Yemen Accuses Houthis of Abusing Palestinian Cause for Their War Effort

A fighter loyal to the Houthis seen in Sanaa, February 28, 2021. (AFP)
A fighter loyal to the Houthis seen in Sanaa, February 28, 2021. (AFP)
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Yemen Accuses Houthis of Abusing Palestinian Cause for Their War Effort

A fighter loyal to the Houthis seen in Sanaa, February 28, 2021. (AFP)
A fighter loyal to the Houthis seen in Sanaa, February 28, 2021. (AFP)

The Yemeni government accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of abusing the Palestinian cause to recruit more members to fight the Yemeni people and collect funds for their war effort.

Information Minister Moammar al-Eyrani warned the people against “falling victim to the Houthis’ exploitation and misinformation.”

In official statements, he said the Houthis were abusing the “Palestinian cause and tragedy of the Palestinian people in occupied territories to make political and financial gains, prolong the war in Yemen and continue to kill Yemenis.”

He added that the Houthis were trying win over the sympathy of the Yemenis over the developments in Jerusalem and the occupied territories and the suffering of the Palestinians to organize fundraisers to finance their war effort and recruit more members.

The terrorist Houthis actions against the legitimate state are no different than the practices of Israeli occupiers of Palestinian territories, he continued.

He said the Houthis and Israelis are similar in their attacks against residential areas, killing of civilians, including women and children in cold blood, destruction of homes and crackdown on religious freedoms.

The Houthis have in recent days intensified their recruitment campaigns, mainly targeting the youths, in ten Yemeni provinces under their control under the pretext of “fighting for Palestine”. In reality, the youths will be recruited to their war effort in the Marib province and other fronts.

Residents in the Ibb province confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthis have carried out such campaigns in several villages under the false slogan of “championing the Palestinian cause and liberating the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Many locals, however, did not fall for the lies and mocked the Houthis for their ridiculous slogan and false claims, added the residents.

The militias often exploit major causes in the Arab world to manipulate and deceive the Yemenis and divert their attention from the real crimes and violations they are committing everyday in the war-torn country.

For years, the Houthis have misled their followers in Saada and other regions into believing that they are fighting Israel.



Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The UN human rights office said on Tuesday that the "weaponization" of food for civilians in Gaza constitutes a war crime, in its strongest remarks yet on a new model of aid distribution run by an Israeli-backed organization.

Over 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military while trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since it began work in late May, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters at a Geneva press briefing.

The death toll has been independently verified by his office, he added.

"Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food," he said, describing the system as "Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism".

"The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law."

Asked whether Israel was guilty of that war crime, he said: "The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law."

Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the fighters deny.