Arab Parliament Blames Houthis For Yemen's Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

 Arab Parliament (SABA news agency)
Arab Parliament (SABA news agency)
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Arab Parliament Blames Houthis For Yemen's Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

 Arab Parliament (SABA news agency)
Arab Parliament (SABA news agency)

The Arab Parliament blamed Sunday the Iran-backed Houthi militias for the worsening Yemeni humanitarian crisis.

The Parliament said the militia group was blocking humanitarian efforts, closing seaports and obstructing access to humanitarian aid, foodstuffs, medical supplies and fuels.

In a statement following a meeting in Cairo, the Parliament called on the international community and human rights organizations to take practical steps to lift the severe blockade imposed on the Yemeni southwestern city of Taiz by the Iranian-backed Houthi group.

More so, it condemned the terrorist attacks that Houthis continue to carry out against civilians, accusing the militias of increasing the number of displaced persons and of attacking hospitals and medical units.

The Cairo-based legislative body condemned the militia group for blocking civilians from their rights of obtaining medical services, particularly amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic across the country, warning from a possible surge in COVID-19 infections.

It also welcomed Saudi Arabia's proposal to put an end to the Yemeni crisis, affirming its full support for the initiative that offers a chance to initiate comprehensive political dialogue.

In his briefing to the UNSC last month, UN Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths has warned of a “dramatic” deterioration in the country’s ongoing conflict.



The Head of the Arab League Slams Israel's Occupation of a Syrian Buffer Zone

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit attends the Arab League's foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, Egypt April 21, 2019. Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit attends the Arab League's foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, Egypt April 21, 2019. Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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The Head of the Arab League Slams Israel's Occupation of a Syrian Buffer Zone

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit attends the Arab League's foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, Egypt April 21, 2019. Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit attends the Arab League's foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, Egypt April 21, 2019. Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

The head of the Arab League is warning against Israel’s “expansionist greed” in Syria and the exploitation of the current “delicate moment” following the ouster of Syria's President Bashar Assad.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged the UN Security Council on Thursday to remain committed to the 1974 Israel-Syria truce following the 1973 Mideast war. The truce established a UN-patrolled demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries.

After Assad’s ouster on Dec. 8, Israeli forces occupied the buffer zone inside Syria, calling it a temporary move to block hostile forces.

Aboul Gheit emphasized that “the occupation of the Golan is illegal and unjustified except by the expansionist desires of Israel.”

The Arab League secretary-general said the 22-member organization supports the Syrian people’s aspirations “for a better life after long suffering at the hands of the previous regime.”

“We hope that Syria will undergo a successful transition that will pave the way to an end of the crisis without any foreign intervention, while preserving the Syrian unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.