the Houthis and STC and, by extension, between Iran and the UAE in Yemen. The activists said that by storming the palace and holing up the ministers inside, the UAE-affiliated STC militia in the country’s south wanted to alleviate the military pressure exercised by the army on Iran’s Houthi militia in the country’s north, and to help the Houthis, the STC’s ostensible opponents, keep up their terror attacks in Yemen and in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi political analyst Suleiman al-Aqeeli said in a tweet, “The attempts to topple the [Yemeni] unity government … confirms what I’ve always warned of: That there are sources of threat to the Saudi national security other than the Houthi and Iranian source.” Al-Aqeeli was alluding to the UAE.
Yemeni politician Ameen al-Shafak said “Saudi Arabia has decided to reinvigorate some Yemeni fronts” to alleviate the Houthi pressure on the army in Marib and “the UAE, in return, decided to reinvigorate some fronts against the government in Aden, Sayoon and Hadhramout to alleviate the pressure on Houthis.”
Yemeni researcher and journalist Nabil al-Bukeiri said in a facebook post: The UAE-Iranian collusion is resembled by the Houthi-STC cooperation.” “Whenever the Houthis start to lose in the north, the STC triggers chaos in the south. And the other way around,” he asserted.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45796
(A P)
Iran using Yemen’s Houthis to achieve its sinister goals
Not only is the Iranian regime showing no sign of backing down from its destabilizing behavior in Yemen and its support for the Houthi militia group, it is actually escalating the conflict through its proxy.
One prominent example is how the Houthis have ratcheted up their attacks on Saudi Arabia. Even US officials have acknowledged the escalation.
More than 40 drones and missiles were launched at Saudi Arabia by the Houthis in February alone. The sophisticated weapons the militia group is using have most likely come from the Iranian regime.
The Iranian regime has several objectives for escalating the conflict and interfering in Yemen’s domestic affairs. First of all, by sponsoring the Houthis, the regime is attempting to gain leverage over the Biden administration ahead of potential new nuclear deal negotiations.
Secondly, the modus operandi of Tehran is to control other nations through its proxies.
An important dimension of Iran’s involvement in Yemen is ideological. A core pillar of its foreign policy is anchored in its so-called Islamic revolutionary principles.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration has emboldened and empowered the Houthis by reversing the militia group’s terrorist designation.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827826
(A P)
Rights experts: silence about the Houthi smuggling and the use of cross-border terrorist marches is a threat to the lives of civilians
On March 15, Republic Underground attended an event hosted by the Human Rights Council of Geneva regarding the use of drones by the Houthi rebel militia against the citizens of Yemen.
Republic Underground’s media vice president Irina Tsukerman was invited to attend and to speak at the Human Rights Council, 46th session seminar entitled “Drones, Transnational Terrorism”. The event was held at 5 Geneva Time.
Moderator, Dr. Wissam Basindwa, President of the March 8 Bloc for Yemeni Women
Morshed spoke regarding Iran’s ambassador to Yemen, Hassan Erlo, and his recent activity in the region.
Morshed noted that Iran appeared to increase its pressure on America. He likewise talked about the Iranian foreign minister’s recent actions with regards to Yemen.
Al-Akwa then added comments on the situation of civilian targeting. Al-Akwa noted that the Houthi rebellion had expanded the scope of its military targeting, and spoke on specific details of the attacks on Marib.
Tsukerman then spoke about the Iranian role in the escalation of attacks on civilians. She noted the conflicted U.S. policies regarding the Yemen crisis, and the political pressures on the situation as the U.S. re-enter a dialogue with Iran.
After that, Bassem Al-Abisi talked about how the Iranian websites that promote drone use by Houthis, noting that Iran uses Yemen as a test field.
Last, Dr. Basindwa concluded the symposium on Houthi drones, making direct comparisons between the crisis in Lebanon and the current crisis in Yemen.
(A P)
On the Eve of the 6th Anniversary of the Saudi Intervention in Yemen, a Policy Shift is Critical
At the beginning of the year, hopes were high that the war in Yemen would ebb away. Yet, two and a half months have elapsed amidst nonstop military escalations, bloody ground battles, countless airstrikes, and missile and drone attacks. The engine of war has moved faster while diplomacy-based peace attempts stand weaker than ever.
The Houthis have escalated their attacks on Marib believing that it is their last battle in Yemen’s north, and its seizure would neutralize any threats from the government forces stationed there. Their strategy is to remove the opposition they see in Marib and boost their sense of dominance over Yemen’s north. Also, they aspire to benefit from the gas and oil resources in the province to improve their financial status. T
In light of this scenario, the Kingdom needs to focus on certain priorities to better deal with the Houthis.
First, there is a need for a sharp focus on the military option. Peace talks seem futile because of the rise in violence. Notwithstanding that some voices have argued there is no military solution to the conflict, the fact remains that there will be no political solution before weakening the Houthis on the battleground. For this to happen, Saudi Arabia must heighten its military support and coordination with the government forces fighting on the ground.
Last week, the US Department of State spokesman Ned Price urged the Houthis to stop firing missiles towards Saudi Arabia and start negotiating. Yet, the Houthis have disregarded such calls, as they repeatedly justify their attacks as a form of self-defense. So, if Houthis turn a deaf ear to the American calls for peace, who would they listen to? The Houthis’ overconfidence and stubbornness have caused peace attempts over the last six years to fail.
The second priority should be uniting the anti-Houthi factions
Over the last six years, Saudi Arabia has not only registered colossal military and financial losses, its image has been increasingly attached to violence, human rights violations, and horrific Yemeni loss of life, sickness, and famine. It has been viewed as one of the prime actors behind the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. While the past is hard to remedy, a decisive and immediate shift in the Saudi policy can alter the present and lay the ground for Yemen’s better future.
The bottom line is that six years of suffering in Yemen are enough, and there is an opportunity for the Saudi failure to be turned into success. Time is ripe for a radically positive shift in the Saudi-led coalition’s agenda in Yemen. Once this materializes, the Houthis will be weakened
(A P)
Yemeni gov’t ‘categorically rejects’ Houthi claims over blockade
Yemen’s embassy in Washington also accuses Houthis of diverting critical oil funds to support their war effort.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the Yemeni embassy in Washington said the government “categorically rejects all assertions & allegations of a blockade on Yemen barring any food and commercial shipping” from entering the ports of Hodeidah and Salif.
It said that a “false narrative” by the Houthis had also been refuted by the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) and the government also accused the rebel group of diverting customs duties from oil imports to fund their war effort.
“With the implementation of the agreement, dozens of ships initially entered and deposited tax and customs revenue reaching an amount of 35 billion Yemeni riyals. However, after two months, Houthi militias then looted these funds,” it said.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/18/yemeni-govt-denies-houthi-claims-over-blockade
Tweets: https://twitter.com/YemenEmbassy_DC/status/1372331063247306759
(A P)
Cartoon
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1372169588398563328
(A P)
Houthis misinterpreted terror delisting as green light for escalation: Coalition spokesman Al-Malki
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia has responded to its removal from Washington’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by escalating its attacks on the governments in Aden and neighboring Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led Coalition, has told Arab News in an exclusive interview.
Al-Malki, who has served as Coalition spokesman since 2017, believes the Houthis’ terror designation had been well deserved given its behavior, which closely resembles the activities of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS.
“There is no difference between the Houthi militia’s activity in the southern Red Sea and also the Bab Al-Mandab compared to that of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, which also struck an American ship back in 2000, called USS Cole. So, it is the same activity they are doing. The threat is not just for the Kingdom,” he said.
“The only difference between the Houthis and other terrorist groups around the world is, first of all, they are the first group that has obtained ballistic missiles, UAVs, cruise missiles and bomb-laden USVs — and that’s never happened, that a terrorist group has obtained this kind of capability.
“Also, the Houthis want to practice their terrorist acts under the frame of a country. If we look at Daesh, AQAP and other terrorist groups around the world, they mostly work independently ... . But they (the Houthis) want to practice their ideology, they want to practice their malign activity, under the umbrella of a Yemeni government. These are the only two differences.” (with film)
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827116/saudi-arabia = http://en.adenpress.news/news/32503
(A P)
Implications of the Latest Iranian Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities
The Houthis took responsibility for launching the missiles and drones at Ras Tanura, just as they took responsibility for the major strike on other Aramco facilities in September 2019, which tied up about half of Saudi Arabia’s oil-exporting capacity for weeks. Sometime after that strike, information leaked that the launch had not been carried out from Yemen but from Iraq, and possibly even from Iranian territory.
The recent attack was very similar to the one in September 2019.
It is highly likely that the world’s intelligence organizations know the exact location of the launch but are keeping quiet so as not to a) reveal that they know details the Iranians are trying to hide; b) compromise information sources; or c) embarrass the US administration, which seeks to return to negotiations with Iran and ease the burden of sanctions.
Why, then, are the Houthis assuming responsibility for an attack on Saudi Arabia that they did not perpetrate (if that is indeed the case)? There are a number of possible answers. One is that Tehran expected and perhaps even demanded that they take responsibility so Iran would be spared punishment. Another is that the Houthis wanted to flaunt the achievement to the masses, boost their support in Yemen, and sow fear in the hearts of their opponents both within and outside Yemen.
Riyadh, for its part, tried to downplay the attack
It is likely that Saudi intelligence knows perfectly well who attacked the kingdom and from where, but is choosing not to reveal this information. There could be two main reasons for this: first, the Saudis will not have to respond; and second, the information may have made its way to Saudi intelligence via a foreign intelligence counterpart on condition that it not be publicized or transferred to a third party without the source’s agreement.
The fact that Saudi Arabia is not attacking Iran in response to the ongoing strikes on Saudi strategic targets stems from the balance of power between the two countries.
The most important conclusion Israel should draw from the strikes on the Saudi oil facilities is that Riyadh is incapable of defending itself effectively, and any diplomatic progress with Saudi Arabia must be based on that fact.
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
(* A K pH)
Saudi coalition air raids and shelling day by day
March 16: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/a.551858951631141/1964278843722471/
(A K pH)
More Saudi coalition air raids
https://english.almasirah.net/post/18381/US-Saudi-Aggression-s-Daily-Update-for-Thursday%2C-March.18.2021 Marib p., Hajjah p.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132968.htm Marib p.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132967.htm Jawf p.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132850.htm / https://english.almasirah.net/post/18351/US-Saudi-Aerial-Aggression-Violates-%C2%A0Stockholm-Agreement Hodeidah p.
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
Siehe / Look at cp17a, 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.
(B K pS)
Landmines left behind by Houthis still prevent IDPs’ return home in central Yemen
“The roads in our villages are still contaminated with a lot of landmines. A neighbor of mine has lost his life last week. That means me and my [six-member] family will have to stay in displacement as long as our village is not cleared of the landmines,” he says. “Me and hundreds of displacees are hesitating to return to Maqbanah and other areas liberated by the army. We hope that after the liberation, the immediately next step
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-45795
(A K pH)
Yemeni Drones Target Saudi Abha Int. Airport
Yemeni Air Force launched a drone attack, Thursday, on Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport.
The spokesman of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e, stated that the Air Force targeted at dawn Tuesday the Saudi airbase with a Qasef-2k drone, confirming that the hit was accurate.
https://english.almasirah.net/post/18372/Yemeni-Drones-Target-Saudi-Abha-Int.-Airport
and also https://www.saba.ye/en/news3133118.htm
https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/03/18/new-retaliation-strikes-hit-abha-airport-in-saudi-arabia-2/
(A K pS)
Arab coalition destroys Houthi drone fired toward Saudi Arabia
A booby-trapped drone launched from Amran, Yemen by the Houthi militia toward Saudi Arabia was intercepted and destroyed on Wednesday (film)
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827071/saudi-arabia
https://twitter.com/arabnews/status/1372260572989960200
(A K pH)
Film: Footage shows large Saudi losses in Hajjah
https://hodhodyemennews.net/2021/03/18/footage-shows-large-saudi-losses-in-hajjah/
(A K pS)
Battles expand in Taiz, [Hadi gov.] Lahj troops take sites
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23884.html
and also http://en.26sepnews.net/2021/03/19/army-retakes-new-positions-southern-taiz/
(A K pS)
A landmine planted by #Houthis killed a man named Mohammed Saeed Moqbel Al-Marbadi and his donkey in Ahkom rural area, southern #Taiz. (photo)
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1372224247993602048
(A K pS)
[Hadi gov.] Yemeni army opens new front in Taiz, makes ‘great gains’ against Houthis
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1827236/middle-east
(A K pS)
Taiz: one child killed, three others sustained serious injuries in Houthi shelling on residential areas
One child was killed and three others wounded Wednesday in Houthi shelling that targeted different populated areas in Taiz city, Yemen’s third-largest city.
Child Mohammed Abdulmoghni, 10, was killed and three others wounded by mortar shrapnel when the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeted Al Shaqb village, south of Taiz city, with mortar shells, local sources said.
https://republicanyemen.net/archives/27576
Photos: https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1372627696778362881
(A K pH)
Mercenaries injure 4 children, girl in Taiz
Four children and a girl were injured on Wednesday evening when mercenaries of the US-Saudi aggression bombed homes and properties of citizens in Khadir district in Taiz province.
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132969.htm
and also https://english.almasirah.net/post/18362/5-Injured-by-US-Saudi-Artillery-Shellings%2C-Taiz
(A K pS)
250 Houthis Killed in Marib, Taiz Battles as [Hadi gov.] Yemen Army Makes Advances
The Yemeni army continued to make advances in the battlefronts in the Marib, Taiz and Hajjah provinces dealing the Iran-backed Houthi militias heavy losses.
Military media said at least 250 Houthis were killed in the fiercest battles yet to take place in the three provinces.
cp17a Kriegsereignisse: Kampf um Marib / Theater of War: Marib battle
Siehe / Look at cp1, cp2
(* A K)
Jemen: Houthis auf dem Vormarsch im Norden des Landes
Militärquellen der jemenitischen Regierung erklärten am Freitag, dass den Houthi-Rebellen nach stundenlangen Gefechten ein bedeutender Vorstoß auf die Stadt Marib gelungen sei, die letzte Bastion der Regierung im Norden des Landes.
Die Houthi-Rebellen „übernahmen nach Kämpfen, bei denen es auf beiden Seiten Dutzende Tote und Verwundete gab, die Kontrolle über den Berg Hilan, der die Stadt überragt“, so eine der Quellen gegenüber AFP.
„Marib ist in Gefahr“, sagte eine andere Quelle und fügte hinzu, dass der Verlust des Berges „eine Bedrohung für die erste Verteidigungslinie von Marib“ darstelle. Die Houthis hätten „die Nachschublinien einiger Frontabschnitte abgeschnitten und sind nun in Schussweite der Al-Mashjab-Linie westlich der Stadt Marib“, so die Quelle. (…)
https://www.mena-watch.com/jemen-houthis-auf-dem-vormarsch-im-norden-des-landes/
und auch https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/398965.ansarollah-nehmen-in-jemen-wichtigen-berg-ein.html
(* A K)
Huthis advance on Yemen's Marib after seizing mountain
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have made major advances on Marib city after seizing a strategic mountain in clashes that caused dozens of casualties on both sides, government sources said Friday.
The Huthi rebels "took control of Mount Hilan overlooking the city, after fighting which left dozens of dead and wounded on both sides," one of the sources told AFP.
"Marib is in danger," another source said, adding the loss of the mountain posed "a threat to Marib's first line of defence".
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210319-huthis-advance-on-yemen-s-marib-after-seizing-mountain = https://www.rfi.fr/en/huthis-advance-on-yemen-s-marib-after-seizing-mountain
and also https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/03/19/houthis-advance-on-marib/
(A K pS)
Yemeni gov't troops claim killing 30 Houthis in Marib
https://debriefer.net/en/news-23888.html
(A K pH)
[Sanaa gov.] Yemeni army liberates Ma’rib area from grip of Saudi forces
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/171256/Yemeni-army-liberates-Ma-rib-area-from-grip-of-Saudi-forces
(A K pS)
As Biden Seeks to End U.S. Involvement in Yemen, Iran-Backed Fighters Launch More Attacks
‘Waves of soldiers like sheep’ in bitter fight around government stronghold
In recent weeks, Houthi forces, using armed drones, ballistic missiles and mortars, have moved within a few miles of the city.
If Marib falls, Yemeni government and Saudi officials warned, it would give the Houthis and their Iranian allies control of a strategically valuable area that could serve as a launchpad for continued strikes on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry infrastructure and other targets (paywalled)
My comment: WSJ strictly anti-Houthi.
(A K pS)
Footage shows the moment a Houthi-launched missile hit a populated area in Marib city. The missile, according to local reports, killed three civilians and left dozens wounded.
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1372195392922746883
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)
Film: An elderly woman was shot by a Houthi sniper in Hays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViTO_OUQJn8
(A K pH)
Aggression launches 2 raids on Hodeida
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3132850.htm
(A K pH)
Daily violations as claimed by the Houthi side
(A H K)
Yemen: MSF calls for stop to indiscriminate civilian attacks
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is calling for an end to indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Yemen, as the attacks constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
In tweets posted in recent hours, MSF's head of mission in Yemen, Raphael Veicht, condemned the attack that was carried out Wednesday on civilian residential areas in the disputed port of Hudaydah, on the Red Sea.
(A K pH)
Daily violations according to the Houthi side
cp19 Sonstiges / Other
(* B H)
Stunning Camera Phone Photos of Joy Amid the War in Yemen
Photographer Nezar Mokbel's work aims to "revive the idea of happier times" in his homeland.
His photos reflect the heavy emotion of people struggling just to make a living, but also joyous celebrations like wedding parties blasting music over the sounds of explosions.
I asked Mokbel what prompted the project, and what it means to him.
M: For the first four years, I just got used to the war. I was passively watching what was happening. In February of 2019, I decided to do something about it. I started taking photos to try to capture the details of daily life in Yemen, to revive this idea of happier times.
In this time of political turmoil, carrying a camera around and taking people’s photos can be very dangerous. But I don’t let this stop me. I take photos with my phone, even if it’s still risky sometimes. In Yemen, artists and photographers don’t have many opportunities to exhibit their work, but we create our own opportunities. I found that my phone’s images can still show the world that we are trying to be OK.
Every photographer has his own vision. For me, it’s quite spontaneous – I capture moments that personally touch me, especially things you might miss with the blink of an eye.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3v955/stunning-camera-phone-photos-of-joy-amid-the-war-in-yemen
(-)
How to get to Socotra
https://www.adventuresoflilnicki.com/how-to-get-to-socotra/
(A)
The winners of our photo competition: “Yemen 2021: Hope for the Future”. Out of 700 photos we chose three winners: 1. Adel Alhaimi: Young shepherd & his goats (Dhamar) 2. Sakhr Aljamrah: Building renovation Moalimi street (Sanaa); 3. Ali Edriss: Children with tank remnant (Taiz)
https://twitter.com/pd_hof/status/1372620408294404099
https://twitter.com/AdelHaimi/status/1372628520933994503
(B H)
Photo: Locals gather at a khat market in #Marib, #Yemen. Despite a stifling economic crisis, the continuing threat of #COVID19, and recent #Houthi offensives towards Ma’rib city, khat markets across the governorate continue to bustle with business.
https://twitter.com/NavantiGroup/status/1372619934476419079
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-727-yemen-war-mosaic-727
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-727 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-727:
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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